(Johnson Collection)
Indianapolis 500 Time Trials
One-Lap & Four-Lap Track Records
(Since 1972)
In 1972, USAC changed the rules to allow bolt-on wings for the first time. Previously, any aerodynamic devices were required to be an ‘integral part of the bodywork‘. Teams had started to stretch the limit of those rules, with various wings, winglets, spoilers, and other various aerodynamic devices molded into the engine covers and bodywork. In 1971, the McLaren M16 chassis may have been the most compelling of those examples. It featured a thin, plate-like engine cover than ran along the top of the engine, with a wing affixed to the rear. USAC allowed the configuration, even as competitors began to worry it would dominate the month. The M16 quickly became the favorite for the pole as well as race day. During practice, Mark Donohue became the first driver ever to run lap (unofficial) over 180 mph.
(Johnson Collection)
On Pole Day of 1971, Peter Revson drove a McLaren M16, powered by a turbocharged 4-cyclinder Offenhauser engine, to the pole position and new track record. Revson’s second lap of 179.354 mph stood as the official one-lap track record, and his four-lap average of 178.696 mph set the new four-lap record. His second lap was just 0.18 seconds shy of breaking the 180 mph barrier. It was a more than 7 mph jump from the previous year’s record. On race day, Revson failed to lead any laps, but finished a strong second to winner Al Unser.
For the 1972 season, rules makers finally relented, and bolt-on wings were to be allowed. During a tire test at Indianapolis on March 30, Bobby Unser blistered the track with an unofficial lap record of 190.8 mph.
Track records at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are only considered official when accomplished during Time Trials (qualifying) or during the race itself. Any and all lap records set during practice or testing are always considered unofficial. In the older days, it was not uncommon for the sanctioning body’s timing and scoring equipment (“electric eye”) to not be set up during testing/practice. In those situations, practice lap times would be measured with handheld stopwatches. Even in the 1980s and 1990s and beyond, when sophisticated timing and scoring equipment was installed and employed during practice, practice/testing laps are still regarded as unofficial. In addition, practice laps are sometimes discounted by observers since they may be inflated by receiving a “tow” (slipstreaming or drafting behind another car), or were accomplished with a car that was not technically legal. While all cars are inspected prior to being allowed on the track, the level of scrutineering during practice was not always to the level conducted during the pre-qualifying and post-qualifying technical inspections.
This article concentrates on one-lap and four-lap track records at the Indianapolis 500 since 1972. This represents the time period in which the cars have been permitted bolt-on wings and as a result, have qualified above or near 200 mph. For qualifying records prior to 1972, see the following statistical supplements: 1-Lap Records and 4-Lap Records. As of 2022, the official one-lap and four-lap track records at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway were set by Arie Luyendyk in 1996. The one-lap track record is 237.498 mph and the four-lap record is 236.986 mph.
1972
(Johnson Collection)
With bolt-on wings allowed for the first time, speeds climbed by significant margins in 1972. Practice was scheduled to open on Saturday April 29. Rain, however, washed out the first day. On Sunday April 30, chief steward Harlan Fengler imposed a 170 mph speed limit, so only seven cars took to the track. Jim Malloy allegedly had a hand-timed lap of 179.4 mph. Later in the week Malloy turned a lap of 188.148 mph Tragically, Malloy would die from injuries suffered in a practice crash on May 14.
On May 7, Gary Bettenhausen became the first driver to break the 190 mph barrier during the month of May. Two days later, he turned a lap at 191 mph, faster than Bobby Unser’s lap during March tire testing. On Wednesday May 10, Bobby Unser ran a lap of 194.721 mph, a new unofficial track record.
Pole day was scheduled for Saturday May 13. Rain, however, kept the cars off the track until late in the afternoon. Only two cars managed to get out on the track before the 6 o’clock gun, but neither completed their qualifying attempt. On Sunday May 14, rain continued to delay the start of qualifying until 2:46 p.m. Bill Vukovich II was the first car out for the day, and his first lap of 185.797 mph was a new 1-lap track record. He became the first driver to turn an official lap at Indy over 180 mph. Going into turn one on his second lap, he spun and crashed. His 1-lap record stood, but he never managed to set a 4-lap record. The next car out was Mike Mosley, who failed to eclipse Vukovich’s 1-lap record. He stalled on the backstretch after three laps, and he too failed to set a 4-lap record. Rain began to fall again, and halted qualifying for over an hour.
When the track reopened, a succession of drivers completed their qualifying attempts. Track records were set and broken multiple times. Joe Leonard, Mario Andretti, Gary Bettenhausen, and finally Bobby Unser, all put their names in the record books. Unser driving an Eagle/Drake Offy, entered by Dan Gurney’s All American Racers team, set an all-time one-lap record of 196.678 mph, representing a 17 mph jump in pole position speed over the previous year. His four-lap record of 195.940 mph officially broke the 190 mph barrier. At the 6 o’clock gun, five cars were still left in line eligible for the pole. Pole qualifying stretched into a third day (Saturday May 20), however, none of the remaining cars managed to knock Unser off of the pole. Peter Revson and Mark Donohue joined him on the front row, making it an “all 190 mph” front row.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sun 5/14/1972 | Bill Vukovich II | 185.797 | crash | — | — | — |
| Sun 5/14/1972 | Joe Leonard | 184.767 | 185.950 | 185.835 | 184.351 | 185.223 |
| Sun 5/14/1972 | Mario Andretti | 188.758 | 188.127 | 186.838 | 186.761 | 187.617 |
| Sun 5/14/1972 | Gary Bettenhausen | 189.474 | 189.076 | 188.758 | 188.206 | 188.877 |
| Sun 5/14/1972 | Bobby Unser | 194.932 | 196.036 | 196.678 | 196.121 | 195.940 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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Later in the 1972 USAC season, during time trials for the California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway, the 200 mph barrier was broken for the first time. Ontario was constructed as a replica of Indianapolis, but it was slightly wider, and the short-chutes were banked, theoretically making it a slightly faster course compared to Indy. In addition, having been completed just two years earlier 1970, the asphalt pavement was newer and the surface was decidedly smoother. Jerry Grant ran his first qualifying lap at 201.414 mph, completing the first official Indy car lap over 200 mph, and set a new closed-course speed record. His four-lap average of 199.600 mph secured him the pole position. One day later during second day qualifying, Bobby Unser turned a lap of 201.965 mph, and a four-lap average of 201.374 mph, to up the new record.
1973
After the dramatic rise in speeds the year before, the teams arrived at Indianapolis in 1973 with the real possibility of breaking the 200 mph barrier. A month earlier, the USAC Championship Trail visited Texas World Speedway for the fist time. The high-banked, 2-mile superspeedway saw blistering speeds, with Bobby Unser taking the pole position with an eye-popping speed of 212.766 mph A total of nine drivers qualified at over 200 mph there. Though a 200 mph lap would be achieved at other tracks first (it would happen at Michigan as well later in the year), being the first driver to accomplish the feat at Indianapolis was destined to hold a special place in history, and it was being closely watched.
The month of May at Indy started out with excitement and anticipation, but the mood quickly turned after a succession of tragic incidents. Terrible weather also plagued the month. By month’s end, there were no verified reports of any driver turning any single lap over 200 mph, whether officially or unofficially. Three participants (two drivers and one pit crew member) were fatally injured, and the 1973 Indianapolis 500 went down in history as the worst year for the event.
During Goodyear tire testing on March 22, Gordon Johncock reportedly ran a lap of 199.4 mph, an unofficial track record. During the first week of practice on May 6, Swede Savage ran a practice lap of 197.802 mph, which would end up the fastest recorded practice lap of the month. Several drivers turned laps over 190 mph, inching closer to the elusive 200 mph mark. Inclement weather – rain and wind – affected the second week of practice. By the eve of time trials, USAC had not recorded any practice laps over 200 mph. However, the due to the limitations of the “electric eye” system employed at the time, not every lap of ever car could be clocked. Therefore it is possible that faster laps had been achieved but not formally recorded. None of the local newspapers reported any laps faster than Savage’s, but some of the teams later claimed that they run hand-timed (stopwatches) laps at over 200 mph. For instance, Johnny Rutherford claimed in an interview later in life that his McLaren team had clocked him with a lap of over 200 mph during a practice run – an achievement they kept secret in order to not draw the attention of the their competitors going into Pole Day.
