Indy 500
 |
|
| Venue | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
|---|---|
| Location | Speedway, Indiana |
| Corporate sponsor | PennGrade Motor Oil |
| First race | 1911 |
| First IndyCar race | 1996 |
| Distance | 500 miles (805 km) |
| Laps | 200 |
| Previous names |
International Sweepstakes (1911–1915, 1920–1980) Liberty Sweepstakes (1919) Indianapolis 500 (1981-2016) |
| Most wins (driver) |
A. J. Foyt (4) Al Unser (4) Rick Mears (4) |
| Most wins (team) | Penske (16) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Chassis: Dallara (15) Engine: Offenhauser (27) |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Lap record | 37.895 sec (237.498 mph; 382.182 km/h) (Arie Luyendyk, Reynard/Ford-Cosworth XB, 1996) |
The Indianapolis 500 is an automobile race held annually at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. The event is held over Memorial Day (originally Decoration Day) weekend, which is typically the last weekend in May. It is contested as part of the Verizon IndyCar Series, the top level of American Championship Car racing, an open-wheel formula colloquially known as "Indy Car Racing". The name of the race is often shortened to Indy 500.
The event, billed as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, is considered part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, which comprises three of the most prestigious motorsports events in the world. The official attendance is not disclosed by Speedway management, but the permanent seating capacity is upwards of 250,000, and infield patrons raise the race-day attendance to approximately 300,000.
The inaugural running was won by Ray Harroun in 1911. The race celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011, and the 100th running was held in 2016. Alexander Rossi is the defending champion. The most successful drivers are A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears, each of whom have won the race four times. The active driver with the most victories is Hélio Castroneves, with three. Rick Mears holds the record for most career pole positions with six. The most successful car owner is Roger Penske, owner of Team Penske, which has 16 total wins and 17 poles.
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