Indy 500 Facts and Figures

Thursday, May 24, 2001 | 7:37 a.m.

EVENT - The 85th annual Indianapolis 500.

DISTANCE - 500 miles; 200 laps around the 2 1/2 -mile, asphalt-on-brick Indianapolis Motor Speedway track.

SANCTIONING BODY - Indy Racing League; also open to USAC, CART, NASCAR, SCCA, Formula One and other drivers through international FIA listing.

RACE CARS - Open-cockpit, open-wheel and single-seat, with 3.5-liter, 650-horsepower normally-aspirated V8 engines.

PACE CAR - Oldsmobile Bravada, driven by fashion model Elaine Irwin-Mellencamp.

START - 11 a.m. EST from a flying start, following warmup, parade and pace laps.

FINISH - Standings are unofficial until posted by the IRL.

NUMBER OF STARTERS - 33.

POLE POSITION - Scott Sharp, who qualified a Dallara-Oldsmobile at a four-lap average of 226.037 mph.

DEFENDING CHAMPION - Juan Montoya, who averaged 167.607 mph in his rookie race at Indy. Montoya, now driving in the Formula One series, did not enter the race this year.

FORMER WINNERS IN RACE (4) - Arie Luyendyk (1990, 1997), Al Unser Jr. (1992, 1994), Buddy Lazier (1996), Eddie Cheever (1998).

ROOKIES IN RACE (6) - Helio Castroneves, Jon Herb, Bruno Junqueira, Nicolas Minassian, Cory Witherill, Felipe Giaffone.

OLDEST IN RACE - Arie Luyendyk, 47 (Born Sept. 21, 1953).

YOUNGEST IN RACE - Sarah Fisher, 20 (Born Oct. 4, 1980).

FIELD AVERAGE IN QUALIFICATIONS - 223.303 mph (Record 227.807 mph, 1996)

QUALIFICATION RECORD - 236.986 mph, Arie Luyendyk, 1996.

RACE RECORD - 185.981 mph, Arie Luyendyk, 1990.

PURSE - Depends on attendance and accessory awards; 2000 payoff was a record $9,476,505, of which winner Juan Montoya received $1,235,690 for Ganassi Racing.

CROWD - Estimated at about 400,000. Speedway never discloses attendance but admits to at least 275,000 reserved seats in permanent stands and room for 100,000 or more in the infield.

TELEVISION - Televised live by the American Broadcasting Co., with Al Michaels, host; Bob Jenkins, anchor announcer and play by play; Larry Rice and Jason Priestley, analysts; Jack Arute, Jerry Punch and Vince Welch, pit reporters; and Leslie Gudel, behind the scenes. Indianapolis area blacked out except for local feed to fans at the Speedway.

RADIO - Speedway network live to 1,200 stations in the United States and Canada, plus worldwide coverage on American Forces Radio and special Spanish language broadcast, with Mike King, anchor and play-by-play; Chris Economaki, analyst; former winner Johnny Rutherford, driver expert; Donald Davidson, historian; Jerry Baker, Kevin Lee, Mark Jaynes and Chris Denari, turns; Mike Lewis, Kim Morris, Johnny Parson, pits; Howdy Bell, medical center; and Chuck Marlow, garages.

MORTALITY - There have been 66 deaths at the Speedway, including pre-500 races of 1909-10. Last death was on May 17, 1996, when pole-winner Scott Brayton was killed in a crash during practice.

THE TROPHY - Sterling silver Borg-Warner Trophy, which carries a bas-relief bust of each winner; 92 pounds; 4 feet, 4 inches tall; insured for $1 million. Winner takes home a smaller replica.