The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series is here and it’s bound to be one of the best seasons of all-time due to the many changes, innovations, and evolutions we’re seeing in the sport today. It comes at a pivotal time for NASCAR, with it being their 75th Anniversary Season and 52nd season for the modern-day Cup series.
“I take a lot of pleasure in celebrating that time frame, whether it’s 50 years or 75 years,” said Mike Helton, a longtime NASCAR exec. “When you study the history of our sport, you see all the evolutions that went into the first 50 years and then the last 25 years – the things we’ve done and gotten done.”
NASCAR was founded by Bill France Sr. on February 21, 1948, but the modern-day Cup Series (as we know it today) didn’t start until 1971, when it received its first title sponsor. Today, the series has four sponsors (known as ‘Premier Partners’) – those being Busch Beer, Coca-Cola, GEICO, and Xfinity.
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Honoring Some of the Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All-Time
The NASCAR 75th Anniversary Season began on February 5 with the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum and the Bluegreen Vacations Duel on February 16, but neither of those were points races. The points race began on February 19 with the coveted Daytona 500 at legendary Daytona International Speedway.
So far, there have been three Cup Series points races and three different winners. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the Daytona 500 on Feb. 19, Kyle Busch won the Pala Casino 400 on Feb. 26, and William Byron won the Pennzoil 400 on March 5. The next race is the United Rentals Work United 500 on March 12.
The 2023 season will come to an end on November 5 with the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race – the final points race is on Aug. 26 and the playoffs start on Sept. 3. With a long way to go, let’s take a moment to celebrate the 75th Anniversary Season with some of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all-time.
15. Buck Baker
Buck Baker had 46 wins, 372 top-tens, and 45 poles in 635 NASCAR Cup Series races in his 26-year career between 1949 and 1976. His first win came in 1952 at the Columbia Speedway and his final win came in the 1964 Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway. He died on April 14, 2002 at 83 years old.
Baker was a two-time Grand National Series Champion (1956 and 1957) and became the first driver to win back-to-back titles – he also led the series in wins and poles in each of those seasons. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1998 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013.
14. Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett retired with 50 wins, 239 top-tens, and 35 poles in 352 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 13-year career between 1953 and 1966. His first win came in 1959 at Myrtle Beach Speedway and his final win came at the 1965 Tidewater 300 at Dog Track Speedway. He was known for his calm demeanor.
Jarrett was a two-time Grand National Series champion (1961 and 1965) and led the series in total wins twice in his career (1964 and 1965). He has also been inducted into more than 10 different Hall of Fames, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1997.
13. Rusty Wallace
Rusty Wallace retired with 55 wins, 349 top-ten finishes, and 36 poles in 706 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 25-year career between 1980 and 2005. His first win came at the 1986 Valleydale 500 in Bristol, TN and the final win of his career came at the 2004 Advance Auto Parts 500 in Martinsville, VA.
Wallace is a one-time Winston Cup Series Champion (1989), but he led the Winston Cup Series in wins four times (1988, 1989, 1993, 1994) – he also led the series in poles in 2000. 9 of his wins came at Bristol and he has a record 6 Food City 500 wins. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013.
12. Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick has 60 wins, 432 top-tens, and 31 poles in 792 NASCAR Cup Series races in his 22-year career (and counting) – he made his debut in 2001. His first win was the 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 in Atlanta and his most recent win was the 2022 Federated Auto Parts 400 in Richmond.
Harvick is a one-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion (2014) and was the regular season champion in 2020 – he also won the Busch Series Championship (Xfinity Series) in 2001 and 2006. He’s the King of Phoenix International Raceway, holding an all-time record with nine career wins at the famous raceway.
11. Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart retired with 49 wins, 308 top-ten finishes, and 15 poles in 618 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 18-year career between 1999 and 2016. His first win came at the 1999 Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 in Richmond and his last win came at the 2016 Toyota/Save Mart 350 in Sonoma.
Stewart was a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion (2002, 2005, 2011) and won a fourth championship as an owner in 2014. He was named the 1999 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020, and won a number of championships in other popular racing leagues.
