Skip to content
Surf Wiki
Save to docs
geography/india

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

List of Indianapolis 500 lap leaders

None

List of Indianapolis 500 lap leaders

None

All-time lap leaders

The Leaders Circle Award Trophy at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
  • Two hundred fifty drivers have led the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, in 109 races.
  • Career lap leader percentage rounded to hundredths of a percent.
  • Green indicates drivers active as of most recent race.
RankDriverLaps
LedCareer
Laps RunCareer
Lap Leader
PercentageRace
Wins
Years Won
1NZL Scott Dixon677Active driver12008
2USA Al Unser6444,35614.78%4
3USA Ralph DePalma6121,59438.39%1
4USA Mario Andretti5563,04018.29%1
5USA A. J. Foyt5554,90911.31%4
6USA Wilbur Shaw5082,01925.16%3
7BRA Emerson Fittipaldi5051,78528.29%2
8USA Parnelli Jones4921,13043.54%1
9USA Bill Vukovich48567671.75%2
10USA Bobby Unser4402,61116.85%3
11USA Michael Andretti4312,65316.25%
12USA Rick Mears4292,34218.32%4
13USA Billy Arnold41082149.94%1
14BRA Tony Kanaan3523,9518.91%1
15USA Gordon Johncock3393,15810.73%2
16USA Louis Meyer3321,91617.33%3
17GBR Dario Franchitti3291,94016.96%3
18BRA Hélio Castroneves326Active driver42001
19GBR Jim Clark29868243.69%1
20USA Bill Holland29791432.49%1
21USA Johnny Rutherford2962,79210.60%3
22USA Rex Mays2661,38519.21%
23USA Rodger Ward2612,16012.08%2
24USA Mauri Rose2562,32611.01%3
25GBR Dan Wheldon2351,72913.59%2
26USA Jimmy Murphy22090724.26%1
27USA Ryan Hunter-Reay219Active driver12014
28USA Tommy Milton2181,20418.11%2
29USA Jimmy Bryan2161,41115.31%1
30USA Tom Sneva2082,1809.54%1
31USA Frank Lockhart20528073.21%1
32COL Juan Pablo Montoya1931,26315.28%2
33NLD Arie Luyendyk1862,9576.29%2
34USA Jimmy Snyder18149536.57%
35USA Lee Wallard17859130.12%1
36FRA Simon Pagenaud1692,3897.07%1
37USA Danny Sullivan1621,52310.64%1
38USA Howdy Wilcox1551,33511.61%1
39ZAF Tomas Scheckter1531,6919.05%
40USA Jim Rathmann1502,3206.47%1
41USA Ed Carpenter150Active driver
42USA Peter DePaolo14873820.05%1
43AUS Will Power145Active driver12018
44USA Marco Andretti144Active driver
45GBR Dario Resta14040834.31%1
46USA Sam Hanks1401,5668.94%1
47FRA Jules Goux13977317.98%1
48USA George Robson13833341.44%1
49USA Pat Flaherty13881217.00%1
50USA Gary Bettenhausen1382,3725.82%
51JPN Takuma Sato138Active driver22017
52ESP Álex Palou133Active driver12025
53USA Johnnie Parsons1311,5048.71%1
54USA Lloyd Ruby1262,3575.35%
55USA Bobby Rahal1262,0076.28%1
56USA Earl Cooper12393913.10%
57USA Tony Stewart12270017.43%
58USA Joe Boyer11955521.44%1
59USA Greg Ray11692012.61%
60FRA René Thomas11474415.32%1
61USA Al Unser Jr.1103,1733.47%2
62USA Kelly Petillo1081,2838.42%1
63USA Wally Dallenbach Sr.1081,4487.46%
64USA Sam Hornish Jr.1071,3467.95%1
65USA Alexander Rossi107Active driver12016
66USA Babe Stapp10696011.04%
67USA Fred Frame1061,2818.27%1
68USA Buddy Rice991,0479.46%1
69MEX Pato O'Ward95Active driver
70USA Ted Horn941,9444.84%
71USA Dave Lewis9338324.28%
72USA Bill Cummings931,2297.57%1
