List of Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 Winners of the Pole Position of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race
2 Most Numerous Pole Position Qualifications by a Driver
3 Victors of the Race Starting from the Pole Position (chronologically)
4 References

[edit] Winners of the Pole Position of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race

1911 - Lewis Strang (first entry)
1912 - Gil Anderson (first entry)
- Fastest qualifier - David L. Bruce-Brown, 88.45 mph (142.35 km/h)
1913 - Caleb Bragg (pre-race drawing)
- Fastest qualifier - Jack Tower, 88.23 mph (141.99 km/h)
1914 - Jean Chassagne (pre-race drawing)
- Fastest qualifier - Georges Boillot, 99.86 mph (160.71 km/h)
1915 - Howdy Wilcox, 98.80 mph (159.00 km/h)
1916 - Johnny Aitken, 96.69 mph (155.61 km/h)
1917 to 1918 - Race suspended on account of World War I
1919 - René Thomas, 104.78 mph (168.63 km/h)
1920 - Ralph DePalma ( Italian-born), 99.15 mph (159.57 km/h)
1921 - Ralph DePalma ( Italian-born), 100.75 mph (162.14 km/h)
1922 - Jimmy Murphy, 100.50 mph (161.74 km/h)
1923 - Tommy Milton, 108.17 mph (174.08 km/h)
1924 - Jimmy Murphy, 108.037 mph (173.869 km/h)
1925 - Leon Duray, 113.196 mph (182.171 km/h)
1926 - Earl Cooper, 111.735 mph (179.820 km/h)
1927 - Frank Lockhart, 120.100 mph (193.282 km/h)
1928 - Leon Duray, 122.391 mph (196.969 km/h)
1929 - Cliff Woodbury, 120.599 mph (194.085 km/h)
1930 - Bill Arnold, 113.268 mph (182.287 km/h)
1931 - Russell Snowberger, 112.796 mph (181.528 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Bill Arnold, 116.080 mph (186.813 km/h)
1932 - Lou Moore, 117.363 mph (188.877 km/h)
1933 - Bill Cummings, 118.530 mph (190.756 km/h)
1934 - Kelly Petillo, 119.329 mph (192.041 km/h)
1935 - Rex Mays, 120.736 mph (194.306 km/h)
1936 - Rex Mays, 119.644 mph (192.548 km/h)
1937 - Bill Cummings, 123.343 mph (198.501 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Jimmy Snyder, 125.287 mph (201.630 km/h)
1938 - Floyd Roberts, 125.681 mph (202.264 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Ronney Householder, 125.769 mph (202.406 km/h)
1939 - Jimmy Snyder, 130.138 mph (209.437 km/h)
1940 - Rex Mays, 127.850 mph (205.755 km/h)
1941 - Mauri Rose, 128.691 mph (207.108 km/h)
1942 to 1945 - Race not held on account of World War II
1946 - Cliff Bergere, 126.471 mph (203.535 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Ralph Hepburn, 133.944 mph (215.562 km/h)
1947 - Ted Horn, 126.564 mph (203.685 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Bill Holland, 128.755 mph (207.211 km/h)
1948 - Rex Mays, 130.577 mph (210.143 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Duke Nalon, 131.603 mph (211.794 km/h)
1949 - Duke Nalon, 132.939 mph (213.945 km/h)
1950 - Walt Faulkner, 134.343 mph (216.204 km/h)
1951 - Duke Nalon, 136.498 mph (219.672 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Walt Faulkner, 136.872 mph (220.274 km/h)
1952 - Freddie Agabashian, 138.010 mph (222.106 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Chet Miller, 139.034 mph (223.754 km/h)
1953 - Bill Vukovich, 138.392 mph (222.720 km/h)
1954 - Jack McGrath, 141.033 mph (226.791 km/h)
1955 - Jerry Hoyt, 140.045 mph (225.381 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Jack McGrath, 141.033 mph (226.971 km/h)
1956 - Pat Flaherty, 145.596 mph (234.314 km/h)