A huge crowd arrived on Pole Day (Saturday May 12), anxiously anticipating that the 200 mph barrier just might fall during Time Trials. The first day of time trials, however, was quickly marred during the morning practice session. At 9:37 a.m., veteran Art Pollard crashed in turn one. The car flipped over and caught flames. Pollard was pronounced dead about an hour later from pulmonary damage due to flame inhalation. Despite the crash, qualifying began on-time at 11 a.m.
At 12:29 p.m., Swede Savage was the eleventh car to make an attempt. After posting fast laps during practice, Savage did not disappoint. His first lap of 197.152 mph was a new 1-lap record, and his 4-lap average of 196.582 mph was also a record. Savage held the top spot for just over one hour. At 1:37 p.m., Johnny Rutherford in the turbocharged, 4-cyclinder McLaren/Drake-Offenhauser, took to the track and secured the pole position. He electrified the crowd when his third lap came in at 199.071 mph, just 0.21 seconds shy of breaking the 200 mph barrier.
Rutherford’s record run was overshadowed by Pollard’s death. Fears were beginning to grow around the garage about safety and the rising speeds. The mood was anxious and glum. Rain plagued the running of the race. On Monday May 28 (after a four-hour rain delay) David “Salt” Walther was critically injured in a huge, fiery crash at the start. The race was stopped before completing a single lap. Rain washed out the rest of the day, as well as any chance to run the race on Tuesday May 29. On Wednesday May 30, the race finally got going. On the 59th lap, Swede Savage was involved in a terrible, fiery crash which sent him to the hospital in critical condition. Moments later, Armando Teran, a pit crew member from Graham McRae’s team (Savage’s teammate) was struck and killed by an emergency truck rushing to the scene of the crash. On July 2, thirty-three days after the race, Savage died in the hospital.
After three driver fatalities in just two years, sweeping rule changes were implemented to address safety. Some new rules went into effect for the 1973 Pocono 500 four weeks later, and additional changes were made for the 1974 season. Numerous safety improvements were also made at the track, and there would be only two driver fatalities at Indy over the next 22 years. Among the many changes were smaller wings, and the use of pop-off valves to regulate turbocharger boost pressure. The new regulations reduced speeds by about 8-10 mph. The track records set in 1973 would not be challenged over the next three years.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/12/1973 | David Earl “Swede” Savage | 197.152 | 196.464 | 196.335 | 196.378 | 196.582 |
| Sat 5/12/1973 | Johnny Rutherford | 198.676 | 197.846 | 199.071 | 198.063 | 198.413 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1977
(Johnson Collection)
After the 1976 race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was repaved with asphalt. It was the first time the entire 2.5-mile track was repaved all at once, since the bricks were laid in 1909. The new surface was smooth and fast. The first round of tire tests occurred in cool temperatures in October of 1976, which saw Roger McCluskey turn a lap of 198.7 mph. Reportedly running boost levels consistent with 1976 USAC rules (80 inHg), and 1976-spec wings, McCluskey was more than 9 mph faster than Johnny Rutherford’s pole speed four months earlier. The test lap was just a tick slower than Rutherford’s 1973 official track record, which was accomplished with larger wings and without pop-off valves.
The new pavement was allowed to cure over the winter, and in the spring of 1977, another round of tire tests was conducted on the new surface. On March 20, 1977, during private Goodyear tire testing, Gordon Johncock turned an unofficial lap of 44.9 seconds (200.4 mph). It was the first ever recorded lap over 200 mph at Indianapolis. The participants, media, and fans entered the month of May 1977 fully expecting the 200 mph barrier to fall in time trials.
At 5:44 p.m. on Wednesday May 11, Mario Andretti became the first driver to crack the 200 mph barrier during practice. Andretti’s lap of 200.311 mph was followed up by A.J. Foyt minutes later. Foyt ran a 200.177 mph with two minutes left in the day. One day later, Johnny Rutherford upped the top speed of the month to 200.624 mph. By the end of the first week of practice, Rutherford, Andretti, and Foyt had all practiced over 200. Tom Sneva was 4th-fastest, having run a 198.194 mph lap.
Pole day was sunny and warm, and a huge crowd arrived, excited to see track records fall for the first time in four years. A.J. Foyt was the first car out to qualify, but his speed was a disappointing 193.465 mph. It was determined that Foyt’s engine had a faulty pop-off valve installed. Later in the day he was permitted to re-qualify, but he still failed to break 200.
At 11:51 a.m., Tom Sneva forever put his name in the record books and instantly became an Indy 500 legend. His first lap of 200.401 mph (44.91 seconds) was a new one-lap track record, and the first official lap at Indy over 200 mph. His second lap was faster at 200.535 mph (44.88 seconds). His third and fourth laps dropped off, but he finished the run with a four-lap average of 198.884 mph, itself a new four-lap track record. Sneva returned to the pits where Phil Hedback (of Bryant Heating and Cooling) poured 200 silver dollars into his helmet. The symbolic gesture had been done previously in 1962, when Parnelli Jones broke the 150 mph barrier. Jones received a prize of 150 silver dollars poured into his helmet on that historic day.
Sneva’s speed held up all afternoon. No other driver was able to turn a single lap over 200 mph. Sneva won his first of three Indy poles, and would go on to finish second in the 1977 race. It was notable that Sneva won the pole and broke 200 driving a Cosworth-powered entry. It was the first Indy pole for the turbocharged V-8 Cosworth DFX. It should be noted that Sneva was heralded as the first driver over 200, but in 1977 that only applied to the 1-lap track record. It would be another year before the 4-lap track record pushed over the 200 mph mark.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/14/1977 | Tom Sneva | 200.401 | 200.535 | 197.628 | 197.032 | 198.884 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1978
After Tom Sneva broke the 200 mph barrier during time trials in 1977 (doing so on two of his four qualifying laps), competitors, media and fans were anxious to see a driver run all four qualifying laps over 200 in 1978. Tom Sneva, who would become known as the “Gas Man”, would be the one to do it.
(Johnson Collection)
Rain hampered the first week of practice, and it was not until Wednesday May 10 that drivers began to find speed. Mario Andretti clocked a lap of 201.838 mph, then Danny Ongais topped him for the day at 201.974 mph. It was an unofficial track record, and Ongais managed seven consecutive laps over 200, establishing him as an early favorite for the pole. On Friday May 12, Andretti shattered the mark, posting a practice lap of 203.482 mph.
The first weekend of time trials came and went without turning a wheel. Rain washed out both Saturday and Sunday, postponing the battle for the pole until the following weekend. This was especially unfortunate for Mario Andretti, who had to return to Europe for the Formula One Grand Prix of Belgium. After his quick laps during practice, Andretti would be ineligible for the pole. Penske Racing hired Mike Hiss to qualify Andretti’s car as a substitute. Andretti won the Belgian Grand Prix, then he returned to Indianapolis for race day.
With another of five days of practice before pole qualifying, the top teams continued to prepare. On Thursday May 18, Tom Sneva topped the speed chart, turning a lap of 203.100 mph, just under Andretti’s best lap of the month. Sneva was back in the conversation for the pole.
