Indianapolis 500 Pole Position Winners

1935: Billy Arnold qualified at 121.687 mph (10-lap qualifying runs) to win the pole position. In post-inspection, it was determined he used too much fuel. Rules allowed drivers to use 3 gallons of fuel maximum for the run, with a margin of error of 1 pint. It was measured that he used 5/8 pint over, and he was disqualified. Rex Mays, the second-fastest qualifier, was elevated to the pole position.

1996: At the conclusion of pole day qualifying, Scott Brayton qualified for the pole-position, Arie Luyendyk qualified second, and Tony Stewart qualified third. Officially it was Brayton's second consecutive Indy pole (1995-1996). One hour and forty-five minutes after qualifying was over, Luyendyk was disqualified for his car being 7 pounds underweight. Stewart was elevated to second position. The following day, Luyendyk qualified with the fastest speed overall, but as a second day qualifier, was required to line up behind the first day qualifiers. Five days later, Brayton was killed in a practice session accident while driving a back-up car. His primary car was taken over by Danny Ongais, but rules required a substitute driver to move to the rear of the field. Thus, Stewart was elevated to the pole position for race day.

Indy 500: Fastest Qualifiers
Years in which pole position winner was not fastest qualifier

Date	Driver	Lap 1	Lap 2	Lap 3	Lap 4	Average
1912	David Bruce-Brown	One-lap qualifying runs				88.45
1913	Jack Tower	One-lap qualifying runs				88.23
1914	Georges Boillot					99.86
1931	Billy Arnold					116.080
1937	Jimmy Snyder	Ten-lap qualifying runs				125.287
1938	Ronney Householder	Ten-lap qualifying runs				125.769
1946	Ralph Hepburn					133.944
1947	Bill Holland					128.755
Sat 5/19/1951	Walt Faulkner	135.542	137.279	136.571	138.122	136.872
1952	Chet Miller					139.034
Sun 5/15/1955	Jack McGrath	143.793	142.608	142.789	141.154	142.580
1957	Paul Russo					145.596
1960	Jim Hurtubise					146.529
Sat 5/22/1976	Mario Andretti	190.638	189.673	189.115	188.206	189.404
Sat 5/16/1981	Tom Sneva	202.429	201.207	200.000	199.159	200.691
Sun 5/12/1991	Gary Bettenhausen	223.936	224.843	224.635	224.461	224.468
Sun 5/12/1996	Arie Luyendyk	236.239	236.948	237.260	237.498	236.986
Sat 5/21/2005	Kenny Brack	227.940	227.595	227.277	227.580	227.598

Indy 500: Pole Position Winners that won the race

Through 2009

1922: Jimmy Murphy
1923: Tommy Milton
1930: Billy Arnold
1938: Floyd Roberts
1953: Bill Vukovich
1956: Pat Flaherty
1963: Parnelli Jones
1970: Al Unser, Sr.
1976: Johnny Rutherford (255 miles due to rain)
1979: Rick Mears
1980: Johnny Rutherford
1981: Bobby Unser
1988: Rick Mears
1991: Rick Mears
1994: Al Unser, Jr.
1997: Arie Luyendyk
2004: Buddy Rice (450 miles due to rain)
2006: Sam Hornish, Jr.
2008: Scott Dixon
2009: Helio Castroneves

Indy 500: Pole Position Winners That Finished Last (33rd place)

Through 2009

1929: Cliff Woodbury (Crashed in turn three after 3 laps)
1985: Pancho Carter (Oil pump failed after 6 laps)
1992: Roberto Guerrero (Crashed on backstrech on second warm-up lap, did not take green flag)
2000: Greg Ray (Crashed on backstrech after completing 67 laps)
2001: Scott Sharp (Crashed in southchute on first lap)

Indy 500: Finishing Position for Pole Position Winners

Through 2009

Winner: (20 times) Jimmy Murphy 1922, Tommy Milton 1923, Billy Arnold 1930, Floyd Roberts 1938, Bill Vukovich 1953, Pat Flaherty 1956, Parnelli Jones 1963, Al Unser Sr 1970, Johnny Rutherford 1976, Rick Mears 1979, Johnny Rutherford 1980, Bobby Unser 1981, Rick Mears 1988, Rick Mears 1991, Al Unser Jr 1994, Arie Luyendyk 1997, Buddy Rice 2004, Sam Hornish Jr 2006, Scott Dixon 2008, Helio Castroneves 2009

