2008 Indianapolis 500 facts and figures
Facts and figures of the 92nd Indianapolis 500 to be held Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
Distance -- 500 miles; 200 laps around the asphalt-on-brick Indianapolis Motor Speedway track, a 2 1/2-mile rectangular oval.
Sanctioning body -- Indy Racing League; also open to USAC, NASCAR, SCCA, Formula One and other drivers through international FIA listing.
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| 2008 Indy 500 front row (from left): Ryan Briscoe, Dan Wheldon and pole-sitter Scott Dixon. (IndyCar media) |
Pace car -- Chevrolet Corvette Z06, driven by two-time Indy winner Emerson Fittipaldi.
Start -- 1 p.m. EDT from a flying start, following warmup, parade and pace laps.
Finish-- Standings are unofficial until posted by the IRL.
Number of starters -- 33 cars, three abreast in each of 11 rows.
Pole position -- Scott Dixon, who averaged 226.366 mph in 4-lap qualifications. Will start first, the inside of the front row.
Slowest qualifier -- Marty Roth, who averaged 218.965 mph. Will start 33rd, the outside of the 11th row.
Fastest rookie -- Hideki Mutoh, 223.887 mph. Will start ninth, the outside of the third row.
2007 winner -- Dario Franchitti, who averaged 151.744 mph in a race shortened to 415 miles by rain. Franchitti, now racing in NASCAR, is not entered this year.
Former winners in race (4) -- Buddy Lazier (1996), Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002), Buddy Rice (2004), Dan Wheldon (2005).
Rookies in race (11) -- Hideki Mutoh, Graham Rahal, Justin Wilson, Alex Lloyd, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Will Power, Oriol Servia, E.J. Viso, Mario Moraes, Enrique Bernoldi and Jaime Camara.
Youngest in race -- Graham Rahal, 19 (Born Jan. 4, 1989).
Oldest in race -- Marty Roth, 49 (Born Dec. 15, 1958).
Most previous races -- Buddy Lazier (15).
Foreign born (20) -- Scott Dixon, New Zealand; Dan Wheldon, England; Ryan Briscoe, Australia; Helio Castroneves, Brazil; Tony Kanaan, Brazil; Vitor Meira, Brazil; Hideki Mutoh, Japan; Tomas Scheckter, South Africa; Darren Manning, England; Bruno Junqueira, Brazil; Justin Wilson, England; Alex Lloyd, England; Will Power, Australia; Oriol Servia, Spain; E.J. Viso, Venezuela; Milka Duno, Venezuela; Mario Moraes, Brazil; Enrique Bernoldi, Brazil; Jaime Camara, Brazil; Marty Roth, Canada.
Field average in qualifications -- 222.302 mph (Record 228.648 mph, 2002)
Qualification record -- 236.986 mph, Arie Luyendyk, 1996.
Race record -- 185.981 mph, Arie Luyendyk, 1990.
Closest finish -- 0.043 seconds, Al Unser Jr. over Scott Goodyear, 1992.
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| Dario Franchitti, the 2007 Indy 500 winner, kisses the Borg-Warner trophy. (Getty Images) |
Crowd -- Estimated at about 400,000. Speedway never discloses attendance but admits to more than 250,000 reserved seats in permanent stands and room for 100,000 or more in the infield.
Television -- Televised live by ABC, with host Brent Musburger, lead announcer Marty Reid, analysts Eddie Cheever and Scott Goodyear, and pit reporters Jack Arute, Jamie Little, Brienne Pedigo and Vince Welch.
Radio --More than 400 affiliate IMS Radio Network radio stations throughout the United States and Canada, plus the LeSea Broadcasting network, which provides worldwide shortwave radio coverage, and the American Forces Radio Network, which broadcasts to U.S. military installations and ships around the world. Mike King, anchor; Dave Wilson, color commentator; Johnny Parsons, analyst; Donald Davidson, historian; Chris Economaki, commentator; Jerry Baker, Turn 1 reporter; Bob Jenkins, Turn 2 reporter; Mark Jaynes, Turn 3 reporter; Chris Denari, Turn 4 reporter; and Dave Argabright, Kevin Lee, Jake Query and Kevin Olson, pit reporters.
Mortality -- There have been 67 deaths at the Speedway, including pre-500 races of 1909-10. Last death was Oct. 22, 2003, when driver Tony Renna crashed during private tire tests.
The trophy -- Sterling silver Borg-Warner Trophy, 5-feet, 4 3/4-inches, 150-pounds, with bas-relief bust of each winner. Valued at $1 million, on permanent display at Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Each winner receives an 18-inch sterling silver replica.