On Saturday May 20, pole qualifying was held. At 12:03 p.m., as he did the year before, Tom Sneva set new one-lap and four-lap tracks records to win the pole position. His first lap of 203.620 mph shattered the 1-lap record. This time, all four laps were over 200. His four-lap average of 202.156 mph was a record that would stand for four years.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/20/1978 | Tom Sneva | 203.620 | 202.566 | 201.794 | 200.669 | 202.156 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1982
(Johnson Collection)
Qualifying speeds had been slightly down between 1979 and 1981, mostly due to rule changes that reduced the permitted level of turbocharger “boost” pressure. For 1979, the boost level for the overhead-cam V-8 engines (e.g., Cosworth DFX) was reduced from 80 inHg to 50 inHg, then in 1980, it was further reduced to 48 inHg. But by 1982, ground effects and other mechanical and aerodynamic improvements, had more than made up for the boost reduction. Speeds began to creep up once again, and the track record was again within reach.
Penske teammates Rick Mears and Kevin Cogan established themselves as the cars to beat during practice. On the day before pole day, Mears ran an unofficial lap of 208.7 mph, while Cogan was close behind at 207.8 mph. On Pole Day (Saturday May 15), Cogan burned a piston in his primary car during the morning practice session, and the team switched him to a backup car. Running the backup car #1T ended up being advantageous as that car had drawn the second spot in the qualifying order. Cogan’s primary car – for the moment out of commission – had drawn 55th, while Mears was set to go out fourth.
Kevin Cogan was the first car to make an attempt and did not disappoint. He set new 1-lap and 4-lap qualifying records. But his time on top did not last long. Rick Mears was the very next car to go out, and he took over the top spot. He smashed the track record with a third lap of 207.612 mph, and a four-lap average of 207.004 mph. Just fifteen minutes into the day, the race for the pole position was seemingly already out of reach. Cogan was dissatisfied with his run, believing the back-up car’s engine was not as good as the primary, but he nonetheless would hold on to the middle of the front row.
About one hour later, the day marred by the horrific fatal crash of Gordon Smiley. The track was closed for over two hours to clean up the crash and make repairs to the asphalt. Qualifying resumed at 3:17 p.m., but no cars challenged the speeds records set earlier that morning.
Mears would go on to finish second in the race to Gordon Johncock, in the closest finish in Indy history up to that point. Cogan, however, triggered a controversial crash at the start, and was out of the race without completing a single lap. Mears notched another milestone during the 1982 race. While leading on lap 122, he turned the first official race lap over 200 mph. His lap was 200.535 mph.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/15/1982 | Kevin Cogan | 203.298 | 203.351 | 204.638 | 204.545 | 204.082 |
| Sat 5/15/1982 | Rick Mears | 206.801 | 207.039 | 207.612 | 206.564 | 207.004 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1983
Rain washed out the first weekend of time trials and pole qualifying was moved to Saturday May 21 (Third day). During practice, speeds were down a tick, as teams adjusted to new regulations. Grounds effects side skirts were banned, and the permitted turbocharger boost pressure was lowered from 48 to 47 inHg. All aerodynamic devices were required to be 1 inch above the ground, and the rear wings were moved forward.
After two weeks of practice, the fastest lap of the month was turned by Danny Ongais. His lap of 205.996 mph (May 20) was not better than the existing track record. Only three other drivers had topped 205. On Saturday morning, during the practice session just before qualifying, two drivers hit 206 mph, but still fell short of the record.
In a qualifying surprise, Teo Fabi won the pole position, becoming the first rookie to win the pole since Walk Faulkner in 1950. Fabi set a new one-lap record and a new four-lap record.
Fabi took the lead at the start and led the first 23 laps. Though he dropped out of the race early with a bad fuel gasket, his qualifying effort earned him the Rookie of the Year award.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/21/1983 | Teo Fabi (R) | 207.273 | 208.049 | 207.622 | 206.640 | 207.395 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1984
(Johnson Collection)
Pole day was a historic day as Tom Sneva broke the 210 mph barrier in time trials. Sneva, who had previously broken the 200 mph barrier at Indianapolis in 1977, and entered the race as the defending winner, won his third career pole position at Indy in 1984.
But during practice, it was actually Mario Andretti who was the favorite for the pole. On the day before pole day (Friday May 11), Andretti blistered the track with an unofficial track record of 212.414 mph. The lap was more than 5 mph faster the track record from 1983. Gordon Johncock was also quick, turning in a lap over 211 mph. Tom Sneva had turned in a 208 mph lap, and was considered a “sleeper” for the pole.
On pole day (Saturday May 12), Rick Mears was the first driver to complete a qualifying attempt. As expected, track records fell fast. Mears put in two laps over 208 mph, then set a four-lap record over 207 mph. About twenty minutes later, Mario Andretti took to the track. His first lap of 209.687 mph was a new one-lap track record. It was the fifth time in his career Andretti held the one-lap track record at Indy. His first three laps were fast enough to take the top spot away from Mears, but suddenly the car quit. Coming out of turn four on his fourth and final lap, the engine shut off and the car coasted across the start/finish line. His slow final lap dragged down his four-lap average, and he wound up 6th on the grid. It was a bitter disappointment for Mario Andretti, after the speeds he had posted in practice. Furthermore, he would line up behind his son, rookie Michael Andretti who qualified 4th.
Tom Sneva, who had the benefit of a later draw, was able to make some adjustments to his car’s stagger. He electrified the crowd with his third lap of 210.423 mph, the first official lap over 210. His four-lap average also broke 210, and he secured the pole position. Sneva’s pole-winning run cemented his reputation as one of the greatest qualifiers ever at Indy. It was his third pole – plus he was also the fastest qualifier in 1981.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/12/1984 | Rick Mears | 208.502 | 208.367 | 207.727 | 206.801 | 207.847 |
| Sat 5/12/1984 | Mario Andretti | 209.687 | 208.734 | 208.642 | 202.950 | 207.467 |
| Sat 5/12/1984 | Tom Sneva | 209.113 | 209.898 | 210.423 | 210.689 | 210.029 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1985
(Johnson Collection)
During the first week of practice, Mario Andretti and Bobby Rahal topped the speed charts, both over 214 mph. On Friday May 10, Andretti set an unofficial record of 214.285 mph. Later in the day, during “Happy Hour”, Mario was hand-timed with a lap of 215.600 mph, another unofficial record. At least a dozen cars had practiced over the existing track record.
On Saturday May 11, a huge crowd arrived for Pole Day, expecting record speeds. But surprisingly it was the Buick V-6 powered entries of Scott Brayton and Pancho Carter who took the top two spots. Brayton drew the first spot in the qualifying order. He set track records on his first three laps. His third lap of 214.199 mph smashed the one-lap record. On his fourth and final lap, however, a transmission problem caused him to slow down and he had to coast across the finish line. His fourth lap was only in the 210 mph range, pulling his four-lap average down to 212.354 mph. Brayton still set a four-lap track record, but it would only stand for 22 minutes.
Pancho Carter was the fourth car out to qualify, and he secured the pole position. None of Carter’s laps broke the one-lap record, but his four lap average – more consistent – beat Brayton for the top spot overall by 0.182 seconds. Less than a half hour into the day, the top two spots on the grid were set. Rahal and Andretti qualified third and fourth, the fastest of the V-8 Cosworth engines. The top seven qualifiers turned at least one lap better than the old 1984 one-lap track record, but since Brayton and Carter’s runs were accomplished very early in the day, none of the other five drivers could claim a track record.
Despite qualifying second overall, Brayton’s one-lap record of 214.199 mph stood alongside Carter’s four-lap record of 212.583 mph. It was one of the rare occasions in which two different drivers held the 1-lap and 4-lap track records.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/11/1985 | Scott Brayton | 211.815 | 213.189 | 214.199 | 210.256 | 212.354 |
| Sat 5/11/1985 | Pancho Carter | 212.510 | 212.721 | 213.159 | 211.944 | 212.583 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1986
During the first week of practice, four drivers turned laps better than the existing track record. Rick Mears led practice, turning a lap of 214.694 mph on Thursday May 8. Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, and Danny Sullivan were all close behind. But on the morning of pole day (Saturday May 10), Mears shattered his two day-old unofficial track record. During the morning practice session, Mears turned a lap of 217.548 mph, the fastest lap in Indy history.
