YEAR DRIVER (TEAM) FOUR LAP AVG 2024 Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske) 234.220 2023 Alex Palou (CHIP GANASSI) 234.217 2022 Scott Dixon (CHIP GANASSI) 234.046 2021 Scott Dixon (CHIP GANASSI) 231.685 2020 Marco Andretti (Andretti Autosport) 231.068 2019 Simon Pagenaud (Team Penske) 229.992 2018 Ed Carpenter (Ed Carpenter Racing) 229.618 2017 Scott Dixon (CHIP GANASSI) 232.164 2016 James Hinchcliffe (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports) 230.76 2015 Scott Dixon (TARGET CHIP GANASSI) 226.760 2014 Ed Carpenter (Ed Carpenter Racing) 231.067 2013 Ed Carpenter (Ed Carpenter Racing) 228.762 2012 Ryan Briscoe (TEAM PENSKE) 226.484 2011 ALEX TAGLIANI (SAM SCHMIDT MOTORSPORTS) 227.472 2010 HELIO CASTRONEVES (TEAM PENSKE) 227.970 2009 HELIO CASTRONEVES (TEAM PENSKE) 224.864 2008 SCOTT DIXON (TARGET CHIP GANASSI) 226.366 2007 HELIO CASTRONEVES (MARLBORO TEAM PENSKE) 225.817 2006 SAM HORNISH JR. (MARLBORO TEAM PENSKE) 228.985 2005 TONY KANAAN (ANDRETTI-GREEN RACING) 227.566 2004 BUDDY RICE (RAHAL-LETTERMAN RACING) 222.024 2003 HELIO CASTRONEVES (MARLBORO TEAM PENSKE) 231.725 2002 BRUNO JUNQUEIRA (GANASSI RACING) 231.342 2001 SCOTT SHARP (KELLEY RACING) 226.037 2000 GREG RAY (TEAM MENARD) 223.471 1999 ARIE LUYENDYK (TREADWAY RACING) 225.179 1998 BILLY BOAT (A.J. FOYT ENTERPRISES) 223.503 1997 ARIE LUYENDYK (TREADWAY RACING) 218.263 1996 SCOTT BRAYTON (TEAM MENARD) 233.718 (X) ARIE LUYENDYK 236.986 (FQ) 1995 SCOTT BRAYTON (TEAM MENARD) 231.604 1994 AL UNSER JUNIOR (PENSKE RACING) 228.011 1993 ARIE LUYENDYK (GANASSI RACING) 223.967 1992 ROBERTO GUERRERO (KENNY BERNSTEIN) 232.482 1991 RICK MEARS (PENSKE RACING) 224.113 GARY BETTENHAUSEN (GLIDDEN PAINTS) 224.468 (FQ) 1990 EMERSON FITTIPALDI (PENSKE RACING) 225.301 1989 RICK MEARS (PENSKE RACING) 223.885 1988 RICK MEARS (PENSKE RACING) 219.198 1987 MARIO ANDRETTI (NEWMAN-HAAS RACING) 215.390 1986 RICK MEARS (PENSKE RACING) 216.828 1985 PANCHO CARTER (GALLES RACING) 212.583 1984 TOM SNEVA (MAYER MOTOR RACING) 210.029 1983 TEO FABI (FORSYTHE RACING) 207.395 1982 RICK MEARS (PENSKE RACING) 207.004 1981 BOBBY UNSER (PENSKE RACING) 200.546 TOM SNEVA (BLUE POLY) 200.691 (FQ) 1980 JOHNNY RUTHERFORD (CHAPARRAL RACING) 192.256 1979 RICK MEARS (PENSKE RACING) 193.736 1978 TOM SNEVA (PENSKE RACING) 202.156 1977 TOM SNEVA (PENSKE RACING) 198.884 1976 JOHNNY RUTHERFORD (TEAM MCLAREN) 188.957 MARIO ANDRETTI (CAM2 MOTOR OIL) 189.404 (FQ) 1975 A.J. FOYT (A.J. FOYT ENTERPRISES) 193.976 1974 A.J. FOYT (A.J. FOYT ENTERPRISES) 191.632 1973 JOHNNY RUTHERFORD (MCLAREN CARS) 198.413 1972 BOBBY UNSER (OLSONITE DIVISION) 195.940 1971 PETER REVSON (MCLAREN CARS) 178.696 1970 AL UNSER (VEL'S PARNELLI JONES FORD) 170.22 1969 A.J. FOYT (ANSTED-THOMPSON RACING) 170.568 1968 JOE LEONARD (STP CORPORATION) 171.559 1967 MARIO ANDRETTI (DEAN RACING ENTERPRISES) 168.982 1966 MARIO ANDRETTI (DEAN RACING ENTERPRISES) 165.899 1965 A.J. FOYT (ANSTED-THOMPSON RACING) 161.233 1964 JIM CLARK (TEAM LOTUS) 158.828 1963 PARNELLI JONES (J.C. AGAJANIAN) 151.153 1962 PARNELLI JONES (J.C. AGAJANIAN) 150.370 1961 EDDIE SACHS (DEAN VAN LINES RACING) 147.481 1960 EDDIE SACHS (DEAN VAN LINES RACING) 146.592 JIM HURTUBISE (TRAVELON TRAILER) 149.056 (FQ) 1959 JOHNNY THOMSON (RACING ASSOCIATES) 145.908 1958 DICK RATHMANN (KALAMAZOO SPORTS INC) 145.974 1957 PAT O'CONNOR (CHAPMAN S. ROOT) 143.948 PAUL RUSSO (NOVI AUTO