Who are the two drivers in IndyCar's exclusive consecutive championships club? All you need to know

IndyCar has seen numerous legendary drivers grace the sport with their acumen and performances. With a long-standing history that dates back to over a century ago, the series boasts an array of extraordinary achievements.

However, the one feat that remains notably rare in the sport despite its long history is that only two drivers have ever won the IndyCar Championship two or more times in a row. Dario Franchitti and Alex Palou are the only drivers to have won consecutive championships.

Dario Franchitti first won the IndyCar Drivers' Championship in 2007. That year, the Scottish driver claimed four victories, including his maiden Indianapolis 500 win. Following a brief stint in NASCAR, Franchitti returned to IndyCar in 2009.

From 2009 to 2011, Franchitti dominated the series, capturing three consecutive championships while driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. During this period, he secured 12 race victories, including another triumph at the Indianapolis 500 in 2010. Over his illustrious career, Franchitti amassed four series championships, 31 race wins, and three Indy 500 victories.

Alex Palou, on the other hand, is the reigning three-time IndyCar champion. Like Dario Franchitti, Palou also won consecutive titles with Chip Ganassi Racing. However, contrary to Franchitti, the Spaniard has only won two consecutive Championships so far.

Palou's first championship win came in 2021, which was just his second season in the NTT IndyCar Series. He finished fifth in the 2022 campaign, his second as a CGR driver. However, Palou would go on to win eight races in the next two campaigns and win the championship in both of them.

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How many IndyCar drivers have won the Indy 500 in consecutive years?

AUTO: DEC 04 INDY 500 Winner Josef Newgarden Borg Warner Trophy Ceremony - Source: Getty

The Indianapolis 500, often dubbed "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," is another coveted achievement in motorsport. Similar to the championship title, winning the Indy 500 in consecutive years is a rare feat that only a handful of drivers have managed to accomplish.

Josef Newgarden became the latest driver to join this elite list by claiming back-to-back Indy 500 victories in 2023 and 2024. The two-time champion joined the ranks of five other legends who have achieved this remarkable milestone.

Wilbur Shaw (1939-40) was the first driver to win consecutive Indy 500s. Meanwhile, Mauri Rose (1947-48), dominated the post-war era of racing, securing his consecutive wins in a time of significant technological advancements in the sport.

Bill Vukovich (1953-54) was yet another driver who secured consecutive victories in the Indy 500. He tragically lost his life on the racetrack just at 36, while leading the 1955 Indy 500 race.

Legendary driver Al Unser also won consecutive Indy 500 victories (1970-71). He remains one of the four drivers to have won the Indy 500 four times. Similarly, Helio Castroneves, another four-time winner, won consecutive Indy 500s in 2001 and 2002.