This is the 102nd and final edition of the 102 Stats in 102 Days Until 102nd Indy 500 blog, which began Wednesday, February 14. The blog also serves as the advance statistics post for this weekend's sixth round of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season. The 102nd Indianapolis 500 is this Sunday, May 27, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana. Ed Carpenter will lead the field to the green flag, with the race scheduled to start at 12:19 p.m. Eastern time.
Here is a look at the Indianapolis 500 statistics, as well as other tidbits, of every driver that qualified for this year’s race. Drivers are listed in order of their qualifying position. Not only does this serve as the final 102 Stats blog but also as an advance leading up to the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
We hope you enjoyed the 102 Stats in 102 Days Until 102nd Indy 500 blog. Please continue to check back at Motor Racing Statistics for additional Indianapolis 500 stats that were not part of this campaign, and make sure to check on the final 21 days of the 86 Stats in 86 Days Until 86th 24 Hours of Le Mans blog.
#1 (Row 1, Inside): Ed Carpenter, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Carpenter Indy 500 line stats: 14 races, 1 top five, 3 top 10s, best finish of 5th (2008), 5 races led for 74 laps; average finish of 17.21; three pole positions
- Carpenter: 3rd career pole position for Indianapolis 500 (2013, 2014, 2018); 4th in IndyCar Series
- Carpenter has more starts of any driver in this year’s Indianapolis 500 (14) without winning the race
- Carpenter is 15th all-time in laps completed in the Indianapolis 500 with 2,407, and third all-time in laps completed in race without a victory (behind Michael Andretti’s 2,653 laps completed and Cliff Bergere’s 2,425; would move to second on that list if completing more than 18 laps and not winning in 2018)
- Carpenter is one of two drivers with three or more Indianapolis 500 pole positions that has never won the race (Rex Mays has four poles)
- Carpenter’s four-lap average of 229.618 mph is the ninth fastest pole speed in Indianapolis 500 history (his 2014 pole speed of 231.067 mph is seventh fastest pole speed ever)
- Last polesitter to win Indianapolis 500 was Helio Castroneves in 2009; since then, polesitter has finished outside top 10 in three of eight previous races and has an average finish of 15.25
- Polesitter has won the Indianapolis 500 a record 20 times, and polesitter is more likely to win race than finish anywhere else in the field
- 11th pole position for Chevrolet (third all-time behind Offenhauser’s 18 and Miller’s 14; broke tie with Honda, which also has 10) and first since 2015 (Scott Dixon)
- The No. 20 has sat on pole position for the Indianapolis 500 on four occasions in 40 previous races (most recently 2014, with Carpenter; Tony Stewart was the polesitter in 1996 with car No. 20)
- The No. 20 has won the race three times, all previously in cars owned by Pat Patrick (Gordon Johncock in 1973 and 1982, and Emerson Fittipaldi in 1999).
- The last Illinois-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 was Billy Arnold (Chicago) in 1930.
- Last front row starter to win race was Dario Franchitti (2010, started third)
- No driver has ever won the Indianapolis 500 in their 15th Indianapolis 500; Carpenter would break Sam Hanks’s record of most races before first win if he visits victory lane as a driver (Hanks won only one race, in 1957, in 13th career start)
- Five polesitters have finished last: Cliff Woodbury (1929), Pancho Carter (1985), Roberto Guerrero (1992), Greg Ray (2000) and Scott Sharp (2001).
- Best/worst finish for polesitter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (20 times)/33rd (5 times)
- Average finish for polesitter: 12.27
- Best/worst finish for car No. 20: 1st (three times)/31st (four times)
- Average finish for car No. 20: 13.9 (40 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 37 years old: 4 (Floyd Roberts, 1938; Wilbur Shaw, 1940; Graham Hill, 1966; Dario Franchitti, 2010)
- 2003 Freedom Indy 500 winner; one of five Freedom 100 winners in this year’s Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 1 race (Phoenix), 1 top 10 (finished seventh)
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 171 races, 3 wins (all on ovals), 45 top 10s, 310 career laps led
- Has failed to finish 10 of last 18 IndyCar Series starts, dating back to 2015 (six of 10 retirements were a result of accidents); during same period, has only led seven laps
- This is Carpenter’s 59th start for his own team, Ed Carpenter Racing
- The last driver to win a race for Ed Carpenter Racing was Josef Newgarden (Iowa, 2016)
- Last IndyCar win came in 2014 at Texas Motor Speedway
#2 (Row 1, Middle): Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Team Penske Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Pagenaud Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 6 races, 0 top fives, 2 top 10s, best finish of 8th (2013), 1 race led for 35 laps (2015); average finish of 13.17
- Pagenaud Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 2nd (2018), average start of 12.14
- Team Penske has 16 victories in the Indianapolis 500, but none have come from the second starting position
- Pagenaud is the only driver in the race that is 34 years old; the last 34-year-old driver to win the Indianapolis 500 was Helio Castroneves (2009)
- Last French-born driver to win Indianapolis 500 was Gil de Ferran (2003; de Ferran was born in Paris but is Brazilian) and last driver racing under the French flag was Gaston Chevrolet (1920)
- Pagenaud was also the French-born driver to start on the front row (third, in 2015).
- Second-place starter has won Indianapolis 500 on 11 occasions (most recently, 2000, with Juan Pablo Montoya), as well as finished second 11 times
- Last front row starter to win race was Dario Franchitti (2010, started third)
- Seeking to become first driver to win Indianapolis 500 and Grand Prix of Indianapolis (won race in 2014 and 2016)
- Best/worst finish for second-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (11 times)/33rd (4 times)
- Average finish for second-place starter: 14.9
- Best/worst finish for car No. 22: 2nd (twice)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for car No. 22: 14.68 (66 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 34 years old: 7 (Joe Boyer, 1924; Wilbur Shaw, 1937; Bill Vukovich, 1953; Bobby Unser, 1968; Tom Sneva, 1983; Dario Franchitti, 2007; Helio Castroneves, 2009)
- Eight drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their seventh Indianapolis 500
- No driver born in 1984 has ever won Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 0 wins, 3 top 10s, best finish of 8th (Grand Prix of Indianapolis), 12th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 123 races, 11 wins, 84 top 10s, 908 laps led (could reach 1,000 by leading 92 laps in Indy 500)
- Pagenaud has only suffered nine retirements in 123 IndyCar races (running at the finish 114 times, including 50 of 54 races with Team Penske; has finished 92.6 percent of career races)
- Has won at least one IndyCar race in four of last six seasons (winless in 2015 and so far in 2018)
- This is Pagenaud’s 55th race with Team Penske
#3 (Row 1, Outside): Will Power, No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Power Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 10 races, 2 top fives, 5 top 10s, best finish of 2nd (2015), 6 races led for 76 laps; average finish of 13.0
- Power Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 2nd (twice – 2010, 2015), average start of 6.64
- No Australian has ever won the Indianapolis 500; however, 2008 race winner Scott Dixon was born in Australia though he represents New Zealand
- With his 11th start in the Indianapolis 500, now has most starts ever by an Australian, breaking a three-way tie with Ryan Briscoe and Geoff Brabham
- Has led each of the last five Indy 500s for at least two laps
- Including this year’s event, Power has an average start of 6.64, which leads all drivers in this year’s field