10. Lee Petty
Lee Petty retired with 54 wins, 332 top-ten finishes, and 18 poles in 427 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 16-year career between 1949 and 1964 – his first win came in 1949 and his final win came in 1961. He also had two wins in and 21 top-ten finishes in 28 NASCAR Convertible Division races.
Petty was a three-time Grand National Champion (1954, 1958, and 1959) and a one-time Daytona 500 winner – the first ever Daytona 500 race. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1990, the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, and is a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
9. Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch currently has 61 wins, 356 top-ten finishes, and 32 poles in 642 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 20-year career, which began in 2004. His first win came at the 2005 Sony HD 500 and his most recent win came at the 2023 Pala Casino 400. He has at least one win in every season since 2005.
Busch is a two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion (2015, 2019), two-time Cup Series regular season champion (2018, 2019), 2009 Xfinity Series Champion (2009), and holds the all-time record for Xfinity Series wins (102) and Craftsman Truck Series wins (63). He won two ESPY Awards for Best Driver.
8. Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison retired with 85 wins, 446 top-ten finishes, and 59 poles in 718 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 25-year career between 1961 and 1988. His first win came at the 1988 Miller High Life 500 and the final win of his career came at the 1988 Daytona 500. He also won two career Xfinity Series races.
Allison is a one-time Winston Cup Series Champion (1983), but won the Daytona 500 three times (1978, 1982, and 1988) and the Winston 500 three times (1979, 1981, 1986). He was later inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992 and most recently the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011.
7. Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip retired with 84 wins, 390 top-ten finishes, and 59 poles in 809 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 29-year career between 1972 and 2000. His first win came at the 1975 Music City USA 420 and his final win came at the 1992 Southern 500 – he also has 13 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Waltrip was a three-time Winston Cup Series Champion (1981, 1982, 1985), one-time Daytona 500 winner (1989), and a five-time Coca-Cola 600 winner (1978, 1979, 1985, 1988, and 1989). He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003 and NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.
6. Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough retired with 83 wins, 319 top-ten finishes, and 69 poles in 560 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 31-year career between 1957 and 1988. His first race came in 1965 in Valdosta and the final win of his career came at the 1985 Miller High Life 500. He also competed in the IndyCar Series.
Yarborough was a three-time Winston Cup Series Champion (1976, 1977, and 1978) and is just one of two NASCAR drivers to win a championship in three consecutive seasons. He’s a four-time Daytona 500 winner and five-time Southern 500 winner. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.
5. Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon retired with 93 wins, 477 top-ten finishes, and 81 poles in 805 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 25-year career between 1992 and 2016. His first win came at the 1994 Coca-Cola 600 and his final win came at the 2015 Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500. He also had five Xfinity Series wins.
Gordon was a 4-time Winston Cup Series Champion (1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001), one-time Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, 3-time Daytona 500 winner, 3-time Coca-Cola 600 winner, 5-time Brickyard 400 winner, and 6-time Southern 500 winner. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019.
4. David Pearson
David Pearson retired with 105 wins, 366 top-ten finishes, and 113 poles in 574 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 27-year career between 1960 and 1986. His first win came at the 1961 World 600 and his final win came at the 1980 CRC Chemicals Rebel 500. He also had one win in the Xfinity Series.
Pearson was a three-time Grand National Series Champion (1966, 1968, and 1969), one-time Daytona 500 winner (1976), three-time Southern 500 winner, three-time World 600 winner, three-time Winston 500 winner, and one-time Triple Crown winner. He was later inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011.
3. Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. ended his career with 76 wins, 428 top-ten finishes, and 22 poles in 676 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 27-year career between 1975 and 2001. His first win came at the 1979 Southeastern 500 in Bristol and the final win of his career came at the 2000 Winston 500 in Talladega.
Earnhardt Sr. was a seven-time Winston Cup Series Champion (1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994) and led the Winston Cup in wins twice (1987 and 1990). He also had 21 wins, 75 top-ten finishes, and 7 poles in the Xfinity Series and was later inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.
2. Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson currently has 83 wins, 374 top-ten finishes, and 36 poles in 687 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 20-year career, which began in 2001. His first win came at the 2002 NAPAAuto Parts 500 and his last win came at the 2017 AAA 400 Drive for Austin. He also has one win in the Xfinity Series.