73USA Floyd Roberts9288310.42%1
74SWE Kenny Bräck8988510.06%1
75USA Eddie Cheever Jr.892,1224.19%1
76USA Ray Harroun8820044.00%1
77USA Bob Sweikert8682510.42%1
78USA Conor Daly82Active driver
79USA David Bruce-Brown8122536.00%
80USA Danny Ongais791,5275.17%
81BEL Arthur Duray7720038.50%
82USA Troy Ruttman721,4724.89%1
83BRA Gil de Ferran7160111.81%1
84USA Jack McGrath701,0946.40%
85USA Mark Donohue707489.36%1
86USA Buddy Lazier703,0152.32%1
87USA Josef Newgarden69Active driver12023
88USA Frank Brisko691,3305.19%
89USA Leon Duray686939.81%
90USA Ralph Hepburn681,8643.65%
91USA George Souders6740016.75%1
92USA Eddie Sachs661,0696.17%
93NZL Scott McLaughlin66Active driver
94NLD Rinus VeeKay65Active driver
95SWE Felix Rosenqvist61Active driver
96SWE Marcus Ericsson60Active driver12022
97BRA Maurício Gugelmin5939614.90%
98USA Harry Hartz579965.72%
99COL Roberto Guerrero561,7353.23%
100USA Johnny Thomson551,0445.27%
101CAN James Hinchcliffe541,6563.26%
102USA Robby Gordon531,5643.39%
103USA Joe Leonard521,2654.11%
104USA Jeff Ward521,2544.15%
105BRA Bruno Junqueira527347.08%
106GBR Max Chilton509975.02%
107USA Deacon Litz491,5603.14%
108CAN Scott Goodyear491,4603.35%
109USA Ray Keech4640011.50%1
110USA Pat O'Connor467685.98%
111USA Davy Jones467845.86%
112USA Gil Anderson447845.61%
113USA Jimmy Gleason436176.97%
114USA Bob Burman417185.71%
115GBR Jackie Stewart4035811.17%
116USA Louis Schneider398634.51%1
117USA John Paul Jr.398834.42%
118CAN Alex Tagliani391,5432.52%
119ITA Teo Fabi379633.84%
120USA Bob Carey3620018%
121USA Jim Hurtubise368944.03%
122USA Cliff Bergere352,4251.44%
123USA Paul Russo351,4822.36%
124USA Bob Swanson3426712.73%
125GBR Nigel Mansell3429211.64%
126ESP Oriol Servià341,9921.70%
127USA Bobby Marshman336355.20%
128USA Tony Gulotta331,9891.66%
129USA Art Cross327684.17%
130USA Duke Nalon321,2842.49%
131AUS Ryan Briscoe311,8401.68%
132USA Phil Shafer291,2232.37%
133USA Mark Dismore298203.54%
134USA Danica Patrick291,4042.07%
135COL Carlos Muñoz291,2002.41%
136USA Graham Rahal28Active driver
137ESP Fernando Alonso273787.14%
138USA Jimmy Vasser261,2492.08%
139USA Jimmy Davies256313.96%
140USA Tony Bettenhausen241,9751.22%
141USA Lou Moore231,3041.76%
142USA A. J. Allmendinger2320011.50%
143USA Sting Ray Robb23Active driver
144CAN Jacques Villeneuve226003.67%1
145BRA Raul Boesel212,2130.95%
146ITA Alessandro Zampedri2019910.05%
147USA George Amick182009.00%
148USA Johnny Boyd181,4271.26%
149USA Charlie Kimball181,9100.94%
150USA Kevin Cogan171,5561.09%
151CAN Devlin DeFrancesco17Active driver
152USA Johnny Aitken161948.25%
153USA Jerry Grant161,2751.25%
154USA Robbie Buhl161,2791.25%
155USA Santino Ferrucci16Active driver
156BRA Vítor Meira151,6220.92%
157GBR Mike Conway154763.15%
158USA Zach Veach157291.92%
159USA Colton Herta15Active driver
160USA Gaston Chevrolet144003.50%1
161USA Ernie Triplett145592.50%
162USA Russ Snowberger131,6330.80%
163MEX Josele Garza137071.84%
164USA Billy Boat131,1121.17%
165GBR Justin Wilson131,4880.87%
166USA Townsend Bell131,8980.68%
