Indy 500 in the Rearview: By the Numbers
The Indianapolis 500 has come and gone—and what a race it was—and the figures are in. Here’s a rundown of important numbers from this latest installment in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”:
$2.47 Million, Dario Franchitti‘s pay for winning his third Indy 500 (and we don’t think he spent it all here)
10 Drivers who have accomplished that feat
16 Franchitti’s starting position—and the only previous 500 winner to start 16th was his friend Dan Wheldon in 2005
$13.28 Million, the total purse divided among the 500’s 33 starting drivers
91 Degrees, in Fahrenheit, the high temperature in Indy on Race Day, tying the 1919 and 1953 numbers as second-hottest ever
220,000 Attendance, estimated, as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway does not release an official number
34 Lead changes among 10 drivers in this 96th running of the race, a record
200 Laps in the race, around the 2.5-mile IMS oval
59 Laps that Marco Andretti led, the most of any driver. He had led just 31 laps in the 500 in his six previous starts.
7 Consecutive Top 6 finishes for Scott Dixon, Franchitti’s teammate who won the 2008 Indy 500
1,366 Consecutive Indy 500 laps that Dixon has completed, another record (besting Wilbur Shaw‘s 1,351 laps, 1935-41)
23 Spots that Oriol Servia jumped from his starting position of 27th, the most of any driver on May 27. His check: $443,430.
Photos by Tony Valainis of Scott Dixon and his family, and of Dario Franchitti and Ashley Judd
Photo by Kim Hannel of the Borg-Warner Trophy