Johnson is a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2016), making him the only driver to win five consecutive championships – he’s also a two-time Daytona 500 winner (2006, 2013). He was the 2009 APMale Athlete of the Year and is a future Hall Of Famer.
1. Richard Petty
Richard Petty retired with a record 200 wins, 712 top-ten finishes, and 123 poles in 1,184 NASCAR Cup Series races during his 35-year career between 1958 and 1992. His first win came in 1960 at the Southern States Fairgrounds and the final win of his career came at the 1984 Firecracker 400 in Daytona.
Petty is a two-time Grand National Series Champion (1964, 1967), five-time Winston Cup Series Champion (1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1979), and a seven-time Daytona 500 winner. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992.
What Does the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Have in Store for Us?
Through the first three races, we already have five drivers with at least 100 points in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series. Ross Chastain leads all races with 129 points (one top-5 finish, two top-10 finishes), but Alex Bowman is right on his tail with 126 points (1 pole, 2 top-5 finishes, and three top-10 finishes).
Kevin Harvick (108 points), Daniel Suarez (104 points), and Martin Truex Jr. (102 points) are all off to good starts, while five other drivers have at least 90 points through three races. Of course, the season is still extremely young and we have a lot more NASCAR to ingest before we get to the 2023 playoffs.
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Some of the other NASCAR drivers you’re going to want to keep an eye on as the season continues include Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Busch. Those drivers are primed to stay consistent and make some noise in the playoffs.
Josef Newgarden Wins His First Ever Indy 500 in Thrilling Fashion and 20 Other Drivers to Win in Past Years
On May 28, Josef Newgarden became the newest winner of the Indianapolis 500, also known as the Indy 500. He did so in thrilling fashion, having passed Marcus Ericsson – the defending champion – after a restart on the final lap. He took the lead with just two corners to go, securing his first ever Indy 500 win.
It was quite a historic run for Newgarden, who became the first driver from Tennessee to win the race and the first American driver to win the race since 2016. He also helped Team Penske win their 19th Indy 500 – extending an all-time record at the event – and won nearly $3.7 million of a record $17,021,500 purse.
Newgarden finished the 200-lap, 500-mile race in 2:58:21.9611 and only led the race for five laps. He defeated Ericsson, who led for 30 laps, by 0.0974 seconds. Pato O’Ward led for a race-high 39 laps, while Álex Palou led for 36 laps, Felix Rosenqvist led for 33 laps, and Rinus VeeKay led for 24 laps.
Previous Winners of the Indy 500
The Indy 500, which is held every year on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is one of the most coveted and historic races in the IndyCar Series. The race got its start back in 1911 – two years after the speedway was built – and has grown in popularity ever since.
The 2023 Indy 500 was the 107th running of the race – it wasn’t held in 1917 or 1918 due to World War I and between 1942 and 1945 due to World War II. With that being said, the race has an enormous amount of history and has been the home of some of the greatest, most viral moments in IndyCar Series’ history.
Of the many traditions that come with the Indy 500, two of the most memorable are the singing of ‘Back Home Again in Indiana’ at the beginning of the race (they’ve done this for 75 years now) and the winner chugging a bottle of milk in Victory Lane – a tradition originally started by Louis Meyer in 1936.
To honor the recent history of the Indianapolis 500, let’s take a look at 20 of the past winners of the race – starting with the 2022 winner – Marcus Ericsson.
2022 – Marcus Ericsson
On May 29, 2022, Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) won the 2022 Indy 500 – the 106th running of the event – as a member of Chip Ganassi Racing. He started the race from fifth on the grid and finished the race with a time of 2:51:00.6432, beating out Pato O’Ward (Mexico) of Arrow McLaren SP by 1.7929 seconds.
Ericsson only led for 13 laps and made five pit stops en route to his first ever Indy 500 victory. He became the second Swedish driver to win – joining Kenny Bräck in 1999 – and was the fifth win for Chip Ganassi Racing (their first since 2012, when Dario Franchetti won). For the win, Ericsson earned $3.1 million.
2021 – Hélio Castroneves
On May 30, 2021, Hélio Castroneves (Brazil) won the 2021 Indy 500 – the 105th running of the event – as a member of Meyer Shank Racing. He started the race from eighth on the grid and finished the race with a time of 2:37:19.3846, beating out Álex Palou (Spain) of Chip Ganassi Racing by 0.4928 seconds.
