Through 2010
# Driver Year SP FP ------------------------------------------- 32 Zeke Meyer 1938 38th to 6th 31 Scott Goodyear 1992 33rd to 2nd (best result in a 33-car field) 31 Tom Sneva 1980 33rd to 2nd (best result in a 33-car field) 31 Myron Stevens 1931 35th to 4th 30 Mario Andretti 1981 32nd to 2nd 30 Jim Rathmann 1957 32nd to 2nd 30 Dave Evans 1933 36th to 6th 29 Gary Bettenhausen 1980 32nd to 3rd 29 Johnny Thompson 1955 33rd to 4th 29 Ted Horn 1937 32nd to 3rd 28 Jim McElreath 1970 33rd to 5th 28 Peter Revson 1969 33rd to 5th 28 Kelly Petillo 1932 40th to 12th 27 Gordon Johncock 1991 33rd to 6th 27 Andy Linden 1951 31st to 4th 27 Louis Meyer 1936 28th to 1st 27 Willard Prentiss 1933 40th to 13th 27 Freddie Winnai 1932 35th to 8th 27 Dave Evans 1930 33rd to 6th 27 Ray Harroun 1911 28th to 1st 27 Ralph Mulford 1911 29th to 2nd -------------------------------------------
1980: Tom Sneva started 33rd and became the first driver in Indy history to start 33rd (last) and lead the race. He led two times for 16 laps (74-84 and 143-147). Sneva wound up finishing second to Johnny Rutherford.
1981: Mario Andretti started 32nd and led three times for 12 laps. Andretti finished second when the race was finished. A day later, when official results were posted, winner Bobby Unser was penalized for passing cars under the caution while exiting the pits under the blend line. Andretti was elevated to 1st place (+31 positions), and tentatively sat as the first driver to ever win the race from the final row. In October, the penality was recinded, and Andretti was officially credited with second place. 2010: Tony Kanaan crashed twice during practice and time trials, and finally qualified his back-up car on Bump Day in 32nd position. Prior to the race, the team swapped chassis, re-assigning Kanaan back to his primary machine. The decision moved Kanaan to the rear of the field (33rd place), a drop of only one position. During the race, Kanaan worked his way through the field, and on lap 114, took over second place. Kanaan stayed in the top ten throughout the second half, and was running in second place as late as lap 194. However, he was forced to pit for a splash-and-go of fuel with six laps to go, and finished 11th.
Through 2010
# Driver Year SP FP ------------------------------------------ 34 Frank Brisco 1933 2nd to 36th 33 Chet Gardner 1930 5th to 38th (last place) 32 Scott Sharp 2001 1st to 33rd (last place) Greg Ray 2000 1st to 33rd (last place) Roberto Guerrero 1992 1st to 33rd (last place) Pancho Carter 1985 1st to 33rd (last place) Cliff Woodbury 1929 1st to 33rd (last place) 31 Mike Mosley 1981 2nd to 33rd (last place) Don Branson 1961 2nd to 33rd (last place) Andy Linden 1952 2nd to 33rd (last place) Paul Russo 1946 2nd to 33rd (last place) 30 Bruno Junquiera 2002 1st to 31st Jerry Hoyt 1955 1st to 31st Louis Disbrow 1911 5th to 35th 29 Gordon Johncock 1975 2nd to 31st Bobby Unser 1972 1st to 30th Peter Revson 1972 2nd to 31st Mario Andretti 1968 4th to 33rd (last place) Mario Andretti 1967 1st to 30th Ira Hall 1933 8th to 37th Billy Arnold 1932 2nd to 31st Bryan Saulspaugh 1932 3rd to 32nd Paul Bost 1932 8th to 37th Babe Stapp 1931 6th to 35th ------------------------------------------