2nd: (9 times) Jimmy Snyder 1939, Rex Mays 1940, Eddie Sachs 1961, Peter Revson 1971, Tom Sneva 1977, Tom Sneva 1978, Rick Mears 1982, Arie Luyendyk 1993, Helio Castroneves 2003

3rd: (8 times) Jimmy Murphy 1924, Ted Horn 1947, Jack McGrath 1954, Johnny Thompson 1959, A.J. Foyt 1975, Rick Mears 1986, Emerson Fittipaldi 1990, Helio Castroneves 2007

4th: None

5th: (2 times) Ralph DePalma 1920, Russ Snowberger 1931

6th: (2 times) Leon Duray 1925, Bill Cummings 1937

7th: (3 times) Howdy Wilcox 1915, Walt Faulkner 1950, Parnelli Jones 1962

8th: (3 times) Pat O'Connor 1957, A.J. Foyt 1969, Tony Kanaan 2005

9th: (2 times) Johnny Rutherford 1973, Mario Andretti 1987

10th: (1 time) Duke Nalon 1951

11th: (1 time) Rene Thomas 1919, Kelly Petillo 1934

12th: (2 times) Ralph DePalma 1921, Joe Leonard 1968

13th: None

14th: None

15th: (5 times) Caleb Bragg 1913, Johnny Aitken 1916, Rex Mays 1936, A.J. Foyt 1965, A.J. Foyt 1974

16th: (4 times) Gil Anderson 1912, Earl Cooper 1926, Cliff Bergere 1946, Tom Sneva 1984

17th: (2 times) Rex Mays 1935, Scott Brayton 1995

18th: (2 times) Frank Lockhart 1927, Mario Andretti 1966

19th: (2 times) Leon Duray 1928, Rex Mays 1948

20th: None

21st: (1 time) Eddie Sachs 1960

22nd: (1 time) Arie Luyendyk 1999

23rd: (2 times) Rick Mears 1989, Billy Boat 1998

24th: (2 times) Jim Clark 1964, Tony Stewart 1996

25th: (2 times) Lou Moore 1932, Bill Cummings 1933

26th: (2 times) Mauri Rose 1941, Teo Fabi 1983

27th: (2 times) Fred Agabashian 1952, Dick Rathmann 1958

28th: None

29th: (3 times) Lewis Strang 1911, Jean Chassange 1914, Duke Nalon 1949

30th: (2 times) Mario Andretti 1967, Bobby Unser 1972

31st: (2 times) Jerry Hoyt 1955, Bruno Junquiera 2002

32nd: None

33rd: (5 times) Cliff Woodbury 1929, Pancho Carter 1985, Roberto Guerrero 1992, Greg Ray 2000, Scott Sharp 2001

34th-42nd: none

Finishing Positions for Fastest Qualifiers
Years in which pole winner was not fastest qualifier

Winner: None

2nd: (1 time) Bill Holland 1947

3rd: None

4th: (1 time) Paul Russo 1957

5th-7th: None

8th: (1 time) Mario Andretti 1976

9th-13th: None

14th: (3 times) Georges Boillot 1914, Ronnie Householder 1938, Ralph Hepburn 1946

15th: (1 time) Walt Faulkner 1951

16th: (1 time) Arie Luyendyk 1996

17th: None

18th: (1 time) Jim Hurtubise 1960

19th: (2 times) Jack Tower 1913, Billy Arnold 1931

20th-21st: None

22nd: (2 times) David Bruce-Brown 1912, Gary Bettenhausen 1991

23rd-24th: None

25th: (1 time) Tom Sneva 1981

26th: (2 times) Jack McGrath 1955, Kenny Brack 2005

27th-29th: None

30th: (1 time) Chet Miller 1952

31st: None

32nd: (1 time) Jimmy Snyder 1937

33rd: None

34th-42nd: None