From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Winners of the Pole position for the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Since 1939, the pole position has been determined by four-lap qualifying time trials. The fastest qualifier on the first day (or first complete round) of qualifying wins the pole position. If a driver records a speed faster than that of the pole position winner on a subsequent day (or subsequent round) he does not win the pole position, but instead lines up behind the previous day's qualifiers. Subsequent to 1914, the last year of qualifications not determining the starting grid order, 16 occasions have seen the pole position-winning entry not recording the fastest overall qualifying speed.

In 1911, the starting grid was determined by the order that entries were received by mail. To qualify for the race, entries had to average 75 miles per hour along a one-mile segment of the track. In 1912, all cars were required to complete one timed lap, but the grid order was still determined by the order the entries were received. From 1913-1914, all cars completed one timed lap, however, the grid was instead determined by a blind draw a few days before the race. Starting in 1915-1919, the grid was set by one-lap qualifying speed.

From 1920-1931, the grid was set using four lap qualifying runs. From 1932-1938, the grid was set using 10-lap qualifying runs. Since 1939, four laps have been used.

Contents 1 Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters 2 Multiple pole position winners 3 Consecutive pole position winners 4 Indianapolis 500 winners who started from the pole position 5 References

Sixty-three drivers have qualified for the pole position, two less than the number of race winners.

