Indy 500: Qualifying Statistics

Year	Total Entries	Qualified Cars	Qualifying Attempts	Completed Attempts	Bumped Cars	Too Slow	Notes
1946	58	33		35		2
1947	51	30
1948	80	33		38		5
1949	66	32		42		9
1950	68	33	49	38	2	3
1951	72	33	59	39	2	4	6th day of qualifying rained out, moved to Monday
Four days of qualifying scheduled
1952	71	33	55	39	5	1	2nd and 4th day rained out, 5th day of qualifying held Monday
1953	84	33	73	43	7	3	1st day rained out
1954	65	33	75	44	10	1
1955	58	33	64	37	4	0
1956	59	33	42	34	1	0	3rd day rained out
1957	56	33	71	44	9	2	2nd day rained out
1958	61	33	57	40	6	1
1959	66	33	69	37	2	2
1960	69	33	52	37	3	1	3rd day rained out
1961	72	33	78	40	4	3
1962	66	33	72	39	4	2
1963	61	33	75	40	7	0
1964	68	33	62	39	1	5
1965	79	33	53	38	4	1
1966	90	33	56	35	2	0
1967	77	33	63	44	10	1
1968	84	33	63	43	7	3	Rain on 4th day rain pushed qualifying to a 5th day on Monday
1969	84	33	60	35	2	0	1st and 2nd day rained out
1970	77	33	60	42	5	4
1971	81	33	62	42	9	(1 WD) 0
1972	83	33	47	34	1	0	Zero cars completed a run on 1st day due to rain, pole qualifying pushed into 2nd and 3rd day
1973	68	33	48	36	2	1
Year	Total Entries	Qualified Cars	Qualifying Attempts	Completed Attempts	Bumped Cars	Too Slow	Notes
Two days of qualifying scheduled (2 rounds per day)
1974	61	33	37	36	2	(1 WD) 0
Year	Total Entries	Qualified Cars	Qualifying Attempts	Completed Attempts	Bumped Cars	Too Slow	Notes
Four days of qualifying scheduled
1975	61	33	51	36	3	0
1976	71	33	53	39	6	0
1977	85	33	77	37	3	1
1978	92	33	52	37	3	1	1st and 2nd day rained out
1979	100	35	78	49	11	5	1st day rained out. Due to a controversey during the month of May, where some entries were initially denied, a settlement was determined to allow a fifth day of time trials, which was held the day before the race. No qualified cars could be bumped by the additional qualifiers. Any car which posted a time trial run faster than the 33rd (slowest) car previous qualified, would be added to the field. Only two cars posted speeds fast enough, and comprosed of positions 34 and 35.
1980	99	33	53	40	7	0	3rd day rained out
1981	105	33	90	46	11	(1 DQ) 2	Rain halts pole day, and rained out 2nd day; pole qualifying stretched to 3rd day
1982	109	33	54	35	2	0
1983	93	33	44	34	1	0	1st and 2nd day rained out
1984	117	33	57	35	1	(1 DQ) 2	4th day rained out; field was filled prior to 4th day
1985	79	33	57	42	7	1
1986	68	33	53	36	3	1
1987	76	33	64	39	3	2
1988	92	33	67	36	3	0
1989	107	33	63	38	5	0
1990	97	33	50	38	5	0	1st day rained out, pole qualifying streched over 2nd and 3rd day
1991	88	33	51	35	2	0
1992	95	33	60	37	3	1	Due to rain, pole day stretched over 1st and 2nd days
1993	102	33	72	40	6	1
1994	109	33	62	38	2	(3 WD) 0	Due to rain, pole day stretched over 1st and 2nd days
1995	104	33	71	36	2	(1 WD) 1	Due to rain, pole day stretched over 1st and 2nd days
1996	77	33	42	35	1	(1 WD) 1	The top 25 drivers in IRL points going into the Indy 500 were allowed a guaranteed starting position.
1997	64	35	47	36	3	0	The top 25 drivers in IRL points going into the Indy 500 were allowed a guaranteed starting position. Two bumped During the final two days of qualifying, the field filled to 33 cars prior to the point at which the top 25 drivers in IRL points had achieved a starting position. As a result of this, two cars were bumped out of the starting grid because they were the slowest two cars that did not have guarantted positions. They were added back to the field after qualifying.
Year	Total Entries	Qualified Cars	Qualifying Attempts	Completed Attempts	Bumped Cars	Too Slow	Notes
Two days of qualifying scheduled
1998	75	33	69	37	2	2
1999	85	33	56	38	5	0
2000	94	33	67	38	5	0
Year	Total Entries	Qualified Cars	Qualifying Attempts	Completed Attempts	Bumped Cars	Too Slow	Notes
Three days of qualifying scheduled
2001	93	33	69	45	6	(3 WD) 3
2002	89	33	49	35	1	(1 WD) 0		2nd day rained out
2003	69	33	38	33	0	0	1st day rained out
2004	67	33	45	33	0	0
Year	Total Entries	Qualified Cars	Qualifying Attempts	Completed Attempts	Bumped Cars	Too Slow	Notes
Four days of qualifying scheduled (11 cars per day)
2005	68	33	47	41	Day 1: N/A Day 2: 3 Day 3: 0 Day 4: 1	3 withdrawn 1 too slow	1st day rained out 22 positions open for second day
2006	70	33	35	34	Day 1: N/A Day 2: N/A Day 3: 0 Day 4: 0	1 withdrawn 0 too slow	1st and 2nd day rained out 33 positions open on third day
2007	69 entries 35 car/driver combos	33	Day 1: 27 Day 2: 17 Day 3: 12 Day 4: 4 Total: 60	Day 1: 26 Day 2: 16 Day 3: 10 Day 4: 3 Total: 55	Day 1: 6 Day 2: 5 Day 3: 0 Day 4: 1 Total: 12	Day 1: 5 too slow; 5 WD Day 2: 0 too slow; 0 WD Day 3: 0 too slow; 0 WD Day 4: 0 too slow; 1 WD
2008	38 car/driver combos	33	Day 1: 31 Day 2: N/A Day 3: 25 Day 4: 9 Total: 65	Day 1: 26 Day 2: N/A Day 3: 22 Day 4: 7 Total: 55	Day 1: 7 Day 2: N/A Day 3: 0 Day 4: 4 Total:	Day 1: 2 too slow; 3 WD Day 2: N/A Day 3: 0 too slow; 0 WD Day 4: 3 too slow; 0 WD	2nd day rained out 22 positions open on third day Day 1- one attempt waved off before green flag Day 3- two attempts waved off before green flag Day 3- One attempt halted by officials due to rain

