Most cars ever to finsh on the lead lap?

[SarahFan]

2004 saw 14

is that the record?



any predictions on how many tomorrow?

[dataman1]

I predict 6 on the lead lap at the finish. 2- Target cars, 2- Penske, 1- Andretti Green and Vitor in the Panther car. This is totally a guess.

[SarahFan]

I predict 6 on the lead lap at the finish. 2- Target cars, 2- Penske, 1- Andretti Green and Vitor in the Panther car. This is totally a guess.


interesting.......I was going to set the over/under at 5.5

[SarahFan]

1950 saw a single driver on the lead lap...but it was rain shortnened

1998 saw 3 drivers on the lead lap

[dataman1]

Ken, I wasn't close. 15 finished on the lead lap. A new record?

[SarahFan]

Ken, I wasn't close. 15 finished on the lead lap. A new record?

15 on the lead lap is truly remarkable IMO

might have been more had a handful of front runners not DNFed...of coarse the flip side is less yellows the field likely gets more strung out..


either way pretty impressive

[!!WALDO!!]

Ken, I wasn't close. 15 finished on the lead lap. A new record?

In the days of the race being over once the checkered is drop, yes.

In 1967 only one finished 500 miles, that was the first time.




(NO REFERENCE, IMPLIED OR REAL TO ANY POSTER, LIVING, DEAD, or NOT YET BORN.)

[coogmaster]

Here are some stats (indycar.com):

2008 - 15 cars on lead lap

2002 - 11

1993 & 2006 - 10

2003 & 2005 - 9

1995 - 7

1999, 2000, 2001 - 6




These races weren't rain shortened. For those:

2004 - 14

2007 - 13


Does anyone know the first year the race was over at the checkered flag, instead of lettting the cars run for 5 mins?

[Alexamateo]

Does anyone know the first year the race was over at the checkered flag, instead of lettting the cars run for 5 mins?

In 1974 the fans stormed onto the track after Johnny Rutherford won so they stopped then and after that decided to only allow drivers to complete the lap they were on after the winner. It was planned for 1975 & 1976, but those were rain-shortened, so 1977 was the first year it was implemented as planned. It had ended when the winner took the checkers before, like in 1967 when there was a wreck on the main straight on the last lap, but that was the first year it was planned that way.

[!!WALDO!!]

In 1974 the fans stormed onto the track after Johnny Rutherford won so they stopped then and after that decided to only allow drivers to complete the lap they were on after the winner. It was planned for 1975 & 1976, but those were rain-shortened, so 1977 was the first year it was implemented as planned. It had ended when the winner took the checkers before, like in 1967 when there was a wreck on the main straight on the last lap, but that was the first year it was planned that way.

The 1977 race was to have the 5 minute rule but fans did come out in turn 3 to greet Foyt.
I remember cars running past the checkered in 1974 but Vukovich and crew were so far behind that 199 was all they could get.

In 1968 the 15 minute rule was still in place and in 1969 it was shortened to the 5 minute rule. If a caution came out at any point then the Checkered was thrown and the race was over. Ronnie Duman coming to finish his 500 miles in 1968 blew his engine ending Billy Vukovich's effort that year to complete the distance, otherwise he would have.

1978 was the first year of the "field Checkered" and 1979 was the bunch up rule.

(NO REFERENCE, IMPLIED OR REAL TO ANY POSTER, LIVING, DEAD, or NOT YET BORN.)