All-time lap leaders

*Two hundred fifty drivers have led the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, in 109 races. *Career lap leader percentage rounded to hundredths of a percent. *Green indicates drivers active as of most recent race. *

Lora L. Corum Lora Lawrence Corum (January 8, 1899 – March 7, 1949) was a co-winner of the 1924 Indianapolis 500. Biography Corum was born on January 8, 1899, in Jonesville, Indiana to Margaret Hannah Marquette and William Cecil Corum. During the 1924 I ...

and

Floyd Davis Floyd Eldon Davis (March 9, 1905 – May 31, 1977) was an American racing driver, and the co-winner of the 1941 Indianapolis 500. Floyd Davis drove the first 72 laps of the 1941 race before being replaced by Mauri Rose, who completed the race i ...

are credited as being co-winners of the Indianapolis 500 in 1924 and 1941, respectively. However, as the winning entries in either race led only after their secondary drivers drove (and to the conclusion), Corum and Davis are not credited with leading any of those laps, nor did they lead throughout the remainder of their careers.

Lap Leaders, Individual Races

Most Laps Led

''Fifty-seven of one hundred seven Indianapolis 500-Mile Races have been won by the driver leading the most laps, 53.27%.''

More than 50% of race laps led, non-winning entries

Twenty separate entries in equal years, driven by sixteen drivers, have failed to win despite leading over half a given race's completed laps.

Lap leader records

Led opening lap and final lap: 21 entries among 19 drivers * Jimmy Murphy, 1922 *

Joe Boyer Joseph Boyer Jr. (May 30, 1890 – September 2, 1924) was an American racing driver, and a winner of the 1924 Indianapolis 500. Early life Boyer was born on May 30, 1890, in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Jo ...

, 1924 (only occasion of occurrence in separate entries) *

Peter DePaolo Peter DePaolo (April 6, 1898 – November 26, 1980) was an American racing driver who is remembered as one of the greatest racers of his generation. He won the 1925 Indianapolis 500, and was a two-time National Champion, winning in 1925 and 1927. ...

, 1925 *

Lee Wallard Leland Wallard (September 7, 1910 – November 29, 1963) was an American racing driver. After a slow start to his career, the unheralded Wallard scored a "Cinderella" victory, authoring a dominating performance in the 1951 Indianapolis 500. Days ...

, 1951 *

Bill Vukovich William Vukovich (born Vaso Vukovich, December 13, 1918 – May 30, 1955) was an American racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500s, plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races, and died while leadin ...

, 1953 *

Jimmy Bryan James Ernest "Jimmy" Bryan (January 28, 1926 – June 19, 1960) was an American Auto racing, racing driver. Well-known for his habit of racing with an unlit cigar, Bryan was a three-time List of American open-wheel racing national champions, Nati ...

, 1958 *

Jim Clark James Clark (4 March 1936 – 7 April 1968) was a British racing driver from Scotland, who competed in Formula One from to . Clark won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles with Lotus, and—at the time of his death—held the ...

, 1965 *

Mario Andretti Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an American former racing driver and businessman, who competed in Formula One from to , and American open-wheel racing, IndyCar from 1964 USAC Championship Car season, 1964 to 1994 IndyCar se ...

, 1969 *

Al Unser Alfred Unser (May 29, 1939 – December 9, 2021) was an American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser Jr. He was the second of four men ( A. J. Foyt, himself, Ri ...

, 1970 *

Johnny Rutherford John Sherman Rutherford III (born March 12, 1938), also known as "Lone Star JR", is an American former automobile racing driver. During an Indy Car career that spanned more than three decades, he scored 27 wins and 23 pole positions in 314 start ...

, 1976 *Johnny Rutherford, 1980 *

Bobby Unser Robert William Unser (February 20, 1934 – May 2, 2021) was an American automobile racer. At his induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1994, he had the fourth most IndyCar Series wins at 35 (behind his brother Al Unser, Al, A ...

, 1981 *

Rick Mears Richard Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is an American former race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (197 ...

, 1984 *

Emerson Fittipaldi Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . Fittipaldi won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he won in and with Team ...

, 1989 *Rick Mears, 1991 * Al Unser Jr., 1994 *

Buddy Rice Albert Lee "Buddy" Rice (born January 31, 1976) is an American former race car driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing. Career E ...

, 2004 *

Scott Dixon Scott Ronald Dixon (born 22 July 1980) is a New Zealand racing driver who races the 9 Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) Dallara DW12-Honda car in the IndyCar Series. He is a six-time drivers' champion of the IndyCar Series, having claimed the title in ...

, 2008 *

Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves (; born Hélio Alves de Castro Neves; 10 May 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He competes part-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 06 Dallara-Honda for Meyer Shank Racing. He is one of four drivers to have w ...

, 2009 *

Dario Franchitti George Dario Marino Franchitti (born 19 May 1973) is a British motorsport commentator and retired motor racing driver from Scotland. Franchitti won the IndyCar Series Drivers' Championship in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011; the Indianapolis 500 in ...

, 2010 *

Simon Pagenaud Simon Pierre Michel Pagenaud (; born 18 May 1984) is a French professional racing driver, who last drove the No. 60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing in the NTT IndyCar Series. After a successful career in sports car racing that saw him taking the ...

, 2019

Leaders Circle Club

In 1964,

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created the "Pacemakers Club," which recognized drivers who had led at least one lap during the Indianapolis 500. It quickly rose in stature and popularity, and became a highly sought-after honor associated with the Indianapolis 500. After changes in sponsorship, the organization was renamed the "Leaders Circle Club". The qualifications were simple: any driver who had led at least one lap during the history of the race, whether living or already deceased, were recognized as members. At its inception, 102 drivers were listed as members. A total of 56 were deceased at the time, and 46 were living. Honorees receive a jacket, and are honored at a banquet in their honor. The number of new members inducted at the banquet varies annually, as it is solely based on the previous year's first-time lap leaders. Some years can have as few as one or zero new members inducted, while other years have had as many as 4-5. The "club" is still active as of 2012.

All-time lap leaders

Lap Leaders, Individual Races

Most Laps Led

More than 50% of race laps led, non-winning entries

Lap leader records

Leaders Circle Club

Notes

References

See also