Legendary Rick Mears Tops List of Indianapolis 500 Pole Winners

The Indianapolis 500, often called The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, has produced wild moments and legendary champions. Winning from the pole position stands out as a special feat—one that only a select few have managed. Here, let’s dig into the stories of 19 drivers who pulled off this rare accomplishment. There are some odd twists, wild anecdotes, and asterisks that make their wins even more interesting. Ready to meet these champions and their wild journeys at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

The Pioneers of Pole-to-Win Victories

Jimmy Murphy became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 from the pole in 1922. Riding mechanic Ernie Olson joined Murphy, and together they set the bar for future racers.

Murphy tried to repeat his magic in 1924. He grabbed the pole again but ended up third after leading 62 laps.

Tommy Milton followed in 1923, becoming the first to win the Indy 500 twice. Howdy Wilcox stepped in as a relief driver for part of the race, but Milton’s achievement still stands out.

Record-Setting Performances

In 1930, Bill Arnold led 198 of 200 laps after grabbing the lead on lap three. With Spider Matlock as his riding mechanic, Arnold’s run remains one of the most dominant ever at Indy.

Floyd Roberts won the 1938 race, leading every lap he ever completed at Indy—92 in total. Sadly, Roberts died in a crash the next year during the 1939 race.

Controversies and Asterisks

The 1941 race took a strange turn with Mauri Rose. Rose won the pole, but his car broke down early. He later took over Floyd Davis’ car and drove it to victory, making both men co-winners. Rose didn’t win in the car he qualified, so this win gets a big asterisk.

Parnelli Jones faced plenty of drama in 1963. His car leaked oil, and competitors pushed for a black flag. Despite the uproar, Jones crossed the finish line first and cemented his place in Indy history.

Tragic and Triumphant Tales

Bill Vukovich won in 1953 on a brutally hot day, with temperatures soaring into the high 90s and the track baking at 130 degrees. Vukovich won again in 1954 but died in a crash while leading the 1955 race.

Pat Flaherty pulled off a surprise win in 1956, his only top-10 finish at Indy. Over a career from 1949 to 1963, Flaherty won just three races out of 18 starts.

Dominance and Close Finishes

Al Unser Sr. made a huge statement in 1970, leading 190 laps and lapping the entire field with just over 20 laps left. That was the first of his four Indy 500 wins—truly dominant stuff.

Bobby Unser had a wild ride in 1981. He finished first but got penalized for an illegal pass under caution. After a drawn-out appeal, Unser got his win back in October that year.

Modern-Day Champions

In 1994, Team Penske rolled out a game-changing Mercedes-Benz pushrod engine. Al Unser Jr. won after teammate Emerson Fittipaldi crashed with 25 laps left, leaving only Unser and Jacques Villeneuve on the lead lap.

Arie Luyendyk won the 1997 Indy 500 from the pole during the split between the Indy Racing League and Champ Car. Luyendyk and his Treadway Racing teammate Scott Goodyear finished 1-2—a big win during a time of fierce rivalry between the leagues.

Unifying Moments and Historic Wins

Buddy Rice took the checkered flag in 2004 after a long rain delay and an early stop, 20 laps short of 200. Rice’s victory came during the ninth year of the IRL-Champ Car split.

Sam Hornish Jr. pulled off one of the wildest finishes ever in 2006, beating Marco Andretti by just 0.0635 seconds. It’s still the third-closest finish in Indy 500 history.

Recent Champions

Scott Dixon won the 2008 race, the first Indy 500 after the IRL and Champ Car merged. All cars ran with Dallara chassis, Honda engines, and Firestone tires, making it a true “spec 500.”

Helio Castroneves grabbed his third Indy 500 win in 2009. Dan Wheldon and Danica Patrick finished second and third. Patrick’s third place is still the best finish by a female driver at Indy.

Memorable Moments

Simon Pagenaud had a near-perfect run in 2019, leading 116 laps and barely holding off Alexander Rossi by 0.2086 seconds. There were rumors about his future with Team Penske, but this win quieted all that talk.

Johnny Rutherford, known as “Lone Star J.R.,” picked up his third Indy 500 (and second from the pole) in 1980. He dominated, leading 118 of 200 laps and finishing almost half a minute ahead of Tom Sneva.

The Legendary Rick Mears

Rick Mears stands out as one of just three drivers with four Indianapolis 500 wins. Three of those victories came from the pole, which is honestly wild if you think about it.

Mears holds the record for the most poles at the 500, with six. He’s also one of only 11 drivers to win the pole in back-to-back years, pulling it off in 1988 and 1989.

If you want to dig deeper into these drivers’ stories, check out the original article on Autoweek.