Defending Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan drew an early spot in the qualifying line, and was the first driver to set records on the day. He became the first driver to officially turn a qualifying lap over 215 mph, and his four-lap average took the provisional pole position. Sullivan, however, was apprehensive afterwards about his chances of holding onto the pole position. He knew his Penske teammate Rick Mears was a strong threat for the pole, and he ended up being correct. Less than an hour later, Mears blistered the track to secure his third career pole position. His first lap of 217.581 mph was a new track record, and his record four-lap average of 216.828 mph would stand for two years.
On race day, numerous interval records were broken, in what was (at the time) the fastest “500” in history. Winner Bobby Rahal became the first driver to complete the 500 miles in less than three hours, at an average speed of 170.722 mph. At the start, Michael Andretti darted into the lead from the outside of the front row. He completed the first lap (his first lap led at Indy) at a speed of 202.111 mph, the first time the opening was run at over 200 mph. Bobby Rahal took the lead for the final time with just over two laps to go. His final lap was completed at 209.152 mph, the fastest single race lap in history (to that point). As of 2022, it is the only time in history that the fastest lap of the race was recorded by the leader on lap 200.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/10/1986 | Danny Sullivan | 215.729 | 215.755 | 215.636 | 214.413 | 215.382 |
| Sat 5/10/1986 | Rick Mears | 217.581 | 217.124 | 216.852 | 215.765 | 216.828 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1987
The month of May 1987 was a difficult month for many drivers. An unusually high 25 crashes occurred during practice and time trials. Mario Andretti was one of only a handful of drivers that enjoyed success leading up to time trials and race day. On Thursday May 7, Andretti set an unofficial track record of 218.234 mph. But speed was mostly hard to come by for everyone else. Andretti won the pole on a slick and windy pole day, and his qualifying speed was not a track record.
Bobby Rahal and track record holder Rick Mears rounded out the front row. Andretti and Mears were fielding the Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V-8 (265A) engine, while Rahal was utilizing the tried and true Cosworth DFX V-8. Andretti and Rahal were driving 1987 Lola chassis, while Mears was driving a year-old March 86C. The Penske team had parked their 1987 Penske PC-16 machines after they proved uncompetitive. It was the Ilmor-Chevy’s first pole and first front row start, and it was also the Cosworth DFX’s final front row appearance.
1988
The first week of practice shaped up as a speed duel between Rick Mears and Mario Andretti. On Tuesday May 10, Mears turned the first-ever practice lap over 220 mph. A day later, Andretti upped the speed to 221.565 mph. On Friday May 13, the day before Pole Day, Mears and Andretti amazingly posted identical laps of 221.465 mph.
Pole Day (Saturday May 14) dawned sunny and warm. A huge crowd packed the grandstands, expected a record-setting day. During practice Saturday morning, Mears blistered the track with a lap of 222.827, a new all-time unofficial track record. Mario Andretti was also over 220 mph. At 8:08 a.m., Raul Boesel suffered a crash in turn four. Safety crews cleaned up the scene, and pour oil dry on the pavement to absorb fluids. Mario Andretti drew the coveted first spot in the qualifying order, but his run was disappointing. He claims to have lost traction in the oil dry and managed only a 214 mph average.
At 1:21 p.m., Danny Sullivan took over the top spot, setting a 1-lap record in the process. Sullivan’s speed did not hold up, however. At 2 p.m., in the heat of the afternoon, Rick Mears won his fourth pole position. His first lap broke the 220 mph barrier, and his four-lap average was also a new record. It was the second time in three years teammates Sullivan and Mears battled one another for the pole – and results were the same. It was the second straight pole for the Ilmor-Chevrolet 265A engine, and the first pole for a Penske chassis (in this case the PC-17) since 1982.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/14/1988 | Danny Sullivan | 217.334 | 217.749 | 215.126 | 214.679 | 216.214 |
| Sat 5/14/1988 | Rick Mears | 220.453 | 219.877 | 218.781 | 217.702 | 219.198 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1989
(Johnson Collection)
The Speedway was repaved during the offseason and new speed records were expected for 1989. Rick Mears turned the first practice lap over 225 mph on Monday May 8. On Friday May 12, the eve of time trials, Mears upped his speed to 226.231 mph. Pole day was expected to be a record-shattering afternoon.
Pole Day (Saturday May 13) was rained out, and pole qualifying was moved to Sunday May 14. Al Unser Sr. drew first in line and took the provisional pole. Each lap was a track record, and he became the first driver to break the 220 mph barrier for four laps. Later in the day, Rick Mears took the pole, his second straight pole and fifth overall. His new 1-lap and 4-lap track records were not quite as fast as some had expected, he did not break 225, but they went in the record books nonetheless. Driving a PC-18/Chevy, it was the third pole for the Ilmor-Chevrolet 265A.
Al Unser Sr., who ended up qualifying for the middle of the front row, notched his best qualifying effort since winning the pole position in 1970. Though he won the pole in 1970, he did not set any track records that year. Thus 1989 was the first and only time in his legendary Indy career (albeit for not more than two hours) that Al Unser Sr. held the 1-lap and 4-lap track records.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sun 5/14/1989 | Al Unser Sr. | 222.712 | 223.636 | 223.736 | 223.803 | 223.471 |
| Sun 5/14/1989 | Rick Mears | 223.187 | 223.897 | 224.254 | 224.204 | 223.885 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1990
(Johnson Collection)
During “Happy Hour” on On Fast Friday, Al Unser Jr. set an all-time unofficial track record of 228.502 mph, the fastest practice lap ever run at Indy. Though it was probably aided by a tow, it nevertheless established him as the fastest driver of the month, and knocked Emerson Fittipaldi – who had been leading practice nearly all week – down to second. Later that day, Fittipaldi drew the coveted #1 spot in the qualifying draw. Unser wound up a disappointing 51st in line.
Rain washed out qualifying on Saturday May 12. Rain fell again on Sunday May 13, and threatened to wash out the entire weekend. However, on Sunday afternoon, the rain finally ceased, and at 4:34 p.m., the track opened for qualifying. Fittipaldi was the first driver out on the track, and set new 1-lap and 4-lap track records. Driving a Roger Penske-owned, PC-19 (“Penske 90”) Ilmor-Chevrolet 265A V-8, each lap’s speed increased. He broke the 225 mph barrier, becoming the first driver to turn an official qualifying lap under 40 seconds. A total of 16 cars got out on the track in the hectic, abbreviated session. At the 6 o’clock gun, the field was filled to 15 cars, but the originally qualifying order had not yet exhausted. Several drivers, including Al Unser Jr., had yet to make their attempts. Pole qualifying was stretched into yet another day.
On Saturday May 19 (the third day of time trials) pole qualifying picked up from where it had left off on Sunday. None of the remaining drivers were able to bump Fittipaldi off of the pole position. After a week of anticipation, Al Unser Jr.’s run was a disappointing 220.920 mph (7th fastest). Unser had blown his qualifying engine on Friday, setting back his chances. At about 11:50 a.m., the original qualifying draw had exhausted and the “first day” of time trials came to an end. Fittipaldi secured the pole, and the 1-lap and 4-lap track records. No other drivers in the field managed a lap over 225 mph.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sun 5/13/1990 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 225.006 | 225.259 | 225.366 | 225.575 | 225.301 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
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1991
(Johnson Collection)
Rick Mears won his record sixth Indy 500 pole position in 1991, but the track records set in 1990 did not fall. During the first week of practice, seven drivers posted practice laps faster than the track record. On May 10 (“Fast Friday”) Emerson Fittipaldi (226.705 mph) posted the fasted lap of the month. It was shy of Al Unser Jr.’s 228 mph practice lap from 1990, but still better than the official track record. Come Pole Day (Saturday May 11), some unexpected twists shook up qualifying.
