Indianapolis 500 · Pole History

Indy 500 Pole Sitters & Speed Records

Indy 500 pole is decided by a four-lap average speed — not a single lap. Modern-era pole speeds consistently land between 226 and 234 mph. The all-time record, set during the IRL era, is still untouched after three decades.

What is the all-time Indy 500 pole speed record?

Arie Luyendyk holds the all-time Indianapolis 500 four-lap qualifying record at 236.986 mph, set in 1996 for Treadway-Hubbard Racing. Set on May 12, 1996 during the IRL era. Luyendyk also set the single-lap record (237.498 mph) the same day. The record has stood for three decades despite multiple aerodynamic and engine rule changes.

Pole position records

Verified records from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway archive.

All-time four-lap qualifying record
236.986 mph
Arie Luyendyk · Treadway-Hubbard Racing · 1996
Set on May 12, 1996 during the IRL era. Luyendyk also set the single-lap record (237.498 mph) the same day. The record has stood for three decades despite multiple aerodynamic and engine rule changes.

Modern-era pole speeds

Since the introduction of the Dallara DW12 chassis in 2012, Indianapolis 500 pole speeds have consistently landed in the 226–234 mph range for the four-lap average. Year-to-year variation is driven by air temperature (cooler air is denser and faster), wind direction, aero kit packages, and turbocharger boost levels, which IndyCar adjusts each May.

Per-year pole speeds are not listed below because they are precise to three decimal places. Grid Guy publishes them only after they have been cross-checked against the official IMS qualifying summary.

Recent Indy 500 pole sitters

Year-by-year. Active drivers link to their Grid Guy profile.

Indy 500 pole sitters by year
Year	Pole sitter	Team	Note
2025	Robert Shwartzman	PREMA Racing	First-ever rookie pole sitter at the Indy 500.
2024	Scott McLaughlin	Team Penske
2023	Alex Palou	Chip Ganassi Racing
2022	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing
2021	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing
2020	Marco Andretti	Andretti Herta Autosport	First Andretti pole at Indianapolis since Mario Andretti in 1987.
2019	Simon Pagenaud	Team Penske	Won pole and the race in the same year.
2018	Ed Carpenter	Ed Carpenter Racing	Carpenter's third Indy 500 pole — an oval qualifying specialist.
2014	Ed Carpenter	Ed Carpenter Racing
2013	Ed Carpenter	Ed Carpenter Racing

Showing verified pole sitters. Years not listed here are pending operator verification before publication.

How is Indy 500 pole position decided?

Pole position is decided in the Fast Six pole shootout on the Sunday of qualifying weekend. The six fastest cars from Top 12 qualifying each get one final four-lap attempt; the fastest four-lap average sets the pole, and the rest fill positions 2–6.

The four-lap average is unique to Indy 500 qualifying — most racing series use a single fastest lap. The four-lap format rewards consistency over a single fast lap and forces teams to manage tire degradation and fuel load across the run.

Pole-position FAQ

What is the all-time Indy 500 pole speed record?

Arie Luyendyk holds the all-time Indy 500 four-lap qualifying record at 236.986 mph, set in 1996 for Treadway-Hubbard Racing. The record was set during the IRL era and has stood for three decades despite multiple aerodynamic and engine rule changes.

How is Indy 500 pole position decided?

Indy 500 pole is decided by a four-lap average speed in the Fast Six pole shootout on the Sunday of qualifying weekend. Each driver runs one four-lap attempt; the fastest average wins pole. This is different from most racing series, which use a single-lap time.

Who was the most recent Indy 500 pole sitter?

Robert Shwartzman won pole for the 2025 Indianapolis 500, driving for PREMA Racing. First-ever rookie pole sitter at the Indy 500.

Has a rookie ever won pole for the Indy 500?

Yes, but only once. Robert Shwartzman took pole at the 2025 Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in his first month of IndyCar competition for PREMA Racing — the first rookie pole sitter in the race's history.