- Third-place starter has won race 11 times, tied for second-most among starting positions with second-place starter
- Last front row starter to win race was Dario Franchitti (2010, started third)
- Third-place starter has never finished last
- Team Penske has 16 victories, though only Mark Donohue (1972) and Rick Mears (1984) have won the race for Penske from the third-starting position
- Penske’s No. 12 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, driven by Ryan Blaney, qualified third for the Daytona 500 and led the most laps in the race
- Best/worst finish for third-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (11 times)/32nd (once)
- Average finish for third-place starter: 12.25
- Best/worst finish for car No. 12: 1st (once)/32nd (twice)
- Average finish for car No. 12: 15.44 (79 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 37 years old: 4 (Floyd Roberts, 1938; Wilbur Shaw, 1940; Graham Hill, 1966; Dario Franchitti, 2010)
- Five drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their 11th Indianapolis 500
- No driver born in 1981 has ever won Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 1 win (Grand Prix of Indianapolis), 2 podiums, 3 top 10s, 3 races led for 142 laps (most of any this season), 7th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 192 races, 33 wins, 51 pole positions, 124 top 10s, 3,654 laps led
- Power is one of four drivers to win an IndyCar Series race this season (won Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the IMS Road Course on Saturday, May 12); other winners are Sebastien Bourdais, Josef Newgarden and Alexander Rossi
- Power has won at least one race in each of the last 12 IndyCar seasons, including 2007 Champ Car World Series season (averages 2.81 wins per season in 11 IndyCar Series seasons)
- This is Power’s 147th IndyCar race with Team Penske
#4 (Row 2, Inside): Josef Newgarden, No. 1 Team Penske Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Newgarden Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 6 races, 1 top five, 2 top 10s, best finish of 3rd (2016), 1 races led for 14 laps (2016); average finish of 19.0
- Newgarden Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 2nd (2016), average start of 11.0
- Only driver born in the state of Tennessee to lead the Indianapolis 500 (14 career laps led)
- Fourth-place starter is most likely to finish fourth over any other finishing position (has finished fourth nine times)
- Has started from front three rows five times including 2018 (first time starting in Row 2)
- Team Penske has 16 Indianapolis 500 victories but none have come from the fourth-starting position
- 2011 Freedom Indy 500 winner; one of five Freedom 100 winners in this year’s Indianapolis 500
- Best/worst finish for fourth-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (7 times)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for fourth-place starter: 13.31
- Best/worst finish for car No. 1: 1st (seven times)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for car No. 1: 12.39 (77 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 27 years old: 7 (Gaston Chevrolet, 1920; Tommy Milton, 1921; Peter DePaolo, 1925; Bill Cummings, 1934; Rick Mears, 1979; Helio Castroneves, 2002; Scott Dixon, 2008)
- No driver born in 1990 has ever won Indianapolis 500
- Eight drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their seventh Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 2 wins, 4 top 10s, led four races for 107 laps, average finish of 5.4 (second best to Alexander Rossi’s 4.6), 1st in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 105 races, 9 wins, 21 podiums, 51 top 10s, 32 races led for 1176 laps
- Leads points standings and is only driver with multiple victories in IndyCar Series competition this season (won at ISM Raceway near Phoenix and Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama)
- One of four drivers in this weekend’s race to finish all 612 laps this season
- Worst finish of season was 11th in Grand Prix of Indianapolis
- Has finished 21 of 22 races driving with Team Penske (only retirement was 2017 race at Texas Motor Speedway, which resulted in an accident)
- Has led laps in 14 of last 15 IndyCar races#5 (Row 2, Middle): Sebastien Bourdais, No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Bourdais Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 6 races, 0 top fives, 2 top 10s, best finish of 7th (2014), zero races led; average finish of 14.67
- Bourdais Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 5th (2018), average start of 14.71
- Highest starting Honda driver in the field
- Did not compete in 2017 Indianapolis 500, due to practice accident which resulted in a broken pelvis and other injuries
- Last French-born driver to win Indianapolis 500 was Gil de Ferran (2003; de Ferran was born in Paris but is Brazilian) and last driver racing under the French flag was Gaston Chevrolet (1920)
- Despite competing in six Indianapolis 500s, has never led race (has completed more laps of any driver in this year’s race, 1,175, without having led a lap)
- While he’s never won the Indianapolis 500, Bourdais won the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race at Indianapolis with co-driver Alex Popow (GRAND-AM merged with ALMS for 2014 IMSA season)
- Best/worst finish for fifth-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (7 times)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for fifth-place starter: 13.11
- Best/worst finish for car No. 18: 2nd (twice)/38th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 18: 16.83 (71 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 39 years old: 3 (George Robson, 1946; Dario Franchitti, 2012; Juan Pablo Montoya, 2015)
- One of two four-time IndyCar champions in this year’s field (2004-2007; Scott Dixon is also a former champion)
- Holds 37 IndyCar victories, second most of any driver in this year’s field (Scott Dixon is first with 41 wins)
- Eight drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their seventh Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 1 win, 3 top fives, led 5 races for 104 laps, average finish of 7.2, 3rd in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 176 races, 37 wins, 34 poles, 55 podiums, 106 top 10s, 74 races led for 2,635 laps
- Only driver this season to lead laps in all five races
- 37 career IndyCar wins most for French-born driver and second most for European-born driver (Mario Andretti was born in Italy and has 52 wins)
#6 (Row 2, Outside): Spencer Pigot, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Pigot Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 2 races, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, best finish of 18th (2017), 0 races led; average finish of 21.5
- Pigot Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 6th (2018; started 29th in first two races, in 2016 and 2017), average start of 21.33
- This is Pigot’s third Indianapolis 500, all with a different team (ran with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2016 and Juncos Racing in 2017)
- Pigot is the highest-starting driver in this year’s Indianapolis 500 without previously winning an IndyCar race and one of three drivers in the top five rows (best career-finish in 27 previous races was seventh at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2016); this is also Pigot’s best career start in an IndyCar race, and only his second in the top 10 (started ninth in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis earlier this month)
- Best/worst finish for sixth-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (5 times)/32nd (once)
- Average finish for sixth-place starter: 14.08
- Best/worst finish for car No. 21: 2nd (once)/34th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 21: 16.73 (70 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 24 years old: 3 (Billy Arnold, 1930; Jacques Villeneuve, 1995; Alexander Rossi, 2016)
- No driver born in 1993 has ever won the Indianapolis 500.
