INDIANAPOLIS, May 25 (Reuters) – Factbox on the Indianapolis
500, which will be run for 96th time on Sunday.
* The first Indy 500 was run on May 30, 1911 and won by Ray
Harroun, who retired from driving immediately after the race.
* Although the race was first held in 1911, this year’s
edition is the 96th because it was temporarily postponed during
parts of World War One and World War Two.
* The first Indy 500 offered a purse of $25,000 with the
winner getting $14,250. This year’s winner will pocket around $3
million.
* The speedway complex earned the name “The Brickyard” when
the oval was repaved with 3.2 million bricks in 1910 after
several deadly crashes.
* The tradition of the winning driver drinking a quart of
milk began with Louis Meyer in 1936. Brazilian Emerson
Fittipaldi, the owner of several orange groves, drew the wrath
of IndyCar fans in 1993 when he chugged from a bottle of orange
juice instead.
* The Indianapolis Motor Speedway does not announce
attendance but the sprawling grandstands around the 2.5 mile
oval seat over 250,000. Crowds have been estimated at over
400,000.
* The massive Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex covers 253
acres and is large enough to hold Yankee Stadium, Churchill
Downs, the Rose Bowl, the Roman Colosseum and Vatican City.
* In 1977 Janet Guthrie becomes the first woman to race in
the Indy 500. Danica Patrick became the first woman to lead a
lap at the Indy 500 in 2005. Her third place finish in 2009 is
the best by a woman.
* Three drivers have won the 500 four times; A.J. Foyt, Al
Unser and Rick Mears.
* Mears also holds the record for pole positions (six).
* Eight rookies have won the Indianapolis 500. The most
recent was Helio Castroneves in 2001.
* Troy Ruttman is the youngest driver to win the
Indianapolis 500, age 22, in 1952. Al Unser is the oldest driver
to win, age 47, in 1987.
* Briton Graham Hill is the only driver to win motor
racing’s Triple Crown (Indianapolis 500, Monaco Grand Prix, 24
Hours of Le Mans)
* Dan Wheldon won last year’s race when JR Hildebrand
crashed while leading on the last corner. Wheldon was killed in
a high-speed crash at Las Vegas later that year.
(Compiled by Steve Keating and Julian Linden; Editing by Frank
Pingue)