167USA J. R. Hildebrand132,2020.59%
168USA Swede Savage126219.35%
169BRA Felipe Giaffone129551.26%
170BEL Bertrand Baguette113832.87%
171USA Ralph Mulford101,6190.62%
172GBR Graham Hill103333.00%1
173USA Alex Barron109421.06%
174USA Eddie Rickenbacker93552.53%
175FRA Albert Guyot98081.11%
176BEL Josef Christiaens93202.81%
177USA Louis Chevrolet94521.99%
178USA Dutch Baumann99010.00%
179USA Len Sutton97081.27%
180USA Jimmy Daywalt89990.80%
181USA Pancho Carter82,1410.37%
182GBR Jim Crawford81,0430.77%
183USA Scott Pruett85921.35%
184DEN Christian Rasmussen8Active driver
185ISR Robert Shwartzman8Active driver
186USA Don Freeland71,3110.53%
187USA Roger McCluskey72,1550.32%
188CAN Zachary Claman DeMelo71993.52%
189USA Spencer Pigot79810.71%
190USA Ira Hall64851.24%
191GBR Callum Ilott6Active driver
192USA Cecil Green52172.30%
193USA Jimmy Jackson58450.59%
194USA Spencer Wishart56040.83%
195USA Steve Krisiloff51,3870.36%
196VEN E. J. Viso58430.59%
197GBR James Jakes55990.83%
198DNK Christian Lundgaard5Active driver
199USA Fred Belcher42002.00%
200USA Cliff Durant48880.45%
201USA Mike Mosley41,6150.25%
202USA Buzz Calkins41,0560.38%
203USA Sam Schmidt41103.64%
204FRA Sébastien Bourdais41,6870.24%
205USA Oliver Askew4914.40%
206USA Sage Karam41,3680.29%
207USA Kyle Larson4Active driver
208USA Kyle Kirkwood4Active driver
209USA George Snider31,8320.16%
210USA Davey Hamilton31,7830.17%
211USA Scott Sharp32,1800.14%
212USA Bryan Herta39650.31%
213MEX Adrian Fernández35830.51%
214BRA Mario Moraes32111.42%
215USA Bryan Clauson33050.98%
216GBR Stefan Wilson35490.55%
217CAY Kyffin Simpson3Active driver
218GBR Jack Harvey3Active driver
219USA Caleb Bragg22690.74%
220USA Teddy Tetzlaff23710.54%
221USA Joe Dawson24450.45%1
222USA Robert Evans21581.27%
223USA Paul Bost2663.03%
224USA Herb Ardinger28840.23%
225USA Dan Gurney21,2040.17%
226USA Roger Rager2553.64%
227USA Don Whittington25470.37%
228USA John Andretti21,8520.11%
229USA Robby McGehee28870.23%
230JPN Tora Takagi23790.53%
231USA Jaques Lazier29790.20%
232BRA Rubens Barrichello22001.00%
233AUS James Davison27480.27%
234CAN Robert Wickens22001.00%
235USA Jimmie Johnson21931.04%
236USA David Malukas2Active driver
237FRA Jean Chassagne12850.35%
238USA Art Klein14130.24%
239USA Roscoe Sarles13540.28%
240USA Howdy Wilcox II12000.50%
241USA Fred Agabashian11,2730.08%
242AUS Jack Brabham15100.20%
243USA Bobby Allison11130.88%
244USA Bill Vukovich II11,5270.07%
245USA Tim Richmond13880.26%
246USA Gordon Smiley11880.53%
247USA Scott Brayton11,9050.05%
248FRA Stéphan Grégoire17600.13%
249USA Jeff Simmons16090.16%
250RUS Mikhail Aleshin15240.19%
NoteUSA Lora L. Corum*011924
USA Floyd Davis*011941
  • USA Lora L. Corum and USA Floyd Davis are credited as being co-winners of the Indianapolis 500 in 1924 and 1941, respectively. However, as the winning entries in either race led only after their secondary drivers drove (and to the conclusion), Corum and Davis are not credited with leading any of those laps, nor did they lead throughout the remainder of their careers.