Rick Mears had suffered his first ever crash at Indy on Friday, and came back on Saturday in a back-up car to put his car on the pole. His four-lap average of 224.113 mph, however, was not a track record. Pole Day was hot, and some teams pulled their cars out of line, hoping to go out later in better conditions. Among those who pulled out of line or waved off were Emerson Fittipaldi, Arie Luyendyk, Gary Bettenhausen, and Kevin Cogan. Fittipaldi’s Penske crew waved off a run in the 222-223 mph range, unaware that storm clouds were looming just to the east. Minutes later, rain came and washed out the rest of the day. Those who had pulled out of line were out of luck, and had to qualify on the Second day.
On the Second Day of time trials (Sunday May 12), Gary Bettenhausen qualified at 224.468 mph, faster than Mears. Bettenhausen was the fastest qualifier in the field, but as a Second day qualifier, would line up 13th. Bettenhausen’s run was not an overall track record, but he did set the one-lap record (224.843 mph) and four-lap record (224.468 mph) for V-6 turbocharged stock block engines.
1992
The Buick V-6 engine, which had won the pole position and set track records in 1985, was gradually improving in development and reliability. For 1992, an updated version of the powerplant was rolled out, and King Racing (owned by Kenny Bernstein) was one of the top teams to field it. Jim Crawford and Roberto Guerrero were signed as teammates at King Racing, driving two green and white Quaker State sponsored Lolas. Team Menard, which had the fastest qualifier in the 1991 race (Gary Bettenhausen), was another of the well-funded Buick teams. Under USAC rules at the time, stock block Buicks continued to receive a turbocharger boost advantage over the quadcam V-8s (e.g. Ilmor-Chevrolet and the Ford-Cosworth XB). The Buicks were permitted 55 inHg of “boost”, while the more conventional quadcams were allowed 45 inHG.
(Johnson Collection)
During private testing in March, Roberto Guerrero turned a lap of 225.4 mph, then a lap of 227.3 mph, the latter better than the official track record. On Tuesday March 24, Guerrero ran a 228.769 mph, the fastest unofficial lap ever turned at the Speedway. Jim Crawford was close behind at 226 mph. Then on March 28, Guerrero blistered the track with the first-ever lap over 230 mph. With the testing results of the Buicks, along with the newly-introduced Ford-Cosworth XB engine, expectations were running high that the month of May 1992 would see record–shattering speeds.
Practice opened on Saturday May 2, but inclement weather saw only eleven cars take laps. One of those was Jim Crawford, who at 5:24 p.m., turned a lap of 229.609 mph. It was the fastest practice lap in history, and just a tick slower than the laps they recorded in testing.
At 11:44 a.m. on Monday May 4, Roberto Guerrero became the first driver to run a practice lap over 230 mph. His lap of 230.432 mph did not last long, however. Jim Crawford ended the afternoon with a 233.433 mph practice lap, which included a 238 mph trap speed at the start/finish line. On another lap, Crawford had a tow from Scott Brayton, and registered a trap speed of 240 mph, the first-such ever.
With the King Racing teammates the heavy favorites for qualifying, the Ford-Cosworth XB teams (Newman-Haas Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing) were also making headlines. Michael Andretti was the first Ford-powered machine over 230, while Mario Andretti followed suit. On Wednesday May 6, not surprisingly, the speed chart for the day was led by King Racing (1st-2nd), Newman-Haas (3rd-4th), and Ganassi (4th-5th). The top four cars were over 231 mph.
(Johnson Collection)
On May 8, the day before pole day (“Fast Friday”) Mario Andretti inched up with a lap of 233.202 mph, the second-fastest lap of the month. By end of the first week of practice, no less than 38 drivers had taken laps, with at least 15 of them completing a lap better than the official 1990 track record. Crawford’s lap from Monday (233.433 mph) stood as the best lap of the month.
Pole Day was scheduled for Saturday May 9. Rain fell overnight and into the morning, delaying the start of qualifying. Cool temperatures and persistent “weepers” in the pavement kept the track closed until 1:35 p.m. The green came on for the one-hour warm-up practice session, but after only three minutes the yellow was out again. Jim Crawford, a favorite for the pole, suffered a blown engine. Crawford spun in his own oil in turn three, but did not make any contact. The engine failure was a huge setback for Crawford and his chances for the front row. Cautions for debris, a crash, and another blown engine dragged the one-hour practice session out until 3:14 p.m. Qualifying was set for 4 o’clock.
Arie Luyendyk drew first in line to qualify. With only two hours until the 6 o’clock gun, it was expected to be a hectic session. Roberto Guerrero and Mario Andretti were high enough in the order that they expected to go out Saturday. But time was probably going to run out before Eddie Cheever, Michael Andretti, and Crawford were going to make it to the front of the line. This was especially fortunate for Crawford who had drawn last (58th) in the order. The extra time would allow his team the opportunity change out engines.
Arie Luyendyk was the first car out to qualify, setting new 1-lap (229.305 mph) and 4-lap (229.127 mph) track records. The new Ford-Cosworth XB engine excelled in its debut, setting a track record in its first qualifying attempt. About 45 minutes later, Gary Bettenhausen, driving a Buick V-6 for Team Menard, eclipsed Luyendyk’s one-lap mark. Bettenhausen’s third lap came in at 229.317 mph, a mere 0.002 seconds faster, to briefly hold the one-lap record. Bettenhausen also tentatively set on-lap and four-lap qualifying records for 6-cyclinder stock block engines.
But it would be Roberto Guerrero of King Racing that ultimately took the pole position, breaking the 230 mph barrier at Indy. At 5:34 p.m., Guerrero took to the track and his first lap of 232.186 mph was the first official lap ever 230 mph. His second lap was faster, and his third lap was the fastest. Guerrero ran all four laps over 230 mph (the only driver to do so), and he all but wrapped up the discussion for the pole.
The day ended with the field filled to 18 cars, and five cars were still eligible for the pole round. On Sunday May 10, Eddie Cheever and Michael Andretti (both driving Ford-Cosworth XB machines) took their attempts, but could not knock Guerrero off the pole. That left Jim Crawford, Guerrero’s King Racing teammate, and the fastest driver all month, as the only car left with a chance to take the top spot. Crawford’s crew had installed a new engine overnight, but that engine also failed this time during the Sunday morning practice. With time running out to claim their spot in line, the Crawford crew was scrambling to install another engine. The crew pushed the car out to the pits unfinished, with parts in hand. Two crew members were even sitting in the engine bay working as it was being pushed to the qualifying line. Time ran out, however, and Crawford was forced to go out as a Second Day qualifier. When Jim Crawford eventually went out, he did not challenge the track records set by his teammate. He managed the 6th-fastest speed overall, but as a Second Day qualifier, he lined up on race day 21st.
On race day, cold temperatures turned the race into a crash-filled, marathon day. After his success on Pole Day, Roberto Guerrero suffered an unfortunate crash on the parade lap. He lost control of the car down the backstretch, and spun into the inside wall. Guerrero was out of the race before the green flag. After changes in the rules, primarily in the interests of safety, qualifying speeds were down for the next few years. Roberto Guerrero’s 1-lap and 4-lap records would stand for four years.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/9/1992 | Arie Luyendyk | 228.967 | 229.305 | 228.996 | 229.241 | 229.127 |
| Sat 5/9/1992 | Gary Bettenhausen | 228.438 | 228.752 | 229.317 | 229.223 | 228.932 |
| Sat 5/9/1992 | Roberto Guerrero | 232.186 | 232.516 | 232.618 | 232.606 | 232.482 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record |
||||||
1995
After high speeds and several severe crashes during the month of May 1992, rules were implemented in 1993 to slow the cars down. In addition, the apron lane was removed and replaced with the new warm-up lane, which effectively narrowed the corners. Lap speeds were down by about 8-10 mph in 1993, but began to creep back up near 230 mph in 1994. No drivers challenged the existing track records in 1993 or 1994, but by 1995, speeds had climbed once again.