- 14 drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their third Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, best finish of 15th (four times), average finish of 14.8, 16th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 27 races, four top 10s (best career finish of 7th at Mid-Ohio in 2016), 1 race led for 8 laps (Watkins Glen)
- In four of five starts this season, has finished 15th
- The last driver to win a race for Ed Carpenter Racing was Josef Newgarden (Iowa, 2016)
- Has never led an IndyCar race on an oval; this is only his fourth IndyCar race on an oval
- Has finished better than he’s started in four of five races this season
#7 (Row 3, Inside): Danica Patrick, No. 13 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Patrick Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 7 races, two top fives, six top 10s, best finish of third (2009), two races led for 29 laps; average finish of 8.71 (fifth best among all drivers in 2018 race)
- Patrick Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of fourth (2005), one seventh-place start (2018), four starts in front three rows, average start of 11.5
- Patrick is only the fourth driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 driving the No. 13, joining George Mason (1914; 23rd); Greg Ray (2003, eighth; and 2004, 27th); and E.J. Viso (2009, 24th)
- Best ever finish for car No. 13 in four previous Indianapolis 500s was eighth (Greg Ray, 2003)
- Best/worst finish for seventh-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (5 times)/33rd (5 times)
- Average finish for seventh-place starter: 12.82
- Best/worst finish for car No. 13: 8th (once)/27th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 13: 20.5 (four previous races)
- Wins for driver, 36 years old: 7 (Wilbur Shaw, 1939; Floyd Davis, 1941; Gordon Johncock, 1973; Johnny Rutherford, 1974; Rick Mears, 1988; Arie Luyendyk, 1990; Gil de Ferran, 2003)
- Only female driver in this year’s Indianapolis 500 (once she takes the green flag Sunday, her eight Indy 500s will be second all-time to Sarah Fisher’s nine Indy 500 starts)
- Highest starting driver to make first start of the season
- One driver has won the Indianapolis 500 in their eighth Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 115 races, 1 win, 63 top 10s, 16 races led for 124 laps
- The last driver to win a race for Ed Carpenter Racing was Josef Newgarden (Iowa, 2016)
- Patrick’s last IndyCar Series start was October 2, 2011 (Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, a span of 2,430 days between the two races); she finished 10th driving for Andretti Autosport (season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was canceled due to the death of Dan Wheldon early in that race)
- Only female driver to win an IndyCar race (Twin Ring Motegi in 2008)
#8 (Row 3, Middle): Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Castroneves Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 17 races, eight top fives, 14 top 10s, three wins (2001, 2002, 2009), 12 races led for 305 laps; average finish of 7.0
- Castroneves Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Four poles (2003, 2007, 2009, 2010), three eighth-place starts (2004, 2013, 2018), average start of 6.78
- One of six former race winners in this year’s race (Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato), as well as highest starting former winner and only driver in field with multiple wins
- Castroneves is looking to become fourth driver to win at least four Indianapolis 500s (joining A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears), and first foreign-born driver to do so (won races in 2001, 2002 and 2009.
- If Castroneves wins, his victories would come in the exact same fashion as Al Unser’s did:
- Each of their first two victories came in back-to-back years (Unser in 1970 and 1971; Castroneves in 2001 and 2002)
- Their third win seven years after their second win (Unser in 1978; Castroneves in 2009); and
- Their fourth win nine years after their third win (Unser in 1987; 2018 race is nine years after Castroneves last won).
- And, to further the irony, both drivers would have missed the race before their back-to-back wins (Unser missed 1969 due to injury; Castroneves hadn’t competed in the 500 before 2001), and both of their fourth wins would come driving for Team Penske in a season in which they were not full-time IndyCar participants. Each of the two drivers has also finished second three times, both finishing second in the race after they won their second 500.
- Castroneves has completed 3,254 laps, the most of a driver in this year’s field and third all-time (completed every lap of 15 of 17 races); one of seven drivers to complete 3,000 laps in Indianapolis 500 career
- Tied for fifth all-time in top fives in Indianapolis 500 with eight (Gordon Johncock and Tony Kanaan also have eight) and could tie Rick Mears and Ted Horn for fourth all-time with ninth top five
- Third all-time in top 10s in Indianapolis 500 with 14; could climb into a tie for second this weekend (A.J. Foyt has 17 and Al Unser has 15)
- Castroneves is third all-time in Indianapolis 500s in which he’s been running at the finish, completing the race 16 times (Al Unser and A.J. Foyt were each running at the finish 18 times)
- Castroneves finished sixth in Grand Prix of Indianapolis earlier this month, his first IndyCar race of the season
- Car No. 3 is making its 89th start in the Indianapolis 500, and will contest its record-tying 38th consecutive race, dating back to 1981 (car No. 5 had competed in 38 races coming into this year but will not compete)
- If Castroneves leads a lap, it will tie him with A.J. Foyt and Tony Kanaan for most Indianapolis 500s led with 13 (if Kanaan leads a lap, he’ll lead his record-breaking 14th Indy 500)
- Team Penske has 16 Indianapolis 500 victories, the most all-time, and most recently in 2015 (Juan Pablo Montoya)
- Castroneves is one of three Brazilian-born drivers and four Brazilians overall to win Indy 500 (others include Emerson Fittipaldi and Tony Kanaan; Gil de Ferran is Brazilian but was born in France)
- At age 43 years, 17 days on race day, is third oldest competitor in the field; a victory would make him sixth oldest driver in history to win race (Arie Luyendyk was 43 years, 249 days, when he won in 1997)
- Including this year’s event, as an average start of 6.78, second among all drivers in this year’s field (Will Power has best at 6.64)
- Has an average finish of 7.0, the best among drivers in this year’s field with at least three or starts, and sixth best all-time among race winners with at least three starts
- This is Castroneves’s third time starting eighth (finished ninth in 2004 and sixth in 2013); he’s started in the top three rows on 13 occasions previously (14 including this year’s race)
- Total of 17 races have been won by drivers in their 40s (most recently, Takuma Sato, 40 years, 121 days, in 2017)
- Best/worst finish for eighth-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (twice)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for eighth-place starter: 14.71
- Best/worst finish for car No. 3: 1st (record 11 times)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for car No. 3: 11.56 (88 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 43 years old: 1 (Arie Luyendyk, 1997)
- One driver has won the Indianapolis 500 in their 18th Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 1 race, 1 top 10 (sixth in Grand Prix of Indianapolis)
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 345 races, 30 wins, 93 podiums, 227 top 10s, 169 races for 6,037 laps led
- Castroneves completed his 40,000 IndyCar Series lap in Grand Prix of Indianapolis
- 307th race with Team Penske
#9 (Row 3, Outside): Scott Dixon, No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Dixon Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 15 races, six top fives, 10 top 10s, one victory (2008), 11 races led for 439 laps; average finish of 10.87
- Dixon Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Three pole positions (2008, 2015, 2017), 10 starts from the front three rows, average start of 7.38
- One of six former race winners in this year’s race (Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato)
- Has led 11 races for total of 439 laps, the most laps led by a driver in this year’s field, most ever by a New Zealand driver (and Australian-born driver), and 10th most all-time
- Needs two laps led to move past Bobby Unser [440] for ninth all-time, 47 to move past Bill Vukovich [485] for eighth all-time, 54 to move past Parnelli Jones [492], and 61 to become seventh driver to lead at least 500 laps in Indy 500
- Despite qualifying ninth, had 12th fastest speed in qualifying (Kanaan, Leist and Andretti all had faster speeds in Sunday’s second day qualifying session)
- Victory in Indianapolis 500 would give him a win in 14 consecutive IndyCar seasons and 16 of 18 career seasons (did not win races in 2002 CART or 2004 IndyCar Series)
- If Dixon completes at least 124 laps, he’ll move into at least 11th all-time in laps completed in the Indianapolis 500 (Rutherford has completed 2,792 laps, 27 more than Tony Kanaan and 123 more than Dixon)
- Including this year’s event, as an average start of 7.38, third among all drivers in this year’s field (Will Power has best at 6.64)
- Best/worst finish for ninth-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (once)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for ninth-place starter: 16.65
- Best/worst finish for car No. 9: 1st (four times)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for car No. 9: 13.73 (83 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 37 years old: 4 (Floyd Roberts, 1938; Wilbur Shaw, 1940; Graham Hill, 1966; Dario Franchitti, 2010)
