Top 16 Indy 500 facts to get newbies hooked!
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1
Pit crews can jack-up the car, change all four tires, and fill the gas tank in about 8 seconds!
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2
The fastest single lap (as of Jan 2021) was completed in 38.119 seconds reaching average speed of 236.103 miles per hour completed in 1996 by Eddie Cheever Jr.
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3
Driver Alexander Rossi won Indy 500 in 2016, he ran out of gas on his last lap in the middle of turn 4 and coasted to victory!
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4
Turns 2 and 4 the tires are typically "hotter" as the tires did not have the benefit of cooling from the straight-away just before turns 1 and 3.
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5
The "grid formation" is 11 rows of 3 cars
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6
The longest Indy 500 race happened in 2004. Rain delays stopped the race three times causing the longest broadcast with a record-breaking time of 8 hours and 22 minutes.
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7
"Indy" came from Indianapolis where the race has taken place annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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8
To win the race, be the first car over the finish line on the 200th lap and 500 miles
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9
The first lap is typically for the fans, drivers wave and salute to the fans.
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10
The track is circular with four turns
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11
The first Indy 500 took place in 1911
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12
Drivers have to be precise on turns to ensure tires to not heat-up / melt, become slick and fail to grip the track
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13
The fastest total completion time of Indy 500 race (as of Jan 2021) was 2 hours 41 minutes and 18.404 seconds by Arie Luyendyk on May 27, 1990
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14
One lap around the track is 2.5 miles
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15
The youngest winner of the Indy 500 was Troy Ruttman, age 22 in 1952. The oldest winner was 47 year-old Al Unser in 1987.
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16
Drivers will have between 5 to 10 total pit stops during the race.
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