Indy 500: The 10 Most Memorable Moments of All Time

The Greatest Spectacle in Racing is a May tradition like no other. People travel worldwide to see the 33 best open-wheel drivers duke it out in the Indy 500. Since 1911, the race has given fans numerous memorable moments. Which ones stand out the most? Here are the top 10 highlights in its history. 

10. Ray Harroun Wins the Inaugural Race

The first Indy 500 happened in 1911, and it quickly became a world-famous racing event. You only see 33 drivers in the modern race, but the inaugural event featured 40 qualifying cars on May 30. Ray Harroun won the checkered flag, the fourth and final of his Champ Car career. 

Harroun stood above the competition by using something innovative — a rearview mirror. Fellow racers complained, but the win stood. The Pennsylvania native won the biggest prize from the $27,000 purse and cemented his place in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history. 

9. Hélio Castroneves Joins the Four-Time Club

Since the speedway was constructed in 1909, only a handful of drivers have claimed multiple Indy 500 victories. Tommy Milton was the first repeat winner, taking his Frontenac and Miller cars to victory lane in 1921 and 1923. However, only four guys have won the race four times.  

Hélio Castroneves was just a rookie when he won the big race in 2001. The Brazilian racing legend followed up with wins in 2002 and 2009. Despite his 12-year drought, Castroneves defeated Palou and prevented another first-year driver from winning the race. That day, he joined Rick Mears, Al Unser and A.J. Foyt in the elite club. 

8. Álex Palou Gets His First Oval Win

Álex Palou has raced in IndyCar since 2020 and has already accumulated three series championships. However, the Indy 500 has eluded him for the first five seasons. From 2021 to 2024, Palou finished in the top 10 all four times. He even won the road course race at Indy! 2025 was a different story for the Spanish driver. 

The 2025 Indy 500 had numerous storylines, including Kyle Larson attempting the Memorial Double for a second time. Palou said none of it mattered, as he stole the spotlight again during his dominant 2025 season. Once he took the lead from Marcus Ericsson on lap 187, it was over for everyone else. 

7. Louis Meyer Starts a Pasteurized Precedent

When drivers win the Indianapolis 500, they drink milk and cover themselves in the white liquid. Experts say it benefits your body after exercise, though racers consume it for different reasons. Louis Meyer started the tradition in 1936, following his third victory in the previous eight years. Once he got to victory lane, he changed history. 

Meyer had just made history by becoming the race’s first three-time winner. How did he celebrate? After the long competition, he got a bottle of buttermilk to refresh his body. The New York native had long loved the beverage due to his mother, so he drank a glass and started the annual tradition. 

6. Janet Guthrie Qualifies for the Indy 500

Select women have impacted their respective sports with memorable performances. For example, Caitlin Clark has elevated basketball to historic highs. What about IndyCar racing? Janet Guthrie broke the gender barrier in 1977 by qualifying for the Memorial Day weekend race. The Iowa native qualified 26th in her Offy engine and finished in 29th place. 

The 1977 race was historic because it was Foyt’s win and Tom Sneva’s qualifying record. Guthrie’s efforts fell short due to engine troubles, but she made a valiant effort. She failed to qualify for the 1976 event, and some competitors attributed it to her sex. However, she made them look like fools with a top-10 finish in her 1978 start. 

5. Danica Patrick Leads the Pack

Guthrie paved the way for eight more women to race in the Indy 500, though none have joined the list of winners. The most successful female driver in the race’s history was Danica Patrick, a rookie in 2005. Her performance made history and cemented her place in IndyCar history. 

Patrick had a fast car and stayed near the front for much of the race. Green flag pit stops started on lap 55, putting her in the lead one lap later. When she led lap 56, she became the first woman to lead a lap in IndyCar history. She finished fourth, though she wouldn’t match this performance again. 

4. J.R. Hildebrand’s Last Lap Disaster

Imagine being a rookie and leading the Indianapolis 500. You don’t necessarily think you belong, but you’re trying to make history by beating the veterans. Only a handful of first-year drivers have accomplished this feat, so you’re trying to join a special club. J.R. Hildebrand came within a turn before disaster struck. 

On lap 200, the California kid was just seconds away from victory before he slammed the retaining wall. He saved enough fuel to make it to the end, but an accident took the win out of his hands. Dan Wheldon passed Hildebrand for his second Indianapolis 500 win, though the rookie hobbled to a second-place finish. 

3. Ryan Hunter-Reay Edges Hélio Castroneves

Castroneves could’ve joined the four-time club a little earlier, but Ryan Hunter-Reay had other plans. The two open-wheel aces dueled to the finish and had one of the closest finishes in Indy 500 history. Hunter-Reay defeated his counterpart by 0.06 seconds, so the winner was barely close enough to see with the naked eye. 

The last half of the race was chaotic, especially the last 25 laps. A three-car accident took out James Hinchcliffe and Ed Carpenter, two of the day’s best cars. The previous six laps included a frantic finish, with Hunter-Reay retaking the lead in turn three on the final lap. The two finished side by side and wowed the fans with an incredible photo finish. 

2. Sam Hornish Jr. Spoils the Andretti Party

When you think of the Andretti family, you imagine automotive greatness across numerous disciplines. In 2006, Marco Andretti was poised to take the reins as the next great racer in the family. He won the penultimate race at Sonoma and finished seventh in the points standings. The Indy 500 almost became a dream come true before Sam Hornish Jr. stole the show. 

Marco Andretti passed his father, Michael, with just three laps to go. His only objective was to hold off Sam Hornish Jr. from Penske Racing to claim victory. The final two laps had fans on their feet, especially when the cars exited the fourth turn. Hornish Jr. became the first driver in race history to make a last-lap pass, and the margin of victory was just 0.06 seconds. 

1. The Closest Finish in Race History

Open-wheel fans will never forget 1992 because of the most exciting Indy 500 finish. This battle between Al Unser Jr. and Scott Goodyear remains the closest battle in race history, with a margin of victory of 0.043 seconds. Will spectators ever see a more exhilarating finish? 

Unser Jr. earned the victory and became the first second-generation driver to win the race. His father, Al Unser Sr., won the race four times between 1970 and 1987. Goodyear made a valiant effort on the final lap and got by Unser Jr.’s side. Still, he couldn’t quite surpass the 30-year-old driver from New Mexico. 

Counting Down the Top Indy 500 Moments 

IndyCar’s biggest race is the Indianapolis 500, making Memorial Day weekend even more special. Since 1911, the race has brought numerous memorable finishes and milestones, whether a close margin of victory or a broken barrier. The 2026 event and beyond will create even more classics you’ll remember forever.