- Won Pit Stop Competition on Friday over James Hinchcliffe; marked Dixon’s third win in the event (2012, 2014); last driver to win Pit Stop Competition and the race in the same year was Helio Castroneves (2009)
- Dixon is one of two drivers born in 1980 to win the Indianapolis 500
- No driver has won the Indianapolis 500 in their 16th Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 2 top fives, 4 top 10s, 0 laps led, average finish of 5.8, 4th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 292 races, 41 wins (4th all-time in IndyCar competition), 208 top 10s, 134 races led for 5,030 laps
- Next victory would give tie him with Michael Andretti for 3rd all-time in IndyCar wins
- 44 laps away from having led 5,000 in IndyCar Series career (including CART, has led 5,030 laps)
- Dixon has won at least one race in 13 seasons heading into 2018 (still looking for first victory of 2018)
- Finished season-best second in Grand Prix of Indianapolis earlier this month
- One of five drivers to complete all 612 laps this season
#10 (Row 4, Inside): Tony Kanaan, No. 14 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Kanaan Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 16 races, eight top fives, nine top 10s, one win (2013), 13 races led for 327 laps (average of 25-plus laps per race led); average finish of 12.13
- Kanaan Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): One pole (2005), 11 starts in front three rows, average start of 9.53
- One of six former race winners in this year’s race (Kanaan, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato)
- Kanaan is last Brazilian-born driver to win Indianapolis 500 (2013)
- Kanaan is one of three Brazilian-born drivers and four Brazilians overall to win Indy 500 (others include Emerson Fittipaldi and Helio Castroneves; Gil de Ferran is Brazilian but was born in France)
- Kanaan holds the race record for average speed at 187.433 mph (2013)
- Tied for fifth all-time in top fives in Indianapolis 500 with eight (Gordon Johncock and Helio Castroneves also have eight) and could tie Rick Mears and Ted Horn for fourth all-time with ninth top five
- Car owner A.J. Foyt last won Indianapolis 500 as an owner in 1999 (Kenny Brack); Foyt was first four-time race winner of Indianapolis 500 as a driver (1961, 1964, 1967, 1977)
- Total of 17 races have been won by drivers in their 40s (most recently, Takuma Sato, 40 years, 121 days, in 2017)
- 17th all-time in laps led (327) in Indianapolis 500; needs only to lead 12 laps to jump to 14th all-time (Gordon Johncock [14th] has 339; Louis Meyer [15th] has 332, and Dario Franchitti [16th] has 329)
- 2nd all-time in laps led in Indianapolis 500 by a Brazilian (Emerson Fittipaldi, 505)
- Kanaan could set a break a tie with Foyt for most races led in a career; both have led 13 races as a driver (Kanaan has led 81.25 percent of races contested)
- Fastest driver in Carb Day practice at 227.791 mph
- Including this year’s event, as an average start of 9.53, fourth among all drivers in this year’s field (Will Power has best at 6.64)
- Best/worst finish for 10th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (twice)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for 10th-place starter: 14.01
- Best/worst finish for car No. 14: 1st (6 times)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for car No. 14: 15.24 (89 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 43 years old: 1 (Arie Luyendyk, 1997)
- One driver has won the Indianapolis 500 in their 17th Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 2 top 10s (best finish of 8th twice, at ISM Raceway and Grand Prix of Long Beach), 0 laps led, average finish of 11.8, 11th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 348 races, 17 wins, 77 podiums, 218 top 10s, 120 races led for 4,051 laps
- 289th consecutive IndyCar race
- Has gone 54 races without a win (last victory came in 2014 season finale at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California)
#11 (Row 4, Middle): Matheus Leist, No. 4 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Leist Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): Rookie
- Leist Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 11th (2018), average start of 11.0
- Victory would make Leist fifth Brazilian to win Indianapolis 500 (Emerson Fittipaldi, Helio Castroneves, Gil de Ferran and Tony Kanaan) and first teenager and youngest driver to win race (Troy Ruttman is youngest driver to win Indianapolis 500 at 22 years, 80 days in 1952)
- This is the 90th Indianapolis 500 for car No. 4, the most of any car number in this year’s race (car No. 5, not competing in this year’s race, has the most, with 93)
- One of four rookies in race and highest starting rookie in 2018 (Zachary Claman De Melo, Kyle Kaiser, and Robert Wickens are other three)
- 2017 Freedom Indy 500 winner; one of five Freedom 100 winners in this year’s Indianapolis 500
- Best/worst finish for 11th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (three times)/32nd (three times)
- Average finish for 11th-place starter: 16.07
- Best/worst finish for car No. 4: 1st (5 times)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for car No. 4: 13.64 (89 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 19 years old: 0
- Leist looking to become 10th rookie to win Indianapolis 500 (Alexander Rossi was last rookie to win race in 2016)
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018/Overall IndyCar Stats: 5 races, best finish of 12th (Barber Motorsports Park), average finish of 18.0, 0 laps led
- Started season-best third in first career race at Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March
#12 (Row 4, Outside): Marco Andretti, No. 98 Andretti Autosport Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Andretti Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 12 races, 5 top fives, 8 top 10s, best finish of 2nd (2006), 7 races led for 141 laps; average finish of 10.75
- Andretti Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 3rd (2013), average start of 10.08
- Including this year’s event, as an average start of 10.08, fifth among all drivers in this year’s field (Will Power has best at 6.64)
- This race marks the 73rd Indianapolis 500 start for an Andretti, and the 46th Indianapolis 500 to feature at least one Indianapolis 500 (all in last 54 years, since 1965)
- Andretti Autosport has won three of the last four Indianapolis 500s and a total of five 500s since 2005 (six overall as it is a continuation of Team Green) – 2005 (Dan Wheldon); 2007 (Dario Franchitti); Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014); Alexander Rossi (2016); Takuma Sato (2017)
- Best/worst finish for 12th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (twice)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for 12th-place starter: 15.67
- Best/worst finish for car No. 98: 1st (four times)/32nd (three times)
- Average finish for car No. 98: 15.26 (47 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 31 years old: 6 (Ray Keech, 1929; Kelly Petillo, 1935; Louis Meyer, 1936; Johnnie Parsons, 1950; Jim Rathmann, 1960; Al Unser, 1970)
- Five drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their 13th Indianapolis 500; if Andretti were to win, he’d match Sam Hanks’s record of most starts before first win (Hanks won only race, in 1957, in 13th start)
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 3 top 10s, best finish of sixth (Long Beach Grand Prix), 0 laps led, average finish of 10.0, 10th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 205 races, 2 wins, 96 top 10s, 48 races led for 1,006 laps
- Has gone 114 races without an IndyCar win (Iowa Speedway, 2011)
#13 (Row 5, Inside): Zachary Claman DeMelo, No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Claman De Melo Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): Rookie
- Claman De Melo Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 13th (2018), average start of 18.0
- Looking to become only second Canadian-born and second Quebecois driver to win Indianapolis 500 (Jacques Villeneuve, 1995) as well as youngest driver (at 20 years old, would be younger than Troy Ruttman, 22 years old in 1952)
- Indianapolis 500 is DeMelo’s first oval race in the IndyCar Series
- Best/worst finish for 13th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (four times)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for 13th-place starter: 17.02
- Best/worst finish for car No. 19: 2nd (once)/35th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 19: 17.61 (64 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 20 years old: 0
- Claman De Melo looking to become 10th rookie to win Indianapolis 500 (Alexander Rossi was last rookie to win race in 2016)
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 4 races, best finish of 12th (Grand Prix of Indianapolis), average finish of 17.75
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 5 races, best finish of 12th (2018 Grand Prix of Indianapolis), 0 laps led
#14 (Row 5, Middle): Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 28 Andretti Autosport Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Hunter-Reay Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 11 races, 1 win (2014), 2 top fives, 3 top 10s, 4 races led for 162 laps; average finish of 17.6
- Hunter-Reay Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 3rd (2016), average start of 15.82
- One of six former race winners in this year’s race (Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato)
- Andretti Autosport has won three of the last four Indianapolis 500s and a total of five 500s since 2005 (six overall as it is a continuation of Team Green) – 2005 (Dan Wheldon); 2007 (Dario Franchitti); Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014); Alexander Rossi (2016); Takuma Sato (2017)