Team Menard had taken over development of what was the Buick V-6 stock block engine. An updated, derivative version of the powerplant was rolled out for 1995, now known as the Menard V-6. Per USAC rules, the stock block engines continued to enjoy increased turbocharger “boost” settings (55 inHg). During private testing in April, Scott Brayton reportedly ran a lap of 233.040 mph.
On the first day of practice (Saturday May 6), Arie Luyendyk, driving a 95 Lola/Menard (sometimes nicknamed the “humpback” due to the unique engine cowling designed around the Menard engine), turned a lap of 233.281 mph, the fastest Opening Day lap in Indy history. It was just a tick below Jim Crawford’s 1992 unofficial track record. Two days later, on Monday May 8, just five minutes into the day Luyendyk ran a lap of 234.107 mph. It was a new unofficial track record. Teammate Scott Brayton (232.859 mph) also managed a lap better than the official track record.
Brayton and Luyendyk led the speed chart all week, with Luyendyk setting the fastest lap of the month on Friday May 12 (“Fast Friday”). At 5:46 p.m., he ran a lap of 234.913 mph, a new unofficial track record. Brayton was close behind with a lap of 234.473 mph. The only driver to to break into the 233-range, and turn a lap faster than the existing official track record, was Michael Andretti. Driving a Lola/Ford-Cosworth XB for Newman-Haas Racing, Andretti’s lap of 233.724 mph was the fastest lap of the month among the V-8 quadcam engines.
On Pole Day (Saturday May 13), weather conditions were not favorable for speed. Rain overnight and into the morning, coupled with gusty winds, high humidity, and cool temperatures kept the speeds down. Scott Brayton and Arie Luyendyk qualified 1st-2nd for Team Menard, but neither were able to break any of the existing track records. It was later written that Team Menard was over-boosting their engines to 62 inHg, and had illegally tampered with their pop-off valves during qualifying, drawing a fine (which was not publicized).
1996
After standing for four years, Roberto Guerrero’s track records from 1992 were finally broken in 1996. The track was repaved prior to the 1996 race, which made for a fast month of May. In the first year of the Indy Racing League, and the last year of the so-called “turbocharged era”, record speeds were observed during practice and qualifying in 1996. The track records set in 1996, both official and unofficial, still stand as of 2020.
The rules package for 1996 was largely a rules freeze from 1995, with a few small differences. The 2.65 liter turbocharged quadcam V-8 engines (e.g., Ford-Cosworth XB, Ilmor Mercedes-Benz 265-D) were the mainstay of Indy car racing at the time, and were permitted 45 inHG of boost. The turbocharged “stock block” V-6 engines (Menard and Buick) were permitted 55 inHG of boost, and the 209 cubic inch purpose-built pushrod engines (Mecedes-Benz 500I) were banned.
On Friday May 10, Arie Luyendyk turned the fastest single practice lap in Indy history. Driving a Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB, his lap of 239.260 mph (37.601 seconds) was just 0.106 seconds shy of breaking the 240 mph barrier. Meanwhile, Tony Stewart in the Menard V-6 turned a practice lap of 237.336 mph during the week, the fastest lap ever run by a rookie.
Pole day was scheduled for Saturday May 11. The morning dawned cool and rainy, and the start of qualifying was delayed until 2 o’clock. After setting the unofficial track record on Friday, Arie Luyendyk blew an engine in practice, so the team started preparing a backup car. At 2:20 p.m., Davy Jones became the first driver to set 1-lap and 4-lap records, securing himself a spot on the front row. About fifteen minutes later, rookie Tony Stewart bumped Jones off the pole, himself setting 1-lap and 4-lap records.
Stewart’s Menard teammate Scott Brayton (231.535 mph) later qualified for the second row. With just thirty minutes left in the day, Arie Luyendyk took to the track in his back-up car, and despite some cooling issues and gearing (which kept his first lap down), he managed to knock Stewart off the pole by 0.192 seconds. Luyendyk set a 1-lap record (234.742 mph) on his third lap, and completed with a 4-lap record of 233.390 mph. At that point it appeared the front row was set, and Luyendyk would win his second Indy pole.
Within minutes, Scott Brayton was on pit lane with helmet in hand. The Menard team unexpectedly elected to withdraw Brayton’s already-qualified car. Brayton and the Menard team were prepared to make another run for the pole position in a backup car. Shockingly, Brayton won the pole and set a new 4-lap track record in the process. It was his second consecutive pole (he won the pole in 1995) and second time in his career he set a track record (he had done so in 1985). Brayton did not manage to notch a single-lap record, but his four-lap record of 233.718 mph beat Luyendyk. For the moment, two different drivers held the 1-lap (Luyendyk) and 4-lap (Brayton) records. A rare, but not unprecedented situation.
About two hours after qualifying had closed, USAC announced that Luyendyk’s car had failed post-qualifying inspection. The car was found to be 7 pounds underweight and the qualifying attempt was disallowed. Luyendyk’s four laps (including his one-lap record) were erased, and at that instant, and for the time being, Brayton’s fourth lap (233.851 mph) became the new official track record.
On Sunday May 12, the second day of time trials, Arie Luyendyk took to the track again to make another attempt. With better conditions on Sunday, Luyendyk proceeded to set new official one-lap and four-lap records. As a second day qualifier, Luyendyk would line up behind the first day qualifiers, and on race day he would start 20th.
Tragically, six days after winning the pole, Scott Brayton was fatally injured in a practice crash on Friday May 17.
During the race itself, another track record was set in 1996. The fastest race lap was set by Eddie Cheever. On lap 78, his speed of 236.103 mph (38.119 seconds) still stands as the fastest race lap in Indy 500 history.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/11/1996 | Davy Jones | 232.943 | 232.799 | 232.721 | 233.064 | 233.064 |
| Sat 5/11/1996 | Tony Stewart (R) | 233.040 | 233.179 | 233.076 | 233.106 | 233.100 |
| Sat 5/11/1996 | Arie Luyendyk | 231.756 | 233.058 | 234.742 | 234.028 | 233.390 |
| Sat 5/11/1996 | Scott Brayton | 233.675 | 233.536 | 233.809 | 233.851 | 233.718 |
| Sun 5/12/1996 | Arie Luyendyk | 236.239 | 236.948 | 237.260 | 237.498 | 236.986 |
| Bold – Laps that broke the track record Italics – Laps that did not break the track record Red – Laps that were disallowed |
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1997-2011
In 1997, the Indy Racing League switched to a 4.0 liter normally aspirated engine formula. Turbochargers were banned, and new chassis package was introduced. Speeds at Indianapolis dropped considerably, going from a top qualifying speed of over 236 mph in 1996 to pole speed of 218.263 mph in 1997. Despite subsequent rule changes, the reintroduction of turbochargers (2012), improvements in tire technology, and a never-ending quest to achieve speed, the track record still has not been broken as of 2022. Arie Luyendyk’s track records have stood for 26 years, by far the longest such stretch.
When Arie Luyendyk set the one-lap track record at Indianapolis in 1996 (237.498 mph), it was the fastest official lap ever turned by an Indy/Champ car at any track. While the IRL switched to normally-aspirated engines, the rival CART series continued to utilize the turbocharged V-8 quad-cam engines. One year later, the brand new California Speedway (now known as Auto Club Speedway) opened at Fontana, California. At the 1997 Marlboro 500, Mauricio Gugelmin won the pole position at a speed of 240.942 mph. It was the first official lap in an Indy/Champ car over 240 mph. Earlier in the day, Gugelmin had run a lap during practice in traffic (with a tow) of 242.333 mph, unofficially the fastest lap ever run.
Three years later, Gil de Ferran set the all-time closed-course competition record for an Indy/Champ car. On October 28, 2000, at the 2.029-mile California Speedway, de Ferran turned a lap of 30.225 seconds (241.428 mph). Driving for Team Penske, the future Indy 500 winner, and that year’s CART champion, piloted his turbocharged Marlboro Reynard/Honda V-8 on a “best-of-two” qualifying attempt. After the first timed lap was completed, de Ferran did not even need the second lap, and pulled in directly to the pits.