Notes

1996: The top 25 drivers in IRL points going into the Indy 500 were allowed a guaranteed starting position.

1997: The top 25 drivers in IRL points going into the Indy 500 were allowed a guaranteed starting position. During the final two days of qualifying, the field filled to 33 cars prior to the point at which the top 25 drivers in IRL points had achieved their guarantted starting position. As a result of this, the remaining top-25 cars would bump their way into the field by bumping out a non-top-25 car, even if the speed was not faster. As a result, when time trials was over, two cars bumped out of the field re-added to the field.

2005-2008: A new qualifying procedure was implemented such that only 11 cars would qualify on each of the first three days of qualifying. After 11 cars were qualified on a given day, bumping would begin and only the fastest 11 cars would make the field that day. The rules regarding the number of attempts per car was relaxed, from three attempts per month to three attempts per day. Also, cars that were bumped were allowed to requalify, something that previously was prohibited.

2005: Rain washed out pole day, so 22 cars were to be qualified on the second day of time trials. Bumping began when the field reached 22 cars. Three cars were withdrawn and requalified, and three cars were bumped in the new procedure.

2006: The first two days of qualifying were rained out. Therefore on the third day of qualifying, all 33 positions would be filled before bumping would begin. However, only one car was withdrawn in the entire qualifying order. Only one qualifying attempt was not run to completion, and no bumping occured on any day.

2007: For the first time since the new system was implemented in 2005, all four days of qualifying were held without any rain delays. Bumping was possible on all four days. Bumping occured on three of the four days.

2008: Rain washed out the second day of qualifying. Therefore, the third day of qualifying, positions 12-33 were available. The field filled to 33 cars before the end of the afternoon, but time ran out before additional cars were able to go out and begin bumping for the day.