- Best/worst finish for 14th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (once)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for 14th-place starter: 15.96
- Best/worst finish for car No. 28: 1st (once)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for car No. 28: 16.58 (48 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 37 years old: 4 (Floyd Roberts, 1938; Wilbur Shaw, 1940; Graham Hill, 1966; Dario Franchitti, 2010)
- Five drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their 12th Indianapolis 500
- One of two drivers born in 1980 to win Indianapolis 500 (Scott Dixon is the other)
IndyCar Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 3 top fives, best finish of second (Barber Motorsports Park), 3 races led for 7 laps, average finish of 10.0, 9th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 223 races, 16 wins, 39 podiums, 109 top 10s, 49 races led for 1,331 laps
- 139th race with Andretti Autosport
#15 (Row 5, Outside): Charlie Kimball, No. 23 Carlin Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Kimball Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 7 races, 2 top fives, 4 top 10s, best finish of 3rd (2015), 3 races led for 18 laps; average finish of 13.43
- Kimball Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 14th (twice – 2012 and 2015), average start of 18.5
- Best/worst finish for 15th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (four times)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for 15th-place starter: 15.63
- Best/worst finish for car No. 23: 1st (twice)/38th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 23: 19.38 (50 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 33 years old: 2 (Bobby Rahal, 1986; Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014)
- One driver has won the Indianapolis 500 in their eighth Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 1 top 10, best finish of 10th (Grand Prix of Long Beach), 0 laps led, average finish of 18.0, 18th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 122 races, 1 win, 6 podiums, 50 top 10s (50th came in 2018 Grand Prix of Long Beach), 20 races led for 162 laps
#16 (Row 6, Inside): Takuma Sato, No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Sato Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 8 races, 1 win (2017), 1 top five, 1 top 10, 2 races led for 48 laps; average finish of 17.75
- Sato Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 4th (2017), average start of 17.44
- One of six former race winners in this year’s race (Sato, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi)
- Sato is only driver from Japan to win Indianapolis 500
- Last driver to win back-to-back Indianapolis 500s is Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002)
- Last defending race winner to finish last: Juan Pablo Montoya (won in 2014; finished 33rd in 2015); has also happened to Jimmy Bryan (won in 1958 and finished last in 1959) and Johnny Rutherford (won rain-shortened 1976 race and finished last in 1977)
- Competing in first Indianapolis 500 with RLL Racing since 2012 (ran second at the start of Lap 200 before crashing in Turn 1 while attempting to pass Dario Franchitti for the lead)
- Best/worst finish for 16th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (twice)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for 16th-place starter: 17.44
- Best/worst finish for car No. 30: 1st (once)/31st (once)
- Average finish for car No. 30: 14.24 (21 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 41 years old: 4 (Mauri Rose, 1947; Bill Holland, 1949; Rodger Ward, 1962; Bobby Unser, 1975)
- Nine drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their ninth Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 2 top 10s, best finish of 8th (Barber Motorsports Park), 0 laps led, average finish of 12.4, 13th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 140 races, 2 wins, 6 podiums, 41 top 10s, 23 races led for 477 laps
#17 (Row 6, Middle): Kyle Kaiser, No. 32 Junco Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Kaiser Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): Rookie
- Kaiser Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 17th (2018), average start of 17.0
- Defending Indy Lights champion; one of 11 former Indy Lights champs to compete in race
- Best/worst finish for 17th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (twice)/33rd (four times)
- Average finish for 17th-place starter: 16.93
- Best/worst finish for car No. 32: 1st (twice, including inaugural race in 1911, by Ray Harroun)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for car No. 32: 17.32 (37 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 22 years old: 2 (Joe Dawson, 1912; Troy Ruttman, 1952)
- Kaiser looking to become 10th rookie to win Indianapolis 500 (Alexander Rossi was last rookie to win race in 2016)
- No driver born in 1996 has ever won Indianapolis 500.
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018/Overall IndyCar Stats: 3 races, best finish of 16th (Long Beach Grand Prix), 2 laps led (Grand Prix of Indianapolis)
- Looking to finish first IndyCar race on oval (series debut came in April at ISM Raceway, in which he completed 174 of 250 laps before retiring due to an accident)
#18 (Row 6, Outside): Robert Wickens, No. 6 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Wickens Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): Rookie
- Wickens Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 18th (2018), average start of 18.0
- Looking to become second Canadian to win Indianapolis 500 (Jacques Villeneuve, 1995)
- Best/worst finish for 18th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 2nd (three times)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for 18th-place starter: 16.93 (first starting position to yield a better finishing position)
- Best/worst finish for car No. 6: 1st (five times)/33rd (four times)
- Average finish for car No. 6: 15.35 (78 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 29 years old: 7 (Howdy Wilcox, 1919; Tommy Milton, 1923; Bob Sweikert, 1955; Parnelli Jones, 1963; A.J. Foyt, 1964; Jim Clark, 1965; Mario Andretti, 1969)
- Wickens looking to become 10th rookie to win Indianapolis 500 (Alexander Rossi was last rookie to win race in 2016)
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018/Overall IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 3 top fives, 3 races led for 133 laps, average finish of 9.8 (leads all rookies), 8th in points standings
- Has led 133 laps this season, the second most of any driver in 2018
#19 (Row 7, Inside): James Davison, No. 33 A.J. Foyt with Byrd/Hollinger/Balardi Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Davison Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 3 races, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, best finish of 20th (2017), 1 race led for 2 laps; average finish of 21.0
- Davison Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 19th (2018; had never started better than 28th before this year, average start of 28.25 (third lowest among drivers in this year’s field)
- Three of Davison’s five previous IndyCar races have come in the Indianapolis 500 (2014, 2015 and 2017 races); his last IndyCar start outside the Indianapolis 500 was the 2013 race at Sonoma Raceway
- Advanced 14 positions from Bump Day qualifying (33rd) to Pole Day qualifying (19th), the most of any driver between the two days
- Best/worst finish for 19th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (twice)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for 19th-place starter: 17.07
- Best/worst finish for car No. 33: 2nd (twice)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for car No. 33: 16.98 (50 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 31 years old: 6 (Ray Keech, 1929; Kelly Petillo, 1935; Louis Meyer, 1936; Johnnie Parsons, 1950; Jim Rathmann, 1960; Al Unser, 1970)
- Fourteen drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their fourth Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of the season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 5 races, best finish of 15th (2013 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), average finish of 19.2
- Davison has never finished in the top 10 in five previous IndyCar starts
- Davison has finished better than he’s started in all five of his previous IndyCar starts
#20 (Row 7, Middle): Max Chilton, No. 59 Carlin Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Chilton Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 2 races, 1 top five, 1 top 10, best finish of 4th (2017), 1 race led for 50 laps; average finish of 9.5 (sixth best among drivers in this year's field)
- Chilton Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 15th (2017), average start of 19.0
- Led race-high 50 laps in 2017 race
- Looking to become first English-born driver to win Indianapolis 500 since Dan Wheldon (2011) and first to English-born driver to win Indy with Formula 1 experience since Graham Hill (1966)
- Best/worst finish for 20th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (3 times)/33rd (7 times)
- Average finish for 20th-place starter: 17.19
- Best/worst finish for car No. 59: 2nd (once)/39th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 59: 19.37 (19 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 27 years old: 7 (Gaston Chevrolet, 1920; Tommy Milton, 1921; Peter DePaolo, 1925; Bill Cummings, 1934; Rick Mears, 1979; Helio Castroneves, 2002; Scott Dixon, 2008)
- Only one driver born in 1991 has won Indianapolis 500 (Alexander Rossi, 2016)
- Fourteen drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their third Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, best finish of 16th (Grand Prix of Indianapolis), 0 laps led, average finish of 18.4