Year	Driver	Speed	Notes
1911	Lewis Strang	N/A	Grid placement determined by order entries receieved by mail
1912	Gil Anderson	80.93 mph - 130.24 km/h	Single-lap; grid placement determined by order entries receieved by mail
	David L. Bruce-Brown	88.45 mph - 142.35 km/h	Single-lap; fastest qualifier
1913	Caleb Bragg	87.34 mph - 140.56 km/h	Single-lap; grid placement determined by pre-race blind drawing
	Jack Tower	88.23 mph - 141.99 km/h	Single-lap; fastest qualifier
1914	Jean Chassagne	88.31 mph - 142.12 km/h	Single-lap; grid placement determined by pre-race blind drawing
	Georges Boillot	99.86 mph - 160.71 km/h	Single-lap; fastest qualifier
1915	Howdy Wilcox	98.80 mph - 159.00 km/h	Single-lap
1916	Johnny Aitken	96.69 mph - 155.61 km/h	Single-lap
1919	René Thomas	104.78 mph - 168.63 km/h	Single-lap
1920	Ralph DePalma ( Italian-born)	99.15 mph - 159.57 km/h
1921	Ralph DePalma ( Italian-born)	100.75 mph - 162.14 km/h
1922	Jimmy Murphy	100.50 mph - 161.74 km/h
1923	Tommy Milton	108.17 mph - 174.08 km/h
1924	Jimmy Murphy	108.037 mph - 173.869 km/h
1925	Leon Duray	113.196 mph - 182.171 km/h
1926	Earl Cooper	111.735 mph - 179.820 km/h
1927	Frank Lockhart	120.100 mph - 193.282 km/h
1928	Leon Duray	122.391 mph - 196.969 km/h
1929	Cliff Woodbury	120.599 mph - 194.085 km/h
1930	Billy Arnold	113.268 mph - 182.287 km/h
1931	Russ Snowberger	112.796 mph - 181.528 km/h
	Billy Arnold	116.080 mph - 186.813 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1932	Lou Moore	117.363 mph - 188.877 km/h	Ten-lap average
1933	Bill Cummings	118.530 mph - 190.756 km/h	Ten-lap average
1934	Kelly Petillo	119.329 mph - 192.041 km/h	Ten-lap average
1935	Rex Mays	120.736 mph - 194.306 km/h	Ten-lap average
1936	Rex Mays	119.644 mph - 192.548 km/h	Ten-lap average
1937	Bill Cummings	123.343 mph - 198.501 km/h	Ten-lap average
	Jimmy Snyder	125.287 mph - 201.630 km/h	Ten-lap average; fastest qualifier
1938	Floyd Roberts	125.681 mph - 202.264 km/h	Ten-lap average
	Ronney Householder	125.769 mph - 202.406 km/h	Ten-lap average qualifying record; fastest qualifier
1939	Jimmy Snyder	130.138 mph - 209.437 km/h
1940	Rex Mays	127.850 mph - 205.755 km/h
1941	Mauri Rose	128.691 mph - 207.108 km/h
1946	Cliff Bergere	126.471 mph - 203.535 km/h
	Ralph Hepburn	133.944 mph - 215.562 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1947	Ted Horn	126.564 mph - 203.685 km/h
	Bill Holland	128.755 mph - 207.211 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1948	Rex Mays	130.577 mph - 210.143 km/h
	Duke Nalon	131.603 mph - 211.794 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1949	Duke Nalon	132.939 mph - 213.945 km/h
1950	Walt Faulkner	134.343 mph - 216.204 km/h
1951	Duke Nalon	136.498 mph - 219.672 km/h
	Walt Faulkner	136.872 mph - 220.274 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1952	Fred Agabashian	138.010 mph - 222.106 km/h
	Chet Miller	139.034 mph - 223.754 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1953	Bill Vukovich	138.392 mph - 222.720 km/h	Final 3/4 of final lap completed amid downpour
1954	Jack McGrath	141.033 mph - 226.791 km/h
1955	Jerry Hoyt	140.045 mph - 225.381 km/h	Eighth-fastest qualifier, record lowest pace for pole position
	Jack McGrath	141.033 mph - 226.971 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1956	Pat Flaherty	145.596 mph - 234.314 km/h
1957	Pat O'Connor	143.948 mph - 231.662 km/h
	Paul Russo	144.817 mph - 233.060 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1958	Dick Rathmann	145.974 mph - 234.922 km/h
1959	Johnny Thompson	145.908 mph - 234.816 km/h
1960	Eddie Sachs	146.592 mph - 235.917 km/h
	Jim Hurtubise	149.056 mph - 239.882 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1961	Eddie Sachs	147.481 mph - 237.348 km/h
1962	Parnelli Jones	150.370 mph - 241.997 km/h
1963	Parnelli Jones	151.153 mph - 243.257 km/h
1964	Jim Clark	158.828 mph - 255.609 km/h
1965	A.J. Foyt	161.233 mph - 259.479 km/h
1966	Mario Andretti ( Italian-born)	165.899 mph - 266.989 km/h
1967	Mario Andretti ( Italian-born)	168.982 mph - 271.950 km/h
1968	Joe Leonard	171.559 mph - 276.097 km/h
1969	A.J. Foyt	170.568 mph - 274.503 km/h
1970	Al Unser	170.221 mph - 273.944 km/h
1971	Peter Revson	178.696 mph - 287.583 km/h
1972	Bobby Unser	195.940 mph - 315.335 km/h
1973	Johnny Rutherford	198.413 mph - 319.315 km/h
1974	A.J. Foyt	191.632 mph - 308.402 km/h
1975	A.J. Foyt	193.976 mph - 312.174 km/h
1976	Johnny Rutherford	188.957 mph - 304.097 km/h
	Mario Andretti ( Italian-born)	189.404 mph - 304.816 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1977	Tom Sneva	198.884 mph - 320.073 km/h
1978	Tom Sneva	202.156 mph - 325.339 km/h
1979	Rick Mears	193.736 mph - 311.788 km/h
1980	Johnny Rutherford	192.256 mph - 309.406 km/h
1981	Bobby Unser	200.546 mph - 322.748 km/h
	Tom Sneva	200.691 mph - 322.981 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1982	Rick Mears	207.004 mph - 333.141 km/h
1983	Teo Fabi	207.395 mph - 333.770 km/h
1984	Tom Sneva	210.029 mph - 338.009 km/h
1985	Pancho Carter	212.583 mph - 342.119 km/h
1986	Rick Mears	216.828 mph - 348.951 km/h
1987	Mario Andretti ( Italian-born)	215.390 mph - 346.637 km/h
1988	Rick Mears	219.198 mph - 352.765 km/h
1989	Rick Mears	223.885 mph - 360.308 km/h
1990	Emerson Fittipaldi	225.301 mph - 362.587 km/h
1991	Rick Mears	224.113 mph - 360.675 km/h
	Gary Bettenhausen	224.468 mph - 361.246 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1992	Roberto Guerrero	232.482 mph - 374.144 km/h
1993	Arie Luyendyk	223.967 mph - 360.440 km/h
1994	Al Unser, Jr.	228.011 mph - 366.948 km/h
1995	Scott Brayton	231.604 mph - 372.731 km/h
1996	Tony Stewart	233.100 mph - 375.138 km/h
	Arie Luyendyk	236.986 mph - 381.392 km/h	Fastest qualifier
1997	Arie Luyendyk	218.263 mph - 351.260 km/h
1998	Billy Boat	223.503 mph - 359.693 km/h
1999	Arie Luyendyk	225.179 mph - 362.390 km/h
2000	Greg Ray	223.471 mph - 359.642 km/h
2001	Scott Sharp	226.037 mph - 363.771 km/h
2002	Bruno Junqueira	231.342 mph - 372.309 km/h
2003	Hélio Castroneves	231.725 mph - 372.925 km/h
2004	Buddy Rice	222.024 mph - 357.313 km/h
2005	Tony Kanaan	227.566 mph - 366.232 km/h
	Kenny Bräck	227.598 mph - 366.283 km/h	Fastest qualifier
2006	Sam Hornish, Jr.	228.985 mph - 368.516 km/h