Castroneves only led for 20 laps and made five pit stops en route to his fourth Indy 500 victory. The win put him in a tie for most Indy 500 wins of all-time – joining A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. He also became the fourth driver at least 46 years old to win the race and earned himself $1.83 million for the win.
2020 – Takuma Sato
On August 23, 2020, Takuma Sato (Japan) won the 2020 Indy 500 – the 104th running of the event – as a member of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He started the race from third on the grid and finished with a time of 3:10:05.088, beating out Scott Dixon (New Zealand) of Chip Ganassi Racing by 0.057 seconds.
Sato only led for 27 laps (while Dixon led for 111 laps) and made five pit stops en route to his second Indy 500 victory. Sato had the lead on lap 195 (four laps to go), but a crash by Spencer Pigot resulted in the final four laps being run under caution. Sato is the only Japanese driver to ever win at the Indy 500.
2019 – Simon Pagenaud
On May 26, 2019, Simon Pagenaud (France) won the 2019 Indy 500 – the 103rd running of the event – as a member of Team Penske. He started the race from first on the grid and finished the race with a time of 2:50:39.2797, beating out Alexander Rossi (United States) of Andretti Autosport by 0.2086 seconds.
Pagenaud led for 116 of the 200 laps and made six pit stops en route to his first and only Indy 500 victory. He became just the fourth French driver to win the race and the first since 1920, when Gaston Chevrolet won as a member of William Small Company. Pagenaud ended up earning $2.67 million for the victory.
2018 – Will Power
On May 27, 2018, Will Power (Australia) won the 2018 Indy 500 – the 102nd running of the event – as a member of Team Penske. He started the race from third on the grid and finished the race with a time of 2:59:42.6365, beating out Ed Carpenter (United States) of Ed Carpenter Racing by 3.1589 seconds.
Power led for a modest 59 of the 200 laps (while Carpenter led for 65 laps) and made five pit stops en route to his first and only Indy 500 victory. He became the first Australian driver to win the race and led Team Penske to their 17th Indy 500 win. Power went on to earn a whopping $2.52 million for the win.
2017 – Takuma Sato
On May 28 2017, Takuma Sato (Japan) won the 2017 Indy 500 – the 101st running of the event – as a member of Andretti Autosport. He started the race from fourth on the grid and finished the race with a time of 3:13:03.3584, beating out Hélio Castroneves of Team Penske (Brazil) by 0.2011 seconds.
Sato led for just 17 of the 200 laps (Max Chilton led for a race-high 50 laps) and made just seven pit stops en route to his first of two Indy 500 wins – his other came in 2020. In addition to being the first Japanese driver to win the Indy 500, he’s also the first Asian driver to do so – helping to break barriers.
2016 – Alexander Rossi
On May 29, 2016, Alexander Rossi (United States) won the 2016 Indy 500 – the 100th running of the event – as a member of Andretti Herta Autosport. He started the race from 11th on the grid and finished with a time of 3:00:02.0872, beating Carlos Muñoz (Colombia) of Andretti Autosport by 4.4975 seconds.
Rossi led for just 14 of the 200 laps (Ryan Hunter-Reay led for a race-high 50 laps) and made eight pit stops en route to his first and only Indy 500 win. With his win, he was awarded Rookie of the Year and became the first rookie to win the Indy 500 since 2001, when Hélio Castroneves won it as a rookie.
2015 – Juan Pablo Montoya
On May 24, 2015, Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) won the 2015 Indy 500 – the 99th running of the event – as a member of Team Penske. He started the race from 11th on the grid and finished with a time of 3:05:56.5286, beating teammate Will Power (Australian) of Team Penske by just 0.1046 seconds.
Pablo Montoya only led for nine laps (Scott Dixon led for a race-high 84 laps) and made nine pit stops en route to his second Indy 500 win – he also won in 2000. He’s the only Colombian driver to ever win the Indy 500 and won his second in just his third start. While it would be his last Indy 500 win, it was special.