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 38 races, 0 wins, 0 podiums, 8 top 10s, best finish of 4th (2017 Indianapolis 500), 6 races led for 66 laps
#21 (Row 7, Outside): Carlos Munoz, No. 29 Andretti Autosport Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Munoz Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 5 races, 3 top fives, 4 top 10s, best finish of 2nd (twice – 2013 and 2016), 3 races led for 25 laps; average finish of 7.6 (second best among drivers in this year’s field with five or more previous starts)
- Munoz Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 2nd (2013), average start of 11.5
- Munoz looking to become second Colombian-born driver to win Indianapolis 500 (Juan Pablo Montoya, 2000 and 2015)
- Munoz is one of four drivers in this year's field to complete every lap of an Indianapolis 500 in which he’s competed (Alexander Rossi, Max Chilton and Ed Jones are the other three)
- Andretti Autosport has won three of the last four Indianapolis 500s and a total of five 500s since 2005 (six overall as it is a continuation of Team Green) – 2005 (Dan Wheldon); 2007 (Dario Franchitti); Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014); Alexander Rossi (2016); Takuma Sato (2017)
- Primary sponsor Ruoff Mortgage was on Takuma Sato’s 2017-winning car
- Fernando Alonso led 27 laps in last year’s Indianapolis 500 driving the No. 29
- Best/worst finish for 21st-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (three times)/33rd (seven times)
- Average finish for 21st-place starter: 18.91
- Best/worst finish for car No. 29: 3rd (once)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for car No. 29: 20.0 (44 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 26 years old: 5 (George Souders, 1927; A.J. Foyt, 1961; Helio Castroneves, 2001; Dan Wheldon, 2005; Sam Hornish Jr., 2006)
- Five drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their sixth Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 70 races, 1 win, 7 podiums, 29 top 10s, 7 races led for 87 laps
#22 (Row 8, Inside): Gabby Chaves, No. 88 Harding Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Chaves Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 3 races, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, best finish of 9th (2017), 0 races led; average finish of 15.0
- Chaves Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 21st (2016), average start of 23.5
- Chaves looking to become second Colombian-born driver to win Indianapolis 500 (Juan Pablo Montoya, 2000 and 2015)
- 2014 Freedom Indy 500 winner; one of five Freedom 100 winners in this year’s Indianapolis 500
- Only driver to win sporting a car number in the 80s was Jim Clark (car No. 82; 1965)
- Best/worst finish for 22nd-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (twice)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for 22nd-place starter: 18.0
- Best/worst finish for car No. 88: 5th (once)/32nd (once)
- Average finish for car No. 88: 18.2 (20 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 24 years old: 3 (Billy Arnold, 1930; Jacques Villeneuve, 1995; Alexander Rossi, 2016)
- Fourteen drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their fourth Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, best finish of 14th (Grand Prix of St. Petersburg), 0 laps led, average finish of 16.4, 17th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 31 races, 0 wins, 4 top 10s, best finish of 5th (2017 Texas Motor Speedway), 1 race led for 31 laps (Pocono Raceway, 2015)
#23 (Row 8, Middle): Stefan Wilson, No. 25 Andretti Autosport Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Wilson Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 1 race, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, best finish of 28th (2016), 0 races led; average finish of 28.0
- Wilson Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 23rd (2018), average start of 26.5
- Wilson has the fewest starts of any IndyCar driver in the field, with two (2013, Baltimore; 2016 Indianapolis 500)
- Andretti Autosport has won three of the last four Indianapolis 500s and a total of five 500s since 2005 (six overall as it is a continuation of Team Green) – 2005 (Dan Wheldon); 2007 (Dario Franchitti); Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014); Alexander Rossi (2016); Takuma Sato (2017)
- Did not compete in 2017 Indianapolis 500 to give Fernando Alonso opportunity to race
- Best/worst finish for 23rd-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 2nd (once)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for 23rd-place starter: 18.48
- Best/worst finish for car No. 25: 1st (once)/34th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 25: 17.37 (57 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 28 years old: 6 (Jules Goux, 1913; Rene Thomas, 1914; Jimmy Murphy, 1922; Louis Meyer, 1933; Buddy Lazier, 1996; Buddy Rice, 2004)
- 10 drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their second Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 2 races, best finish of 16th (2013 at Baltimore Grand Prix), average finish of 22nd
- Last IndyCar race was 2016 Indianapolis 500
#24 (Row 8, Outside): Sage Karam, No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Karam Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 4 races, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, best finish of 9th (2014), 1 race led for 2 laps; average finish of 25.25 (has finished 32nd twice)
- Karam Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 21st (twice – 2015 and 2017, average start of 24.0
- Best/worst finish for 24th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 4th (five times)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for 24th-place starter: 18.72
- Best/worst finish for car No. 24: 1st (once)/40th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 24: 19.27 (55 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 23 years old: 2 (Frank Lockhart, 1926; Louis Meyer, 1928)
- Eight drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their fifth Indianapolis 500
- No driver born in 1995 has won the Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 15 races, 0 wins, 1 podium, 3 top 10s, best finish of 3rd (2015 at Iowa Speedway), 3 races led for 14 laps
#25 (Row 9, Inside): Zach Veach, No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Veach Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 1 race, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, best finish of 26th (2017), 0 races led; average finish of 26.0
- Veach Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 25th (2018), average start of 28.5
- Andretti Autosport has won three of the last four Indianapolis 500s and a total of five 500s since 2005 (six overall as it is a continuation of Team Green) – 2005 (Dan Wheldon); 2007 (Dario Franchitti); Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014); Alexander Rossi (2016); Takuma Sato (2017)
- Best/worst finish for 25th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (once)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for 25th-place starter: 18.44
- Best/worst finish for car No. 26: 1st (twice)/40th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 26: 17.6 (60 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 23 years old: 2 (Frank Lockhart, 1926; Louis Meyer, 1928)
- 10 drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their second Indianapolis 500
- No driver born in 1994 has won the Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 1 top five, best finish of 4th (Long Beach Grand Prix), 0 laps led, average finish of 14.4
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 7 races, 0 wins, 1 top 10, best finish of 4th (2018 Long Beach Grand Prix), 0 laps led
#26 (Row 9, Middle): Oriol Servia, No. 64 Scuderia Corsa w/ Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Servia Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 9 races, 1 top five, 2 top 10s, best finish of 4th (2012), 1 race led for 18 laps; average finish of 14.56
- Servia Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 3rd (2011), average start of 17.2
- At age 43 years, 319 days on race day, is oldest competitor in the field; a victory would make him fifth oldest driver in history to win race (current fifth oldest is Arie Luyendyk, who was 43 years, 249 days, when he won in 1997)
- Total of 17 races have been won by drivers in their 40s (most recently, Takuma Sato, 40 years, 121 days, in 2017)
- No driver from Spain has ever won the Indianapolis 500
- Best/worst finish for 26th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 3rd (twice)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for 26th-place starter: 19.84
- Best/worst finish for car No. 64: 12th (once)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for car No. 64: 24.73 (11 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 43 years old: 1 (Arie Luyendyk, 1997)
- Five drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their 10th Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 202 races, 1 win, 101 top 10s, 26 races led for 272 laps led
- Only IndyCar victory came at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in 2005 as part of Champ Car World Series (has never won in 77 IndyCar Series races)
#27 (Row 9, Outside): JR Hildebrand, No. 66 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Hildebrand Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 7 races, 1 top five, 4 top 10s, best finish of 2nd (2011), 3 races led for 13 laps; average finish of 12.71
- Hildebrand Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 6th (2017), average start of 13.38
- Last California-born driver to win Indianapolis 500 was Alexander Rossi in 2016