Notes

• 1996: At the conclusion of pole day qualifying, Scott Brayton qualified for the pole-position, Arie Luyendyk qualified second, and Tony Stewart qualified third. Officially it was Brayton's second consecutive Indy pole (1995-1996). One hour and forty-five minutes after qualifying was over, Luyendyk was disqualified for his car being 7 pounds underweight. Stewart was elevated to second position. The following day, Luyendyk qualified with the fastest speed overall, but as a second day qualifier, was required to line up behind the first day qualifiers. Five days later, Brayton was killed in a practice crash while driving a back-up car. His primary car was taken over by Danny Ongias, but rules required a substitute driver to move to the rear of the field. Thus, Stewart was elevated to the pole position for race day.

Sixteen drivers have qualified for the pole position multiple times, accounting for 44 pole positions out of 90 races, 48.9%.

Poles	Driver	Years	Notes
6	Rick Mears	1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991	First five- and six-time pole position qualifier; second-fastest qualifier, 1991
4	Rex Mays	1935, 1936, 1940, 1948	First three- and four-time pole position qualifier; second-fastest qualifier, 1948
	A.J. Foyt	1965, 1969, 1974, 1975
3	Mario Andretti ( Italian-born)	1966, 1967, 1987	Fastest qualifier, 1976
	Johnny Rutherford	1973, 1976, 1980	Second-fastest qualifier, 1976
	Tom Sneva	1977, 1978, 1984	Fastest qualifier, 1981
	Arie Luyendyk	1993, 1997, 1999	Fastest qualifier, 1996
2	Ralph DePalma ( Italian-born)	1920, 1921	First two-time pole position qualifier
	Jimmy Murphy	1922, 1924
	Leon Duray	1925, 1928
	Bill Cummings	1933, 1937	Second-fastest qualifier, 1937
	Duke Nalon	1949, 1951	Second-fastest qualifier, 1951
	Eddie Sachs	1960, 1961	Second-fastest qualifier, 1960
	Parnelli Jones	1962, 1963
	Bobby Unser	1972, 1981	Second-fastest qualifier, 1981
	Scott Brayton	1995, 1996*	Qualified for pole position, and second-fastest qualifier, 1996

Notes

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

Qualification for and start from the pole-position in consecutive races has been accomplished eight times. No driver has qualified for three consecutive pole positions.

Poles	Driver	Years	Notes
2	Ralph DePalma ( Italian-born)	1920, 1921
	Rex Mays	1935, 1936
	Eddie Sachs	1960, 1961	Second-fastest qualifier, 1960
	Parnelli Jones	1962, 1963
	Mario Andretti ( Italian-born)	1966, 1967
	A.J. Foyt	1974, 1975
	Tom Sneva	1977, 1978	Started from second position, 1979, closest attempt to three consecutive to date
	Rick Mears	1988, 1989

Sixteen drivers have won the race from the pole position, the same as the number of multiple winners. Two consecutive wins from the pole position has occurred once, in years 1922-1923, and three consecutive also once, in years 1979-1981.

Wins	Driver	Years	Notes
3	Rick Mears	1979, 1988, 1991	First three-time winner from the pole position
2	Johnny Rutherford	1976, 1980	First multiple-winner from the pole position
1	Jimmy Murphy	1922	First winner from the pole position
	Tommy Milton	1923	First year with consecutive wins from the pole position
	Billy Arnold	1930	Led 198 laps of race, most ever by pole-sitter or race winner
	Floyd Roberts	1938
	Mauri Rose*	1941	*Started from pole position in separate entry than that co-driven to victory, only such occurrence to date
	Bill Vukovich	1953
	Pat Flaherty	1956
	Parnelli Jones	1963
	Al Unser	1970
	Bobby Unser	1981	First year with three consecutive wins from the pole position
	Al Unser, Jr.	1994
	Arie Luyendyk	1997
	Buddy Rice	2004
	Sam Hornish, Jr.	2006

Indianapolis 500 Chronicle, copyright 1999, Rick Pope
2006 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race Official Program

Indianapolis 500-Mile Race

1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 • 1915 • 1916 • 1919 • 1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 1929 1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939 • 1940 • 1941 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 Winners • Pole Winners • Pace Cars • Lap Leaders • Year-by-Year • Records • Firsts • Rookie of the Year • TV • Radio • Entertainment • Fatalities Indianapolis Motor Speedway AAA • USAC • (CART) • IRL Carl G. Fisher • Eddie Rickenbacker • Tony Hulman • Tony George • Tom Binford • Brian Barnhart