Lap Leaders, Individual Races

Most Laps Led

Fifty-seven of one hundred seven Indianapolis 500-Mile Races have been won by the driver leading the most laps, 53.27%.

YearLeader, Most LapsLaps
LedPercentage
Race LedWon
Race
1911USA Ray Harroun8844.0%Yes
1912USA Ralph DePalma19698.0%No
1913FRA Jules Goux13869.0%Yes
1914FRA René Thomas10251.0%Yes
1915USA Ralph DePalma13266.0%Yes
1916GBR Dario Resta10385.8%Yes
1919USA Howdy Wilcox9849.0%Yes
1920USA Joe Boyer9346.5%No
1921USA Ralph DePalma10854.0%No
1922USA Jimmy Murphy15376.5%Yes
1923USA Tommy Milton12864.0%Yes
1924USA Earl Cooper11959.5%No
1925USA Peter DePaolo11557.5%Yes
1926USA Frank Lockhart9559.4%Yes
192711055.0%No
1928USA Leon Duray6432.0%No
1929USA Louis Meyer6532.5%No
1930USA Billy Arnold19899.0%Yes
193115577.5%No
1932USA Fred Frame5829.0%Yes
1933USA Louis Meyer7135.5%Yes
1934USA Frank Brisko6929.5%No
1935USA Kelly Petillo10251.0%Yes
1936USA Louis Meyer9648.0%Yes
1937USA Wilbur Shaw13165.5%Yes
1938USA Floyd Roberts9246.0%Yes
USA Jimmy SnyderNo
1939USA Louis Meyer7939.5%No
1940USA Wilbur Shaw13668.0%Yes
194110753.5%No
1946USA George Robson13869.0%Yes
1947USA Bill Holland14371.5%No
1948USA Mauri Rose8140.5%Yes
1949USA Bill Holland14673.0%Yes
1950USA Johnnie Parsons11583.3%Yes
1951USA Lee Wallard15979.5%Yes
1952USA Bill Vukovich15075.0%No
195319597.5%Yes
19549045.0%Yes
1955USA Bob Sweikert8643.0%Yes
1956USA Pat Flaherty12763.5%Yes
1957USA Sam Hanks13668.0%Yes
1958USA Jimmy Bryan13969.5%Yes
1959USA Rodger Ward13065.0%Yes
1960USA Jim Rathmann10050.0%Yes
1961USA A.J. Foyt7135.5%Yes
1962USA Parnelli Jones12060.0%No
196316783.5%Yes
1964USA A.J. Foyt14673.0%Yes
1965GBR Jim Clark19095.0%Yes
1966USA Lloyd Ruby6834.0%No
1967USA Parnelli Jones17185.5%No
1968USA Bobby Unser12763.5%Yes
1969USA Mario Andretti11658.0%Yes
1970USA Al Unser19095.0%Yes
197110351.5%Yes
1972USA Gary Bettenhausen13869.0%No
1973USA Gordon Johncock6448.1%Yes
1974USA Johnny Rutherford12261.0%Yes
1975USA Wally Dallenbach9655.2%No
1976USA Johnny Rutherford4847.1%Yes
1977USA Gordon Johncock12964.5%No
1978USA Al Unser12160.5%Yes
1979USA Bobby Unser8944.5%No
1980USA Johnny Rutherford11859.0%Yes
1981USA Bobby Unser8944.5%Yes
1982USA Rick Mears7738.5%No
1983USA Tom Sneva9849.0%Yes
1984USA Rick Mears11959.5%Yes
1985USA Mario Andretti10753.5%No
1986USA Rick Mears7638.0%No
1987USA Mario Andretti17085.0%No
1988USA Danny Sullivan9145.5%No
1989BRA Emerson Fittipaldi15879.0%Yes
199012864.0%No
1991USA Michael Andretti9748.5%No
199216080.0%No
1993USA Mario Andretti7236.0%No
1994BRA Emerson Fittipaldi14572.5%No
1995BRA Maurício Gugelmin5929.5%No
1996COL Roberto Guerrero4723.5%No
1997USA Tony Stewart6432.0%No
1998USA Eddie Cheever7638.0%Yes
1999SWE Kenny Bräck6633.0%Yes
2000COL Juan Pablo Montoya16783.5%Yes
2001BRA Hélio Castroneves5226.0%Yes
2002ZAF Tomas Scheckter8542.5%No
20036331.5%No
2004USA Buddy Rice9150.5%Yes
2005USA Sam Hornish Jr.7738.5%No
2006GBR Dan Wheldon14874.0%No
2007BRA Tony Kanaan8350.0%No
2008NZL Scott Dixon11557.5%Yes
20097336.5%No
2010GBR Dario Franchitti15577.5%Yes
2011NZL Scott Dixon7336.5%No
2012USA Marco Andretti5929.5%No
2013USA Ed Carpenter3718.5%No
2014USA Ryan Hunter-Reay5628.0%Yes
2015NZL Scott Dixon8442.0%No
2016USA Ryan Hunter-Reay5226.0%No
2017GBR Max Chilton5025.0%No
2018USA Ed Carpenter6532.5%No
2019FRA Simon Pagenaud11658.0%Yes
2020NZL Scott Dixon11155.5%No
2021USA Conor Daly4020.0%No
2022NZL Scott Dixon9547.5%No
2023MEX Pato O'Ward3919.5%No
2024NZL Scott McLaughlin6633.0%No
2025JPN Takuma Sato5125.5%No