- Best/worst finish for 27th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (once)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for 27th-place starter: 18.71
- Best/worst finish for car No. 66: 1st (once)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for car No. 66: 17.06 (18 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 30 years old: 2 (Pat Flaherty, 1956; Al Unser Jr., 1992)
- One driver has won the Indianapolis 500 in their eighth Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 62 races, 0 wins, 3 podiums, 17 top 10s, 11 races led for 122 laps
#28: Jay Howard, No. 7 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports/AFS Racing Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Howard Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 2 races, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, best finish of 30th (2011), 0 races led; average finish of 31.5 (finished last in 2017 race)
- Howard Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 20th (twice – 2011 and 2017), average start of 22.67
- Best/worst finish for 28th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 1st (twice)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for 28th-place starter: 18.66
- Best/worst finish for car No. 7: 1st (twice)/34th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 7: 15.53 (85 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 37 years old: 4 (Floyd Roberts, 1938; Wilbur Shaw, 1940; Graham Hill, 1966; Dario Franchitti, 2010)
- Fourteen drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their third Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 13 races, best finish of 13th (twice, both in 2008: Twin Ring Motegi and Kansas Speedway, driving for Roth Racing)
#29: Ed Jones, No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Jones Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 1 race, 1 top five, 1 top 10, best finish of third (2017), zero races led; average finish of 3.0
- Jones Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 11th (2017), average start of 20.0
- One of four drivers making second Indy 500 start this weekend (others are Stefan Wilson, Zach Veach and Jack Harvey)
- The 29th starting position has never won the Indianapolis 500 (no driver has ever won the race after starting 29th or worse)
- Only driver ever from United Arab Emirates to compete in race
- Best/worst finish for 29th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 2nd (twice)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for 29th-place starter: 20.92
- Best/worst finish for car No. 10: 1st (once)/39th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 10: 16.67 (76 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 23 years old: 2 (Frank Lockhart, 1926; Louis Meyer, 1928)
- 10 drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their second Indianapolis 500
- No driver born in 1995 has ever won Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 1 top five, 2 top 10s, best finish of 3rd (Long Beach Grand Prix), 0 laps led, average finish of 14.6
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 22 races, 0 wins, 2 podiums, 7 top 10s, best finish of 3rd (twice – 2017 Indianapolis 500 and 2018 Long Beach Grand Prix), 0 laps led
- Making only 6th appearance for Chip Ganassi Racing
#30: Graham Rahal, No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Rahal Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 10 races, 2 top fives, 2 top 10s, best finish of 3rd (2011), 2 races led for 8 laps; average finish of 18.1
- Rahal Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 4th (2009), average start of 18.0
- Rahal led two laps in 2017 race
- Rahal has finished on the lead lap in all six races in which he’s finished (in three of the four races he’s failed to finish, he’s had an accident)
- The 30th starting position has never won the Indianapolis 500
- Last time Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing won Indianapolis 500 was 2004 (Buddy Rice, rain-shortened to 180 laps); team has never won Indy 500 that has gone full length
- Rahal ran 51 laps in Carb Day practice, the most of any driver in the field
- Only driver in field whose father won race (Bobby Rahal won 1986 race); looking to become 2nd second-generation driver to win Indianapolis 500 (Al Unser/Al Unser Jr.)
- Best/worst finish for 30th-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 4th (once)/33rd (twice)
- Average finish for 30th-place starter: 14.24 (one of highest in field; has four top fives and nine top 10s)
- Best/worst finish for car No. 15: 1st (3 times)/33rd (once)
- Average finish for car No. 15: 15.97 (73 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 29 years old: 7 (Howdy Wilcox, 1919; Tommy Milton, 1923; Bob Sweikert, 1955; Parnelli Jones, 1963; A.J. Foyt, 1964; Jim Clark, 1965; Mario Andretti, 1969)
- Five drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their 11th Indianapolis 500
- No driver born in 1989 has ever won Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 1 top five, 5 top 10s, best finish of 2nd (Grand Prix of Long Beach), 2 races led for 10 laps, average finish of 6.4 (third best among drivers this season without a win), 6th in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 182 races, 6 wins, 27 podiums, 88 top 10s, 34 races led for 360 laps
- Has made up a total of 41 positions this season (which leads all drivers) from start to finish, an average of 8.2 positions per race
- One of two drivers this season (other is James Hinchcliffe) to finish in the top 10 in every race
- Has finished every lap in each of the last 18 IndyCar races
#31: Jack Harvey, No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing with Schmidt Peterson Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Harvey Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 1 race, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, best finish of 31st (2017), 0 races led; average finish of 31.0
- Harvey Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 27th (2017), average start of 29.0
- 2015 Freedom Indy 500 winner; one of five Freedom 100 winners in this year’s Indianapolis 500
- Best/worst finish for 31st-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 4th (once)/33rd (five times)
- Average finish for 31st-place starter: 20.81
- Best/worst finish for car No. 60: 5th (once)/27th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 60: 16.92 (12 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 25 years old: 2 (L.L. Corum, 1924; Juan Pablo Montoya, 2000)
- Ten drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their second Indianapolis 500
- No drivers born in 1993 have ever won the Indianapolis 500
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 2 races, best finish of 12th (Long Beach Grand Prix), led 0 laps, average finish of 17.5
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 5 races, best finish of 12th (2018 Long Beach Grand Prix), led 0 laps#32: Alexander Rossi, No. 27 Andretti Autosport Honda
Indy 500 Stats
- Rossi Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 2 races, 1 win (2016), 1 top five, 2 top 10s, 2 races led for 37 laps; average finish of 4.0
- Rossi Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 3rd (2017), average start of 15.33
- One of six former race winners in this year’s race (Rossi, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Takuma Sato)
- Andretti Autosport has won three of the last four Indianapolis 500s and a total of five 500s since 2005 (six overall as it is a continuation of Team Green) – 2005 (Dan Wheldon); 2007 (Dario Franchitti); Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014); Alexander Rossi (2016); Takuma Sato (2017)
- Ninth and most recent driver to win Indianapolis 500 as a rookie (2016)
- Best/worst finish for 32nd-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 2nd (twice)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for 32nd-place starter: 19.33
- Best/worst finish for car No. 27: 1st (three times)/32nd (twice)
- Average finish for car No. 27: 15.54 (61 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 26 years old: 5 (George Souders, 1927; A.J. Foyt, 1961; Helio Castroneves, 2001; Dan Wheldon, 2005; Sam Hornish Jr., 2006)
- Fourteen drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their third Indianapolis 500
- Rossi is the only driver born in the 1990s to win the Indianapolis 500 (born in 1991)
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: 5 races, 1 win, 4 top fives, 4 races led for 79 laps, average finish of 4.6 (leads all drivers), 2nd in points standings
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 38 races, 3 wins (one in each of the last three seasons), 7 podiums (6 in the last 11 races), 20 top 10s (9 in the last 11 races), 11 races led for 201 laps
- One of three drivers to lead points standings after at least one race this season; currently second in standings, two points behind defending series champion Josef Newgarden
#33: Conor Daly, No. 17 Dale Coyne dba Thom Burns Racing Chevrolet
Indy 500 Stats
- Daly Indy 500 line stats (prior to 2018): 4 races, 0 top fives, 0 top 10, best finish of 22nd (2013), zero races led; average finish of 28.5
- Daly Indy 500 starting position stats (including 2018): Best start of 22nd (2015), average start of 27.2
- Looks to become 19th Indiana-born driver to lead Indianapolis 500 and first since Tony Stewart (Lap 148 in 2001 race; Mark Dismore was also born in Indiana and also led that race, as late as Lap 91)
- One of three drivers competing for Dale Coyne (others are Sebastien Bourdais and Zachary Claman De Melo)
- No driver has ever won the Indianapolis 500 from the 33rd position, but a driver has finished second twice (1980, Tom Sneva; 1992, Scott Goodyear).