1957 - Pat O'Connor, 143.948 mph (231.662 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Paul Russo, 144.817 mph (233.060 km/h)
1958 - Dick Rathmann, 145.974 mph (234.922 km/h)
1959 - Johnny Thompson, 145.908 mph (234.816 km/h)
1960 - Eddie Sachs, 146.592 mph (235.917 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Jim Hurtubise 149.056 mph (239.882 km/h)
1961 - Eddie Sachs, 147.481 mph (237.348 km/h)
1962 - Parnelli Jones, 150.370 mph (241.997 km/h)
1963 - Parnelli Jones, 151.153 mph (243.257 km/h)
1964 - Jim Clark, 158.828 mph (255.609 km/h)
1965 - A.J. Foyt, 161.233 mph (259.479 km/h)
1966 - Mario Andretti ( Italian-born), 165.899 mph (266.989 km/h)
1967 - Mario Andretti ( Italian-born), 168.982 mph (271.950 km/h)
1968 - Joe Leonard, 171.559 mph (276.097 km/h)
1969 - A.J. Foyt, 170.568 mph (274.503 km/h)
1970 - Al Unser, 170.221 mph (273.944 km/h)
1971 - Peter Revson, 178.696 mph (287.583 km/h)
1972 - Bobby Unser, 195.940 mph (315.335 km/h)
1973 - Johnny Rutherford, 198.413 mph (319.315 km/h)
1974 - A.J. Foyt, 191.632 mph (308.402 km/h)
1975 - A.J. Foyt, 193.976 mph (312.174 km/h)
1976 - Johnny Rutherford, 188.957 mph (304.097 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Mario Andretti ( Italian-born), 189.404 mph (304.816 km/h)
1977 - Tom Sneva, 198.884 mph (320.073 km/h)
1978 - Tom Sneva, 202.156 mph (325.339 km/h)
1979 - Rick Mears, 193.736 mph (311.788 km/h)
1980 - Johnny Rutherford, 192.256 mph (309.406 km/h)
1981 - Bobby Unser, 200.546 mph (322.748 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Tom Sneva, 200.691 mph (322.981 km/h)
1982 - Rick Mears, 207.004 mph (333.141 km/h)
1983 - Teo Fabi, 207.395 mph (333.770 km/h)
1984 - Tom Sneva, 210.029 mph (338.009 km/h)
1985 - Pancho Carter, 212.583 mph (342.119 km/h)
1986 - Rick Mears, 216.828 mph (348.951 km/h)
1987 - Mario Andretti ( Italian-born), 215.390 mph (346.637 km/h)
1988 - Rick Mears, 219.198 mph (352.765 km/h)
1989 - Rick Mears, 223.885 mph (360.308 km/h)
1990 - Emerson Fittipaldi, 225.301 mph (362.587 km/h)
1991 - Rick Mears, 224.113 mph (360.675 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Gary Bettenhausen, 224.468 mph (361.246 km/h)
1992 - Roberto Guerrero, 232.482 mph (374.144 km/h)
1993 - Arie Luyendyk, 223.967 mph (360.440 km/h)
1994 - Al Unser, Jr., 228.011 mph (366.948 km/h)
1995 - Scott Brayton, 231.604 mph (372.731 km/h)
1996 - Tony Stewart, 233.100 mph (375.138 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Arie Luyendyk, 236.986 mph (381.392 km/h)
1997 - Arie Luyendyk, 218.263 mph (351.260 km/h)
1998 - Billy Boat, 223.503 mph (359.693 km/h)
1999 - Arie Luyendyk, 225.179 mph (362.390 km/h)
2000 - Greg Ray, 223.471 mph (359.642 km/h)
2001 - Scott Sharp, 226.037 mph (363.771 km/h)
2002 - Bruno Junqueira, 231.342 mph (372.309 km/h)
2003 - Hélio Castroneves, 231.725 mph (372.925 km/h)
2004 - Buddy Rice, 222.024 mph (357.313 km/h)
2005 - Tony Kanaan, 227.566 mph (366.232 km/h)
- Fastest qualifier - Kenny Bräck, 227.598 mph (366.283 km/h)
2006 - Sam Hornish, Jr., 228.985 mph (368.516 km/h)

Qualification for and start from the pole-position in consecutive races has been accomplished seven times* by an equal number of drivers, in years 1920-1921 (Ralph DePalma), 1935-1936 (Rex Mays), 1962-1963 (Parnelli Jones), 1966-1967 (Mario Andretti), 1974-1975 (A.J. Foyt), 1977-1978 (Tom Sneva), and 1988-1989 (Rick Mears); no qualification for the pole-position by a driver in three consecutive races has occurred.

