5 IndyCar drivers with the most Indy 500 wins

Superstar Racing Experience - Lucas Oil Raceway - Source: Getty
Helio Castroneves shows off his 4 Indy 500 rings - Source: Getty

One part of the Triple Crown of motorsport, the Indy 500 is regarded as the "Greatest Spectacle of Racing." Every year, the IndyCar race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway witnesses millions of viewers across the globe tuning in for 500 miles of pure wheel-to-wheel racing action.

The 33 competing drivers record top speeds north of 230 mph in qualifying, and for the entirety of 200 race laps, the drivers' average speeds hover over 170 mph. With such numbers on the board, even the smallest of mistakes can lead to massive crashes, highlighting the tremendous precision required.

As a result, only a handful of drivers in the race's 109-year history have won it more than once. Let's take a look at the top 5 IndyCar drivers with the most wins at the Brickyard.

#5 Dario Franchitti - 3 wins

Dario Frenchitti after his third Indy 500 win in 2012 - Source: Getty
Dario Frenchitti after his third Indy 500 win in 2012 - Source: Getty

Dario Franchitti is one of IndyCar's most successful drivers. He boasts a trophy cabinet adorned with four IndyCar championships. In his 17-year IndyCar career, the British driver won 31 races and stood on 91 podiums.

He won the prestigious Indy 500 three times - in 2007, 2010, and 2012. His career abruptly ended in 2013 after a life-threatening crash at the Grand Prix of Houston. In an interview with Autoweek in 2017, Franchitti was questioned about not getting a chance at a record-equaling fourth Indy 500 win. He replied, saying:

"It doesn’t, no. I think once when I was back at Indy—I don’t know if it was ’15 or ’14—I thought that it would be nice to have a go after that fourth, but then every other time I think about it, I think, ‘Crikey, I’ve got three.’ I’d never have expected to get three wins here, so I’ll be happy with that, really."

#4 A.J. Foyt - 4 wins

A.J. Foyt Receives Baby Borg Trophy to commemorate his four Indy 500 wins - Source: Getty
A.J. Foyt Receives Baby Borg Trophy to commemorate his four Indy 500 wins - Source: Getty

A.J. Foyt is widely regarded as IndyCar's most successful driver, with a majority believing him to be one of the GOATs. The American driver holds the record for most IndyCar (then-Champ Car) championships -seven - in 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1975, and 1979. He ran 369 races in Champ Car over 36 years, winning 67 races and earning 120 podiums.

The now-owner of A.J. Foyt Racing won four Indy 500s in his time - in 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1977, becoming the first driver to do so. Out of the four legendary victories, the last iteration meant the most to him. In 2023, Foyt said (via Autoweek):

"I would say the best race that I won was the fourth time I won it. I had my own race car, we built it, I drove it, it was my own motor, and nobody’s going to ever break that record."

#3 Al Unser - 4 wins

Al Unser Sr drives the Marmon Wasp at the 2016 Indy 500 - Source: Getty
Al Unser Sr drives the Marmon Wasp at the 2016 Indy 500 - Source: Getty

Al Unser Sr. (Alfred Unser) was one of IndyCar's greatest talents, who won three Champ Car championships in 1970, 1983, and 1985. In the year of his first championship, the American driver became the second Indy 500 winner in his family after his older sibling Bobby, who won the event in 1968.

Unser won at the Brickyard again in 1971, becoming the fourth of six drivers in IndyCar history to win the race consecutively. In 1978 and 1987, Unser added two more Indy 500 victories to his bag, becoming the oldest Indy 500 winner at 47 after the latter.

The racing legend passed away in 2021 after a 17-year battle with cancer, only seven months after his brother Bobby's demise. Parnelli Jones, who co-owned Vip's Parnelli Jones Racing, the team that Unser raced for from 1970-77, shared a heartfelt tribute after his passing. He said, (via Autosport):

"Al was smooth and controlled, a real thinker behind the wheel. He never talked a big game; he let his driving do the talking. As an owner, I couldn't ask for a better driver – hands down, the best. He was always there at the end and usually up front. He was an all-around class act."

#2 Rick Mears - 4 wins

Rick Mears at the Iowa Speedway - Source: Getty
Rick Mears at the Iowa Speedway - Source: Getty

Rick Mears' Champ Car career started as a part-time fill-in for Penske Racing's Mario Andretti in 1978 when the latter was juggling between IndyCar and F1. In his first year at the Indy 500, he was awarded Rookie of the Year along with Larry Rice. Mears upped the game in his second year, as he won his first race at the IMS and took the championship home.

Mears added two more consecutive Champ Car championships to his name in 1981 and 1982. In 1984, five years on from his first Indy 500 win, the Kansas native sipped his second celebratory bottle of milk before making it three in 1988 and four in 1991.

In his third championship in 1982, Mears was part of one of Indy 500's greatest moments, losing the race by 0.16 seconds to Gordon Johncock. If he had won that day, he would be the only driver in the sport's history to win the Borg-Warner trophy five times.

#1 Helio Castroneves - 4 wins

Helio Castroneves poses with his wife and daughter after his 4th Indy 500 win in 2021 - Source: Getty
Helio Castroneves poses with his wife and daughter after his 4th Indy 500 win in 2021 - Source: Getty

Helio Castroneves is one of IndyCar's most loved drivers. In his 28-year IndyCar career, the Brazilian driver has won 31 races and earned 94 podiums. Despite legendary credentials, he has never won a championship. His best finish came as a runner-up in 2002, 2008, 2013, and 2014. But that doesn't take anything away from his illustrious career.

Castroneves won the Indy 500 on four occasions - in 2001, 2002, 2009, and the fourth after a long wait in 2021 as the dark horse.

"I love you IndyCar! Thank you IndyCar!" he joyfully exclaimed on his team radio after the record-equaling fourth win in 2021.

He earned the nickname "Spiderman" for his unique celebration where he'd scale the fence beside the track after emerging victorious.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar
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