- Father Derek made six Indianapolis 500 starts with a best finish of 12th (1985)
- Three drivers have started and finished last in the same race: Dempsey Wilson (1960), Ronnie Duman (1966) and Jean Alesi (2012)
- Only Indiana-born driver in the field
- Last Indiana-born driver to win Indianapolis 500 was Wilbur Shaw in 1940; 7 Hoosier-born drivers have combined to win the race 9 times (Shaw – 3; Joe Dawson/Howdy Wilcox/L.L. Corum/George Souders/Louis Schneider/Bill Cummings – 1 time each)
- Best/worst finish for 33rd-place starter (worst finish based on 33-car field): 2nd (twice)/33rd (three times)
- Average finish for 33rd-place starter: 19.81
- Best/worst finish for car No. 17: 1st (once – 1916, Dario Resta)/37th (once)
- Average finish for car No. 17: 18.13 (60 previous races)
- Wins for driver, 26 years old: 5 (George Souders, 1927; A.J. Foyt, 1961; Helio Castroneves, 2001; Dan Wheldon, 2005; Sam Hornish Jr., 2006)
- Eight drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their fifth Indianapolis 500
- Only one driver born in 1991 has won the Indianapolis 500 (Alexander Rossi, 2016)
IndyCar Notes/Stats
- 2018 IndyCar Stats: Making first appearance of season
- Overall IndyCar Stats: 39 races, 0 wins, 1 podium, 10 top 10s, best finish of 2nd (2016 Race #1 at Belle Isle), 7 races led for 71 laps
- Still looking to lead for IndyCar lap on an oval
***
Notes of Interest - Entire Field
- Chevrolet swept the front row for the first time since 2014. Chevrolet is seeking its ninth victory (won races from 1988-1993, as well as 2002 and 2013).
- Honda has won 13 of the last 14 Indianapolis 500s, since 2004 (Chevrolet broke the streak with Tony Kanaan winning for Chevrolet in 2013).
- Twenty-six drivers competing in 2018 also competed in 2017 race. Drivers that did not compete in 2017 are Matheus Leist, Robert Wickens, Kyle Kaiser, Zachary Claman De Melo, Danica Patrick, Stefan Wilson and Sebastien Bourdais.
- Last time a rookie didn’t start worse than 18th (or in final five rows): 1979 (Howdy Holmes, only rookie, started inside Row 5, or 13th place)
- Last race that did not feature James Hinchcliffe or Pippa Mann was 2010 (both were rookies in the 2011 race).
- Twenty-five of the 33 competitors have experience in Indy Lights, part of the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system.
- Seventeen of the 33 drivers in this weekend’s Indianapolis 500 have won at least one IndyCar race.
- The last race that at least one former race winner failed start on the front row was 2014 (Ed Carpenter, James Hinchcliffe and Will Power).
- Nine of the 33 drivers are making their first appearance in an IndyCar race this season: Carlos Munoz, Danica Patrick, JR Hildebrand, Oriol Servia, James Davison, Sage Karam, Stefan Wilson, Conor Daly and Jay Howard.
- Row 3 has a combined 752 career IndyCar starts between the three drivers (Patrick, 115; Castroneves, 345; Dixon, 292); 72 victories (Patrick, 1; Castroneves, 30; Dixon, 41); 39 Indy 500 starts (Patrick, 7; Castroneves, 17; Dixon, 15); 773 laps led in Indy 500 and 7,260 laps completed. The average age of drivers is also the highest in the field, at approximately 39 years and 19 days.
- Row 8 is the only row in this year’s Indianapolis 500 in which none of the three drivers (Chaves, Wilson, Karam) has won an IndyCar race; also includes fewest combined IndyCar starts by drivers in a single row, with 48. The average age is also the youngest of any row in the race, at 25 years.
- Five drivers in this year’s Indianapolis 500 field have finished last in the race: Jay Howard (2017), Conor Daly (2015), JR Hildebrand (2013), Takuma Sato (2011), and Graham Rahal (2008 and 2014).
- Fifteen of the 33 drivers in this year’s have made at least 100 IndyCar starts in their career. Drivers have combined to compete in 3,333 IndyCar races overall (an average of 101 per driver, ironically the exact same number of Indianapolis 500s contested all-time).
- Last driver to win the Pit Stop competition on Carburetion Day and race was: Helio Castroneves (2009)
- Nineteenth consecutive Indianapolis 500 with a female driver (last race without a female driver was 2000)
- In four of the last seven races, a rookie has finished first, second or third, and sixth or better in five of the last seven races
- Former Indianapolis 500 Winners: 6 – Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009), Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014), Alexander Rossi (2016), Takuma Sato (2017)
- Drivers Competing in First Indianapolis 500: 4 – Matheus Leist, Zachary Claman De Melo, Kyle Kaiser, Robert Wickens
- The most common age for a driver to win the Indianapolis 500 is 32 (10 times). There are no drivers in this year’s Indianapolis 500 that are 32 years old.
- Breakdown, Drivers By Previous Starts: Zero (4); One (4); Two (4); Three (2); Four (2); Five (1); Six (3); Seven (3); Eight (1); Nine (1); Ten (3); Twelve (1); Fourteen (1); Fifteen (1); Sixteen (1); Seventeen (1)
- Breakdown, By Age Group: Under 20 (1); 20-24 (7); 25-29 (9); 30-34 (5); 35-39 (7); 40-plus (4)
- Manufacturer Breakdown: Honda (17), Chevrolet (16)
Notes of Interest – Numbers
- With James Hinchcliffe failing to qualify for the race, this marks the first Indianapolis 500 that a No. 5 car has not competed in since 1979. The No. 5 car had only missed eight of the 101 races prior to this year and it’s record 38-year streak of consecutive races had been the longest of any number (passed car No. 8’s streak of 37 straight races between 1911 and 1953 in 2017 race). Car No. 3 now has the longest streak, with 37 straight races (record-tying 38th will be this weekend).
- This is only the second time in Indianapolis 500 history that cars No. 2 and No. 5 aren’t in the same Indianapolis 500. The only other time occurred in 1947.
- The last time there were only six single-digit numbers in an Indianapolis 500 was 1966 (no Nos. 5, 7 or 9 that year). This year, the six single-digit numbers are Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9.
- This is the first time that every number in the 20s (20-29) is competing in the same Indianapolis 500.
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