AIR CONDITIONER) 144.817 (FQ) 1956 PAT FLAHERTY (JOHN ZINK CO.) 145.596 1955 JERRY HOYT (JIM ROBBINS) 140.045 JACK MCGRATH (JACK B. HINKLE) 142.580 (FQ) 1954 JACK MCGRATH (JACK B. HINKLE) 141.033 1953 BILL VUKOVICH (HOWARD KECK CO.) 138.392 1952 FRED AGABASHIAN (CUMMINS ENGINE CO.) 138.010 CHET MILLER (NOVI PURE OIL) 139.034 (FQ) 1951 DUKE NALON (JEAN MARCENAC) 136.498 WALT FAULKNER (J.C. AGAJANIAN) 136.872 (FQ) 1950 WALT FAULKNER (J.C. AGAJANIAN) 134.343 1949 DUKE NALON (W.C. WINFIELD) 132.939 1948 REX MAYS (BOWES RACING INC.) 130.577 1947 TED HORN (H.C. HENNING) 126.564 BILL HOLLAND (BLUE CROWN SPARK PLUG) 128.755 (FQ) 1946 CLIFF BERGERE (SHIRLEY BERGERE) 126.471 RALPH HEPBURN (NOVI GOVERNOR) 133.944 (FQ) 1945 NO RACE 1944 NO RACE 1943 NO RACE 1942 NO RACE 1941 MAURI ROSE (LOU MOORE) 128.691 1940 REX MAYS (BOWES RACING INC.) 127.850 1939 JIMMY SNYDER (JOEL THORNE INC.) 130.138 1938 FLOYD ROBERTS (LOU MOORE) 125.681 RONNEY HOUSEHOLDER (THORNE-SPARKS) 125.769 (FQ) 1937 BILL CUMMINGS (H.C. HENNING) 123.343 JIMMY SNYDER (SPARKS) 125.287 (FQ) 1936 REX MAYS (PAUL WEIRICK) 119.664 1935 REX MAYS (PAUL WEIRICK) 120.736 1934 KELLY PETILLO (JOE MARKS) 119.329 1933 BILL CUMMINGS (M.J. BOYLE) 118.524 1932 LOU MOORE (M.J. BOYLE) 117.363 1931 RUSS SNOWBERGER (RUSSELL SNOWBERGER) 112.796 BILLY ARNOLD (MILLER-HARTZ) 116.080 (FQ) 1930 BILLY ARNOLD (HARRY HARTZ) 113.268 1929 CLIFF WOODBURY (CLIFF R. WOODBURY) 120.599 1928 LEON DURAY (LEON DURAY) 122.39 1927 FRANK LOCKHART (FRANK S. LOCKHART) 120.100 1926 EARL COOPER (HARRY A. MILLER) 111.735 1925 LEON DURAY (HARRY HARTZ) 113.196 1924 JIMMY MURPHY (JIMMY MURPHY) 108.03 1923 TOMMY MILTON (H.C.S MOTOR CO.) 108.17 1922 JIMMY MURPHY (JIMMY MURPHY) 100.50 1921 RALPH DEPALMA (RALPH DEPALMA) 100.75 1920 RALPH DEPALMA (RALPH DEPALMA) 99.15 1919 RENE THOMAS (ERNEST BALLOT) 104.78 1916 JOHN AITKEN (INDIANAPOLIS SPEEDWAY TEAM CO.) 96.69 1915 HOWARD WILCOX (STUTZ MOTOR CAR CO.) 98.90 1914 JEAN CHASSAGNE (SUNBEAM MOTOR CAR CO.) DREW POLE GEORGE BOILLET (PEUGEOT) 99.86 (FQ) 1913 CALEB BRAGG (MERCER MOTORS CO.) DREW POLE JACK TOWER (MASON) 88.23 (FQ) 1912 GIL ANDERSON (IDEAL MOTOR CO.) DREW POLE DAVID BRUCE-BROWN (NATIONAL) 88.45 (FQ) 1911 LEWIS STRANG (J.I. CASE T.M. CO.) AWARDED POLE (X) - EARNED POLE POSITION, BUT DIED AS A RESULT OF INJURIES SUSTAINED IN A CRASH DURING PRACTICE (FQ) - FASTEST QUALIFIER, BUT INELIGIBLE FOR POLE POSITION INDY 500 POLE NOTES Most pole positions: 6 – Rick Mears (1979, 1982, 1986, 1988-89, 1991) Most consecutive pole positions: 2 – Ralph DePalma (1920-21), Rex Mays (1935-36), Eddie Sachs (1960-61), Parnelli Jones (1962-63), Mario Andretti (1966-67), A.J. Foyt (1974-75), Tom Sneva (1977-78), Rick Mears (1988-89), Scott Brayton (1995-96) Most times starting on front row: 11 – Rick Mears (1978-79, 82-84, 86-91) Most consecutive times starting on front row: 6 – Rick Mears (1986-91) Highest starting position, rookie: Pole – Lewis Strang (1911, first entered), Jean Chassagne (1914, drew pole), Walt Faulkner (1950), Teo Fabi (1983), Tony Stewart (1996*) Highest starting position, woman: 4th – Danica Patrick (2005) Worst finish from pole: 33rd – Cliff Woodbury (1929), Pancho Carter (1985), Roberto Guerrero (1992), Greg Ray (2000), Scott Sharp (2001) * – Tony Stewart started the 1996 Indianapolis 500 from the pole position after Scott Brayton was fatally injured in practice prior to the race. |