2014 – Ryan Hunter-Reay
On May 25 2014, Ryan Hunter-Reay (United States) won the 2014 Indy 500 – the 98th running of the event – as a member of Andretti Autosport. He started the race from 19th on the grid and finished with a time of 2:40:48.2305, beating Hélio Castroneves (Brazil) of Team Penske by 0.0600 seconds.
Hunter-Reay and Castroneves made history with the second-closest finish in Indy 500 history – a record that belongs to Al Unser Jr. and Scott Goodyear at 0.043 seconds. Hunter-Reay led the race for 56 laps (more than any other driver) and became the first American to win the race since Sam Hornish in 2006.
2013 – Tony Kanaan
On May 26, 2013, Tony Kanaan (Brazil) won the 2013 Indy 500 – the 97th running of the event – as a member of KV Racing Technology. He started the race from 12th on the starting grid and finished with a time of 2:40:03.4181, beating rookie Carlos Muñoz (Colombia) of Andretti Autosport by 0.1159 seconds.
Kanaan had the lead with three laps to go when Dario Franchitti crashed, resulting in the race finishing under a yellow flag. It was one of the most unique races in Indy 500 history, considering there were 68 lead changes – breaking the previous record of 34 in 2012. Kanaan became the fourth Brazilian to win.
2012 – Dario Franchitti
On May 27, 2012, Dario Franchitti (Great Britain) won the 2012 Indy 500 – the 96th running of the event – as a member of Chip Ganassi Racing. He started from 16th on the grid and finished with a time of 2:58:51.2532, beating teammate Scott Dixon (New Zealand) of Chip Ganassi Racing by 0.0295 seconds.
Franchitti led for just 23 laps, while Marco Andretti led for a race-high 59 laps before crashing into the wall on the 187th lap. Franchetti and Dixon were battling it out in the final laps, with Takuma Sato right there with them. Unfortunately for Sato, he spun out and crashed trying to pass Franchetti on the final lap.
2011 – Dan Wheldon
On May 29, 2011, Dan Wheldon (Great Britain) won the 2011 Indy 500 – the 95th running of the event – as a member of Bryan Herta Autosport. He started the race from sixth on the grid and finished with a time of 2:56:11.7267, beating out J.R. Hildebrand (United States) of Panther Racing by 2.1086 seconds.
Wheldon only led for one lap, having passed Charlie Kimball – who crashed into the wall with 1,000 feet to go. It was Wheldon’s second Indy 500 win, becoming the 18th driver to win multiple Indy 500s. He also made history with an average speed of 170.265 mph – the fourth fastest speed in Indy 500 history.
2010 – Dario Franchitti
On May 30, 2010, Dario Franchitti (Great Britain) won the 2010 Indy 500 – the 94th running of the event – as a member of Target Chip Ganassi Racing. He started the race from third on the grid, led for 155 of the 200 laps, and finished with a time of 3:05:37.0131 – beating Dan Wheldon by 0.1536 seconds.
Franchitti won his second of three Indy 500s, despite not taking a pit stop during the final 36 laps. He’s the only British driver to ever win three Indy 500s, one of two non-Americans to win three times, and one of two British drivers to win multiple times. Franchitti held the lead on six separate occasions.
2009 – Hélio Castroneves
On May 24, 2009, Hélio Castroneves (Brazil) won the 2009 Indy 500 – the 93rd running of the event – as a member of Penske Racing. He started the race from first on the grid, led for 66 laps, and finished with a time of 3:19:34.6427, beating Dan Wheldon of National Guard Panther Racing by 1.9819 seconds.
Castroneves won his third of four career Indy 500 – in addition to his win in 2021, he won in 2003 and 2005. He became the sixth driver to win at least three Indy 500s, the first non-American driver to win at least three Indy 500s, and is one of just eight Brazilian drivers to win the legendary and iconic race.
2008 – Scott Dixon
On May 25, 2008, Scott Dixon (New Zealand) won the 2008 Indy 500 – the 92nd running of the event – as a member of Chip Ganassi Racing. He started the race from first on the grid, led for 115 of the 200 laps, and finished with a time of 3:28:57.6792, beating out Vitor Meira (Brazil) by 1.7498 seconds.