* Scott Brayton qualified for the pole-position in consecutive races 1995 and 1996, but was killed in a practice session accident six days after his qualification in 1996.

[edit] Most Numerous Pole Position Qualifications by a Driver

Sixty-three drivers have qualified for the pole-position, two less than the number of race victors.
Sixteen drivers have qualified for the pole-position more than once, accounting for 44 pole positions out of 90 races, 48.89%.

6 pole-positions - One driver
- Rick Mears (1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991)
4 pole-positions - Two drivers
- Rex Mays (1935, 1936, 1940, 1948)
- A.J. Foyt (1965, 1969, 1974, 1975)
3 pole-positions - Four drivers
- Mario Andretti ( Italian-born) (1966, 1967, 1987)
- Johnny Rutherford (1973, 1976, 1980)
- Tom Sneva (1977, 1978, 1984)
- Arie Luyendyk (1993, 1997, 1999)
2 pole-positions - Nine drivers
- Ralph DePalma ( Italian-born) (1920, 1921)
- Jimmy Murphy (1922, 1924)
- Leon Duray (1925, 1928)
- Bill Arnold (1930, 1932)
- Bill Cummings (1933, 1937)
- Duke Nalon (1949, 1951)
- Eddie Sachs (1960, 1961)
- Parnelli Jones (1962, 1963)
- Bobby Unser (1972, 1981)
1 pole-position - Forty-seven drivers
- Lewis Strang (1911/first entry)
- Gil Anderson (1912/first entry)
- Caleb Bragg (1913/pre-race drawing)
- Jean Chassagne (1914/pre-race drawing)
- Howdy Wilcox (1915)
- Johnny Aitken (1916)
- René Thomas (1919)
- Tommy Milton (1923)
- Earl Cooper (1926)
- Frank Lockhart (1927)
- Cliff Woodbury (1929)
- Russel Snowberger (1931)
- Lou Moore (1932)
- Kelly Petillo (1934)
- Floyd Roberts (1938)
- Jimmy Snyder (1939)
- Mauri Rose (1941)
- Cliff Bergere (1946)
- Ted Horn (1947)
- Walt Faulkner (1950)
- Freddie Agabashian (1952)
- Bill Vukovich (1953)
- Jack McGrath (1954)
- Jerry Hoyt (1955)
- Pat Flaherty (1956)
- Pat O'Connor (1957)
- Dick Rathmann (1958)
- Johnny Thompson (1959)
- Jim Clark (1964)
- Joe Leonard (1968)
- Al Unser (1970)
- Peter Revson (1971)
- Teo Fabi (1983)
- Pancho Carter (1985)
- Emerson Fittipaldi (1990)
- Roberto Guerrero (1992)
- Al Unser, Jr. (1994)
- Scott Brayton (1995)
- Tony Stewart* (1996)
- Billy Boat (1998)
- Greg Ray (2000)
- Scott Sharp (2001)
- Bruno Junqueira (2002)
- Hélio Castroneves (2003)
- Buddy Rice (2004)
- Tony Kanaan (2005)
- Sam Hornish, Jr. (2006)

* Scott Brayton qualified for the pole-position in 1996, but was killed in a practice session accident six days later. Tony Stewart, who had qualified second, moved onto the pole-position, when Brayton's car, thereafter assigned to Danny Ongais to drive, was, by rule in driver-replacement situations, moved to the last starting position.

[edit] Victors of the Race Starting from the Pole Position (chronologically)

Nineteen Indianapolis 500-Mile Races have been won by a total of fifteen drivers starting from the pole position; Johnny Rutherford won twice from the pole position in 1976 and 1980, and Rick Mears three times in 1979, 1988 and 1991. Victory from the pole position in consecutive races has occurred once, in years 1922-1923, and in three consecutive races once, in years 1979-1981.