INDY 500
Who has won the Indy 500? Every winner in the history of the race
Drivers have been battling it out in this famous race since 1911, American Josef Newgarden securing a dramatic last-lap victory in 2023.
The Indianapolis 500 is one of the most illustrious events in automobile racing and a key part of Memorial Day weekend for sports fans across the country.
In 2023 American driver Josef Newgarden picked up his first Indy 500 triumph at his 12th attempt, passing 2022 champion Marcus Ericsson on the final lap of a dramatic, incident-packed race.
With the 2024 edition of the Indy 500 fast approaching, we take a look at the previous winners of the 113-year-old motor race. There have been 73 different champions over the years from all around the world, although the United States remains the most successful nations.
Here’s a look back over the history of this iconic race...
Indy 500 winners: Full list 1911-2023
2023 - Josef Newgarden
2022 - Marcus Ericsson (Sweden)
2021 - Hélio Castroneves (Brazil)
2020 - Takuma Sato (Japan)
2019 - Simon Pagenaud (France)
2018 - Will Power (Australia)
2017 - Takuma Sato (Japan)
2016 - Alexander Rossi (United States)
2015 - Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia)
2014 - Ryan Hunter-Reay (United States)
2013 - Tony Kanaan (Brazil)
2012 - Dario Franchitti (United Kingdom)
2011 - Dan Wheldon (United Kingdom)
2010 - Dario Franchitti (United Kingdom)
2009 - Hélio Castroneves (Brazil)
2008 - Scott Dixon (New Zealand)
2007 - Dario Franchitti (United Kingdom)
2006 - Sam Hornish Jr. (United States)
2005 - Dan Wheldon (United Kingdom)
2004 - Buddy Rice (United States)
2003 - Gil de Ferran (Brazil)
2002 - Hélio Castroneves (Brazil)
2001 - Hélio Castroneves (Brazil)
2000 - Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia)
1999 - Kenny Bräck (Sweden)
1998 - Eddie Cheever (United States)
1997 - Arie Luyendyk (Netherlands)
1996 - Buddy Lazier (United States)
1995 - Jacques Villeneuve (Canada)
1994 - Al Unser Jr. (United States)
1993 - Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil)
1992 - Al Unser Jr. (United States)
1991 - Rick Mears (United States)
1990 - Arie Luyendyk (Netherlands)
1989 - Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil)
1988 - Rick Mears (United States)
1987 - Al Unser Sr. (United States)
1986 - Bobby Rahal (United States)
1985 - Danny Sullivan (United States)
1984 - Rick Mears (United States)
1983 - Tom Sneva (United States)
1982 - Gordon Johncock (United States)
1981 - Bobby Unser (United States)
1980 - Johnny Rutherford (United States)
1979 - Rick Mears (United States)
1978 - Al Unser (United States)
1977 - A. J. Foyt (United States)
1976 - Johnny Rutherford (United States)
1975 - Bobby Unser (United States)
1974 - Johnny Rutherford (United States)
1973 - Gordon Johncock (United States)
1972 - Mark Donohue (United States)
1971 - Al Unser (United States)
1970 - Al Unser (United States)
1969 - Mario Andretti (United States)
1968 - Bobby Unser (United States)
1967 - A. J. Foyt (United States)
1966 - Graham Hill (United Kingdom)
1965 - Jim Clark (United Kingdom)
1964 - A. J. Foyt (United States)
1963 - Parnelli Jones (United States)
1962 - Rodger Ward (United States)
1961 - A. J. Foyt (United States)
1960 - Jim Rathmann (United States)
1959 - Rodger Ward (United States)
1958 - Jimmy Bryan (United States)
1957 - Sam Hanks (United States)
1956 - Pat Flaherty (United States)
1955 - Bob Sweikert (United States)
1954 - Bill Vukovich (United States)
1953 - Bill Vukovich (United States)
1952 - Troy Ruttman (United States)
1951 - Lee Wallard (United States)
1950 - Johnnie Parsons (United States)
1949 - Bill Holland (United States)
1948 - Mauri Rose (United States)
1947 - Mauri Rose (United States)
1946 - George Robson (United States)
1941 - Floyd Davis (United States) and Mauri Rose (United States) (shared)
1940 - Wilbur Shaw (United States)
1939 - Wilbur Shaw (United States)
1938 - Floyd Roberts (United States)
1937 - Wilbur Shaw (United States)
1936 - Louis Meyer (United States)
1935 - Kelly Petillo (United States)
1934 - Bill Cummings (United States)
1933 - Louis Meyer (United States)
1932 - Fred Frame (United States)
1931 - Louis Schneider (United States)
1930 - Billy Arnold (United States)
1929 - Ray Keech (United States)
1928 - Louis Meyer (United States)
1927 - George Souders (United States)
1926 - Frank Lockhart (United States)
1925 - Peter DePaolo (United States)
1924 - Lora L. Corum (United States)
1923 - Tommy Milton (United States)
1922 - Jimmy Murphy (United States)
1921 - Tommy Milton (United States)
1920 - Gaston Chevrolet (United States)
1919 - Howdy Wilcox (United States)
1916 - Dario Resta (United Kingdom)
1915 - Ralph DePalma (United States)
1914 - René Thomas (France)
1913 - Jules Goux (France)
1912 - Joe Dawson (United States)
1911 - Ray Harroun (United States)
Which country has won the most Indy 500 races?
In more than a century of action, only 12 nations have had a representative reach the chequered flag in first place. The United States are responsible for an impressive 75 of those race victories, far ahead of the other most successful countries.
Indy 500: Wins by nation
United States: 75
United Kingdom: 8
Brazil: 8
France: 4
Colombia: 2
Sweden: 2
Japan: 2
Netherlands: 2
Australia: 1
New Zealand: 1
Canada: 1
Italy: 1
Which driver has won the most Indy 500 races?
In the illustrious history of the Indy 500 race there are four drivers that stand ahead of the rest. A quartet of legendary competitors have won the Indy 500 four times, including 49-year-old Hélio Castroneves.
Indy 500: Wins by driver
Four wins
Hélio Castroneves: 2001, 2002, 2009, 2021
A. J. Foyt: 1961, 1964, 1967, 1977
Rick Mears: 1979, 1984, 1988, 1991
Al Unser: 1970, 1971, 1978, 1987
Three wins
Dario Franchitti: 2007, 2010, 2012
Louis Meyer: 1928, 1933, 1936
Mauri Rose: 1941, 1947, 1948
Johnny Rutherford: 1974, 1976, 1980
Wilbur Shaw: 1937, 1939, 1940
Bobby Unser: 1968, 1975, 1981
Two wins
Emerson Fittipaldi: 1989, 1993
Gordon Johncock: 1973, 1982
Arie Luyendyk: 1990, 1997
Tommy Milton: 1921, 1923
Juan Pablo Montoya: 2000, 2015
Takuma Sato: 2017, 2020
Al Unser Jr: 1992, 1994
Bill Vukovich: 1953, 1954
Rodger Ward: 1959, 1962
Dan Wheldon: 2005, 2011
Castroneves has a chance to add to his four wins this year as he goes in search of a record-breaking fifth Indy 500 triumph. He currently drives the No. 06 Dallara-Honda for Meyer Shank Racing won the Indy 500 as recently as 2021.
The famous Indianapolis 500 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, 26 May with race action getting underway at 12:35 pm ET. Race fans in the United States can watch all the action live via NBC.