Dixon won the first and only Indy 500 of his career – becoming just the 19th pole winner to go on to win the race. He’s also the only driver form New Zealand to win the Indy 500 and it marked just the second of five Indy 500 wins for Chip Ganassi Racing – their five total wins is tied for the third-most all-time.
2007 – Dario Franchitti
On May 27 2007, Dario Franchitti (Great Britain) won the 2007 Indy 500 – the 91st running of the event – as a member of Andretti Green. He started the race from third on the starting grid and finished with a time of 2:44:03.5608, beating out Scott Dixon (New Zealand) of Target Chip Ganassi by 0.3610 seconds.
Franchitti led for 34 laps (Tony Kanaan led for a race-high 83 laps), held the lead on three separate occasions, and earned his first of three Indy 500 wins – becoming the fifth driver from the United Kingdom to win the race. He would go on to win in 2010 and 2012, winning three Indy 500s over a six-year span.
2006 – Sam Hornish
On May 28, 2006, Sam Hornish (United States) won the 2006 Indy 500 – the 90th running of the event – as a member of Penske Racing. He started from first on the grid and finished with a time of 3:10:58.7590, beating rookie driver Marco Andretti (United States) of Andretti Green Racing by 0.0635 seconds.
With just 400 feet to go, Hornish executed a slingshot pass on Andretti – ultimately beating him by about 15 feet. At the time, it was the second-closest finish in Indy 500 history and was also the first time a driver executed a pass to take the lead on the final lap. It was the first and only Indy 500 win for Sam Hornish.
2005 – Dan Wheldon
On May 29, 2005, Dan Wheldon (United Kingdom) won the 2005 Indy 500 – the 89th running of the event – as a member of Andretti-Green Racing. He started from 16th on the grid, led for 30 laps, and finished ahead of Vitor Meira (Brazil), Bryan Herta (United States), and Danica Patrick (United States).
The race turned out to be a historic one when Patrick broke the record for best finish by a female driver – her fourth place finish beat out Janet Guthrie’s ninth-place finish in 1978. Sam Hornish led for 77 laps, while Tony Kanaan led for 54 laps – while they came up short, they ended up winning in later years.
2004 – Buddy Rice
On May 30, 2004, Buddy Rice (United States) won the 2004 Indy 500 – the 88th running of the event – as a member of Rahal Letterman Racing. He started from first on the starting grid and finished ahead of three Andretti Green Racing drivers – Tony Kanaan (2nd), Dan Wheldon (3rd), and Bryan Herta (4th).
Rice won his first and only Indy 500 and also helped lead Rahal Letterman Racing to their first of two Indy 500 wins – they also won with Takuma Sato in 2020. Rice led for 91 laps and is currently one of 53 American drivers to win the Indy 500 – though he was the first since Eddie Cheever won his in 1998.
2003 – Gil de Ferran
On May 25 2003, Gil de Ferran (Brazil) won the 2003 Indy 500 – the 87th running of the event – as a member of Penske Racing. He started from 10th on the starting grid, led for 31 laps, and finished ahead of fellow Brazilian drivers Hélio Castroneves (2nd) and Tony Kanaan (3rd) – a good day for Brazil.
The race was placed under caution after 187 laps due to a Dan Wheldon crash, with the green coming out with six laps left. de Ferran and Castroneves were battling it out down the stretch, but it was de Ferran who came away with the win by just 0.2290 seconds. It was the final race of de Ferran’s career.
Who Has the Most Indy 500 Wins of All-Time?
The Indy 500 is one of the most coveted and prized races in the IndyCar Series – it’s the equivalent of the Daytona 500 for NASCAR. The race debuted in 1911, when Ray Harroun won his first and only Indy 500. Since then, 74 other drivers have won the event and 20 drivers have won the event more than once.
Hélio Castroneves, A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears, and Al Unser lead the way with four Indy 500 wins each – Castroneves is the only one who’s still active today. Six other drivers have won it three times – including Louis Meyer, Dario Franchitti, Mauri Rose, Johnny Rutherford, Wilbur Shaw, and Bobby Unser.
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Of the 107 editions of the event, 75 of them have been won by an American – Brazil and the United Kingdom have 8 wins each. Team Penske has the most wins by a team (19, which is 13 more than the next team) and Dallara has the most wins by a car make (23, which is 16 more than the next car make).
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