Little by little, speed began creeping back up at Indianapolis. The IRL had reduced engine displacement to 3.5 liters beginning in 2000, but the speeds nevertheless were gradually increasing. During practice on May 10, 2002, Bruno Junquiera became the first driver since 1996 to turn a practice lap at Indy over 230 mph. A day later, his pole speed of 231.342 mph was the fastest such since 1996. In 2003, Dan Wheldon had the fastest practice lap (232.202 mph) and Helio Castroneves (231.725 mph) won the pole with a normally-aspirated track record (see below).
For the 2004 race, the IRL reduced engine displacement to 3.0 liters. This change was made in response to risings speeds, and in the wake of multiple serious crashes during 2003. During private testing on April 23, 2003, Mario Andretti suffered a spectacular airborne crash, and during the race itself, Dan Wheldon’s car became airborne in a crash. Kenny Bräck suffered critical injuries in a crash at Texas Motor Speedway on October 10, 2003, and Tony Renna was killed in a crash less than two weeks later during a private tire test at Indy. There would not be another 230 mph lap at Indy for ten years.
The Indy Racing League/IndyCar Series utilized normally-aspirated engines through the 2011 season. The long-awaited open wheel unification took place in 2008, ending the “Split” and by that point in time, the series had settled into a de-facto “spec car” era. Every car entered was a Dallara IR-03 or IR-05, powered by the Honda V-8 engines (the Honda HI7R through HI711R).
2012-2021
The IndyCar Series introduced a new engine and chassis package for 2012. The ICONIC Project committee was formed to develop the new specifications. The new car consisted of the core Dallara DW-12 (also known as the Dallara IR-12) Safety Cell. Each rolling chassis was then to be outfitted with separate body work, referred to as “Aero Kits”. The design and development of the individual aero kits was intended to be open to any manufacturer. However, for the first three seasons to control costs, all entries utilized a universal Dallara aero kit. The new engine formula saw the return of turbochargers. It was the first time turbochargers appeared at Indy since 1996, and the first time they had been used in top-level open wheel racing since the 2007 Champ Car World Series season. The powerplants for 2012 were single or twin turbo V-6 engines, made by Honda (Honda Performance Development), Chevrolet (Ilmor), and Lotus (Judd). The original Honda was a single turbo, but by 2014 changed to a twin turbo. The Lotus proved uncompetitive, and ceased competition after only one season.
During the month of May 2015, the aforementioned Dallara DW-12 chassis (fitted with aero kits) were in their fourth season. It was the 99th Indianapolis 500, one year away from the milestone 100th running. For the first time, Dallara did not provide or support a universal aero kit. Instead Chevrolet and Honda, respectively, developed their own in-house aero kits for the bodywork. Four major blowover crashes occurred during practice, putting an anxious mood on the month, raising concerns over safety. On the morning of pole day, Helio Castroneves turned a practice lap of 233.474 mph, easily the fastest single lap at Indy since 1996. However, rain would push pole qualifying to the next day. A scary crash by Ed Carpenter on Sunday morning, the third flip-over crash of the month, prompted series officials to re-tool qualifying rules, and cars qualified with race set-ups. During that offseason, aerodynamic developments were added (namely “dome skids”), which helped reduce the chances of airborne crashes.
In 2018, the manufacturers’ aero kits were replaced with a new universal aero kit by Dallara. The “UAK18” (also known as the IR-18) was outfitted to the familiar Dallara Safety Cell chassis. In 2020, the chassis was further updated with the addition of the aeroscreen. That summer, Marco Andretti ran a practice lap of 233.491 on “Fast Friday” (August 14). Andretti’s lap was the fastest practice lap since 1996, and at the time, stood as the fastest single practice lap for the V-6 turbocharged formula. In 2021, Scott Dixon won the pole position with a four-lap average of 231.685 mph and a fastest single lap of 232.757 mph. Dixon also set the fastest practice lap of the month (233.302 mph), just a tick shy of Andretti’s lap from August 2020.
2022
Dixon’s first lap of 234.437 mph was the 5th-fastest official individual qualifying lap of all time, ranking only behind Luyendyk’s four laps of 1996. Dixon’s lap is also an official one-lap track record for V-6 engines, and was the fastest single lap run all month – whether ‘official’ qualifying or ‘unofficial’ practice. The field average speed of 231.023 mph was a new record, making the 2022 race the “Fastest Field” of all time.
As of 2022, twenty-six years have gone by without a new 1-lap or 4-lap track record at Indianapolis. Arie Luyendyk’s 1996 records have stood longer than any other track record at Indy.
2023
The 107th Indianapolis 500 serves at the sixth season of the Dallara UAK18 and fourth year outfitted with the aeroscreen. During practice on Fast Friday (May 19), Takuma Sato ran a lap of 234.753 mph. It was the fastest lap of the month, and the fastest single practice (unofficial) lap since 1996. It was also faster than any of Scott Dixon’s four qualifying laps in 2022.
On the first day of Time Trials (Saturday May 20), Felix Rosenqvist (234.329 mph) turned the fastest single lap of the day. It was not the fastest lap of the month thus far, and was a tick slower than Scott Dixon’s laps from 2022. It nevertheless put Rosenqvist at the top of the speed chart for the day, and qualified him for Sunday’s Top 12 Qualifying session.
On Sunday May 21, Top 12 Qualifying was held, followed by thre Firestone Fast Six, to determine the pole position. During Sunday morning practice, Marcus Ericsson turned the fastest single lap of the month. His lap of 235.692 mph was the fastest practice lap since 1996, and thought to be the 19th-fastest practice lap at Indy all-time.
During the Top 12 Qualifying, Alex Palou’s first lap of 234.811 mph was the fastest single qualifying lap of the session. It was faster than all four of Scott Dixon’s 2022 laps, and Palou (4th overall) advanced to the Firestone Fast Six.
The afternoon concluded with the Firestone Fast Six. Alex Palou’s first lap of 235.131 mph was the fastest single lap of the month, and the 5th-fastest qualifying lap all-time. Palou won the pole position with a four-lap average of 234.217 mph, a new pole position speed record. Palou beat Scott Dixon’s speed from 2022, but fell short of Arie Luyendyk’s 1996 all-time qualifying record.
Track Records – Selected Special Categories
1-Lap & 4-Lap Track Records – Rookie driver
Tony Stewart qualified for the front row on pole day in 1996, briefly holding the overall 1-lap and 4-lap track records. His speed was eventually topped by his Menard teammate Scott Brayton who won the pole position. Brayton was fatally injured in a practice crash six days later. On race day, Brayton’s car was raced by Danny Ongais, and was moved to the rear of the field. Stewart’s car was elevated to first on the grid, and he started the race from the pole position.
During the Rookie Orientation Program in 1996, Tony Stewart also set the fastest practice lap for a rookie driver. His best single lap of the month was 237.336 mph. However, in an interview years later he admitted the lap was probably accomplished using illegal turbocharger boost levels.
Stewart’s second qualifying lap of 233.179 mph stood as the one-lap rookie track record through 2021. In 2022, Romain Grosjean officially broke the rookie 1-lap record. During the Top 12 Qualifying Session on Sunday (second day of time trials), Grosjean’s first lap of 38.5819 seconds (233.270 mph) broke Stewart’s mark. However, Grosjean’s subsequent laps dropped off, and he was unable to break Stewart’s established 4-lap record.