More than 50% of race laps led, non-winning entries

Twenty separate entries in equal years, driven by sixteen drivers, have failed to win despite leading over half a given race's completed laps.

RankYearDriverLaps
LedRace
PercentageFinal
Pos
11912USA Ralph DePalma19698.0%11
21967USA Parnelli Jones17185.5%6
31987USA Mario Andretti17085.0%9
41992USA Michael Andretti16080.0%13
51931USA Billy Arnold15577.5%19
61952USA Bill Vukovich15075.0%17
72006GBR Dan Wheldon14874.0%4
81994BRA Emerson Fittipaldi14572.5%17
91947USA Bill Holland14371.5%2
101972USA Gary Bettenhausen13869.0%14
111977USA Gordon Johncock12964.5%11
121990BRA Emerson Fittipaldi12864.0%3
131962USA Parnelli Jones12060.0%7
141924USA Earl Cooper11959.5%2
152020NZL Scott Dixon11155.5%2
161927USA Frank Lockhart11055.0%10
171921USA Ralph DePalma10854.0%12
181941USA Wilbur Shaw10753.5%18
1985USA Mario Andretti2
201975USA Wally Dallenbach9655.2%9

Lap leader records

** USA Rex Mays and USA Mauri Rose led the race in
periods extending nine years each, but are counted
as leading in five consecutive due to the cancellation
of the race, from 1942—1945, due to World War II*
With four-wide starts occurring in years 1913-1920,
Dario Resta started on the front row in 1916.*
15075.0%1952USA Bill Vukovich817
With four-wide starts occurring in years 1913-1920,
Ralph DePalma started on the front row in 1919.*

Led opening lap and final lap: 21 entries among 19 drivers

  • Jimmy Murphy, 1922
  • Joe Boyer, 1924 (only occasion of occurrence in separate entries)
  • Peter DePaolo, 1925
  • Lee Wallard, 1951
  • Bill Vukovich, 1953
  • Jimmy Bryan, 1958
  • Jim Clark, 1965
  • Mario Andretti, 1969
  • Al Unser, 1970
  • Johnny Rutherford, 1976
  • Johnny Rutherford, 1980
  • Bobby Unser, 1981
  • Rick Mears, 1984
  • Emerson Fittipaldi, 1989
  • Rick Mears, 1991
  • Al Unser Jr., 1994
  • Buddy Rice, 2004
  • Scott Dixon, 2008
  • Hélio Castroneves, 2009
  • Dario Franchitti, 2010
  • Simon Pagenaud, 2019
20222023ESP Álex Palou
5125.5%1927USA George Souders221
2019FRA Simon Pagenaud
1994USA Al Unser Jr.
272005GBR Dan Wheldon
1949USA Bill Holland

Leaders Circle Club

In 1964, Autolite created the "Pacemakers Club," which recognized drivers who had led at least one lap during the Indianapolis 500. It quickly rose in stature and popularity, and became a highly sought-after honor associated with the Indianapolis 500. After changes in sponsorship, the organization was renamed the "Leaders Circle Club".

The qualifications were simple: any driver who had led at least one lap during the history of the race, whether living or already deceased, were recognized as members. At its inception, 102 drivers were listed as members. A total of 56 were deceased at the time, and 46 were living.

Honorees receive a jacket, and are honored at a banquet in their honor. The number of new members inducted at the banquet varies annually, as it is solely based on the previous year's first-time lap leaders. Some years can have as few as one or zero new members inducted, while other years have had as many as 4–5. The "club" is still active as of 2012.

Notes

References

References

  1. Zucker, Joseph. "Indy 500 Results 2019: Simon Pagenaud Earns 1st Career Win at Iconic Race".
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about List of Indianapolis 500 lap leaders — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report