Facts and stats from Indy 500 qualifying

Some interesting stats and facts have emerged after qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 was completed over the weekend.

The first belongs to IndyCar communications veteran Arni Sribhen, who shared this observation Sunday night after Team Penske swept the front row (pictured above) for the first time since 1988: In 1988, pole sitter Rick Mears drove a yellow Pennzoil-sponsored car, No. 2 starter Danny Sullivan was a one-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, and No. 3 starter Al Unser was the defending winner of the ‘500.’ This year, Scott McLaughlin drives a Pennzoil-sponsored car, No. 2 starter Will Power is a one-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, and No. 3 starter Josef Newgarden is the defending winner of the ‘500.’

Racing statistician Scott Richards went overboard with fascinating nuggets and shared the following to digest leading into Sunday’s race:

- 31 previous starts among the starters, the 2nd most in the last 30 years (2020 – 41)

- First time since 1991 there have been two former winners on the front row, each with at least 12 previous 500 starts (Power, Newgarden)

- Chevrolet sweeps the front row for the 9th time in history, 2nd most among engine brands behind only Offenhauser (15) and the first time for Chevrolet since 2019.

- Became the 13th driver to win the pole in their 4th 500 start, tied for most amongst experience levels with 2.  However, Scott is only the 2nd to do this since 1978 (2000 – Ray, 2005 – Kanaan)

- Won the pole after 3 previous starts with never starting higher than 14th.  The only other driver to have such a statistic is Jimmy Snyder in 1939, who won the pole in his 5th start after having 4 starting spots 14th or lower.

- McLaughlin is the 22nd polesitter to have never led a lap before in the 500 (excluding rookies), and the most experienced in this category since Scott Sharp in 2001 (had 6 previous starts with 0 laps led)

- Tied Harry Hartz and Wilbur Shaw for the most front row starts in 500 history without winning a pole (5)

- 6 races since his last front row start (2018), combined with Newgarden’s 8 year drought, it’s the first time in 500 history two front row droughts of that length were broken in the same year.

- 8 races since his last front row start (2016), the longest gap of its kind since Scott Brayton’s 10 race gap between 1985-1995.

- First time a defending champion has started on the front row since 2017 (Alexander Rossi)

- Tied Raul Boesel (2002) for the most experienced 3rd place starter since 1993 (12 starts).

Kyle Larson's debut qualifying performance matched that of a certain Fernando Alonso. Phillip Abbott/Motorsport Images

- Have a combined 62 previous starts at the 500, the 2nd highest in history behind the front row of 1991 (Rick Mears, AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti – 71 starts)

- The first time in history a row had 3 drivers with at least 16 previous 500 starts

Four-time winner Helio Castroneves had another forgettable qualifying run. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images