One year later, in 2023, rookie Benjamin Pedersen (driving for A.J. Foyt Racing), broke the 1-lap qualifying record. During the first day of Time Trials (Saturday May 20), Pedersen qualified 11th, and advanced to the Top 12 Qualifying session. His first lap of 233.297 mph was a 1-lap rookie record. But his 4-lap speed (like Gosjean in 2022) fell short of Tony Stewart’s 1996 record.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sat 5/11/1996 | Tony Stewart (R) | 233.040 | 233.179 | 233.076 | 233.106 | 233.100 |
| Sun 5/22/2022 | Romain Grosjean (R) | 233.270 | 232.473 | 231.337 | 230.931 | 231.999 |
| Sat 5/20/2023 | Benjamin Pedersen (R) | 233.297 | 232.847 | 232.573 | 232.242 | 232.739 |
1-Lap & 4-Lap Track Records – Female Driver
(Johnson Collection)
As of 2023, Katherine Legge holds the official one-lap (231.596 mph) and four-lap (231.070 mph) track records for a female driver. Previously, Sarah Fisher had held both records, set during Time Trials in 2002. Fisher’s fourth lap in 2002 was 229.675 mph (a 1-lap female track record at the time). Due to changes in the rules which slowed the cars down in subsequent years, Fisher’s laps would stand for many years.
On the morning of pole qualifying in 2005, rookie Danica Patrick set the fastest practice lap by a female driver. At 10:44 a.m. on Sunday May 16, her lap of 229.880 mph was the fastest practice lap of the month that year, and the unofficial track record for a female driver. During time trials, however, Patrick was unable to eclipse the official female records set three years earlier (under different engine regulations) by Sarah Fisher.
In 2021, Simona de Silvestro became the first female driver to complete a lap (unofficial practice or official time trials) over 230 mph at Indy. During the first day of time trials, making her second qualifying attempt, her first lap was run at 230.201 mph (39.0962 seconds). Her four-lap average managed only a 228.395 mph, which fell short of the four-lap record for females. de Silvestro’s qualifying attempt ultimately failed to make the top 30 for the day, and the run was scored as a failed attempt. The following day (Sunday May 23), de Silvestro qualified 33rd, but her Sunday speeds ended up slower than her Saturday speeds.
After no female drivers were entered in 2022, Katherine Legge was entered in 2023. On Fast Friday, Legge ran a lap of 231.420 mph, a new all-time (unofficial) female track record. On Saturday May 20, Legge set new track records (1-lap and 4-lap) for female drivers. She became the first female driver to turn an official lap over 231 mph, and the first to have all four laps in excess of 230 mph. By the end of the day, Legge slipped down to the “Bubble” spot (30th position), but held on to qualify on the first day. She made the top 30, and was “locked-in” to the starting field.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sun 5/22/1977 | Janet Guthrie (R) | 187.500 | 188.363 | 188.798 | 188.957 | 188.403 |
| Sat 5/20/1978 | Janet Guthrie | 191.002 | 190.880 | 189.994 | 189.434 | 190.325 |
| Sat 5/15/1982 | Desiré Wilson (R) | 190.921 | 190.718 | 191.042 | wave off | — |
| Sat 5/9/1992 | Lyn St. James (R) | 216.014 | 215.843 | 216.159 | wave off | — |
| Sat 5/16/1992 | Lyn St. James (R) | 218.585 | 220.011 | 220.902 | 221.119 | 220.150 |
| Sat 5/14/1994 | Lyn St. James | 224.120 | 224.282 | 224.070 | 224.143 | 224.154 |
| Sat 5/20/1995 | Lyn St. James | 225.299 | 225.722 | 225.186 | 225.180 | 225.346 |
| Sat 5/11/2002 | Sarah Fisher | 228.961 | 229.473 | 229.647 | 229.675 | 229.439 |
| Sat 5/22/2021 | Simona de Silvestro | 230.201 | 228.568 | 228.294 | 226.548 | 228.395 |
| Sat 5/20/2023 | Katherine Legge | 231.596 | 231.380 | 230.679 | 230.627 | 231.070 |
1-Lap & 4-Lap Track Records – Normally-Aspirated Engines
The Indy Racing League/IndyCar Series utilized normally-aspirated V-8 engines from 1997 to 2011. Over that time period, the engine displacement rules changed from 4.0 liters (1997-1999) to 3.5 liters (2000-2003) to 3.0 liters (2004-2006). From 1997 to 2005, methanol fuel was used, but for 2006 only, a 90% methanol/10% ethanol blend was used.
In 2007, engine displacement went back up to 3.5 liters and the series switched to ethanol fuel. A 98% ethanol/2% gasoline blend was used through 2011.
Taking into account the engine restrictions, and various other technical regulations, the month of May 2003 saw the fastest qualifying speeds during the normally-aspirated era of the IRL/IndyCar Series.
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) |
Lap 2 (mph) |
Lap 3 (mph) |
Lap 4 (mph) |
4-lap Average (mph) |
| Sun 5/11/2003 | Helio Castroneves | 231.673 | 232.215 | 231.486 | 231.529 | 231.725 |
1-Lap Track Records – Race lap
One-lap track records at the Indianapolis 500 are only considered official when accomplished during time trials or during the race. For a myriad of reasons, seldom do race laps clock in quite as fast as individual qualifying laps. The fastest race lap ever recorded happened in 1996, the same year when the one-lap and four-lap qualifying records were set.
Customarily, the fastest lap of the race is reported as a both a single lap completed by any car (running in any position at the time) and by the leader of the race (at the time). Sometimes, but not always, it is the same lap/same driver. Currently it is not.
| Date | Driver | Lap No. | Speed (mph) |
| Sun 5/26/1996 | Eddie Cheever | Lap 78 | 236.103 |
| Sun 5/26/1996 | Tony Stewart (R) | Lap 10 (leader) | 234.412 |
Fastest Practice Laps (All-Time)
The following is a list of the fastest individual practice laps (all-time) completed during Indy 500 practice sessions. Note that all practice laps are considered “unofficial” in regards to track records. The list includes laps completed in excess of 235 mph. List does not include any laps turned during Time Trials.
- 5/10/1996: 239.260 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/14/1996: 238.493 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/10/1996: 238.045 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/09/1996: 237.774 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/09/1996: 237.712 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/12/1996: 237.567 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/09/1996: 237.505 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/06/1996: 237.336 mph — Tony Stewart (Lola/Menard)
- 5/09/1996: 237.029 mph — Tony Stewart (Lola/Menard)
- 5/10/1996: 236.992 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/07/1996: 236.121 mph — Tony Stewart (Lola/Menard)
- 5/10/1996: 236.004 mph — Tony Stewart (Lola/Menard)
- 5/08/1996: 235.997 mph — Eddie Cheever (Lola/Menard)
- 5/13/1996: 235.837 mph — Tony Stewart (Lola/Menard)
- 5/09/1996: 235.812 mph — Tony Stewart (Lola/Menard)
- 5/07/1996: 235.750 mph — Scott Brayton (Lola/Menard)
- 5/11/1996: 235.719 mph — Tony Stewart (Lola/Menard)
- 5/10/1996: 235.701 mph — Scott Sharp (Lola/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/21/2023: 235.692 mph — Marcus Ericsson (Dallara IR-18/Honda)
- 5/10/1996: 235.688 mph — Scott Brayton (Lola/Menard)
- 5/21/2023: 235.609 mph — Alex Palou (Dallara IR-18//Honda)
- 5/07/1996: 235.516 mph — Tony Stewart (Lola/Menard)
- 5/07/1996: 235.448 mph — Eddie Cheever (Lola/Menard)
- 5/09/1996: 235.337 mph — Arie Luyendyk (Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/10/1996: 235.270 mph — Scott Brayton (Lola/Menard)
- 5/10/1996: 235.300 mph — Scott Sharp (Lola/Ford Cosworth XB)
- 5/20/2023: 235.121 mph — Takuma Sato (Dallara IR-18/Honda)
- 5/20/2023: 235.023 mph — Benjamin Pedersen (Dallara IR-18/Chevrolet)
Courtesy of Brickyard.com.
Additional References and Works Cited
- Indianapolis 500 – Daily Trackside Reports (1967-2016)
- The Indianapolis Star via Newspapers.com
- The Indianapolis News via Newspapers.com
- 1996 Indianapolis 500 – The 239.260 car
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