There have been 19 multiple winners during the first 99 events, who have collected 51 victories between them. Leaving 48 single race winners and 67 different victors in total.
The race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana. The Indianapolis 500 is an open-wheel car race and is currently sanctioned by Indy Racing League LLC, and has been run as an IndyCar Series event since 1996. The Indianapolis 500 is considered one of the most traditional and historical races in the world, and is also considered one of the three most significant motorsport races in the world.
The first Indianapolis 500 was held in 1911, where Ray Harroun was declared the first winner, driving the Marmon Wasp. The race has been run annually since 1911 (with exceptions during World War I and World War II) and 69 drivers have been crowned champions of the 500-mile race over the course of 98 races. The most race victories held by a single driver is four, which has been accomplished only by A. J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears.
The Indianapolis 500 has also drawn many international drivers to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway over the years, with 26 of the winners coming from outside of the United States, representing nine separate countries. The most recent champion of the Indianapolis 500 is Juan Pablo Montoya, winner of the 2015 race.
The winner of the Indianapolis 500 receives many prizes, many based on past tradition. One of the most iconic traditions is for the winner of the Indianapolis 500 to drink a bottle of milk, a tradition started by Louis Meyer who won the race in 1936.
The winner is also presented with a wreath in victory lane, and has the opportunity to kiss the yard of brick (the start/finish line), an Indianapolis Motor Speedway tradition started by NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett in 1996 at the Brickyard 400 and adopted by 500 winners since 2003.
The winner of the race also receives the pace car used during that race, and will have a bas-relief sculpture of their face added to the base of the Borg-Warner Trophy. The Borg-Warner Trophy has been used since 1936 and along with the sculpture on the original trophy, the winning driver and car owner receive a small replica.
The Indianapolis 500 winner also receives a large purse, Emerson Fittipaldi was the first driver to crack the $US1 million mark in 1989 while in 2015 Montoya received $US2.449 million.
| YEAR | DRIVER | CHASSIS/ENGINE | AVG. MPH | START | TEAM | POLE |
| 2018 | Will Power | Dallara/Chevrolet | 166.935 | 59 | Penske | Ed Carpenter |
| 2017 | Takuma Sato | Dallara/Honda | 155.395 | 17 | Andretti | Scott Dixon |
| 2016 | Alexander Rossi | Dallara/Honda | 166.634 | 14 | Andretti-Herta | James Hinchcliffe |
| 2015 | Juan-Pablo Montoya | Dallara/Chevrolet | 161.341 | 15 | Penske | Will Power |
| 2014 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Dallara/Chevrolet | 186.583 | 19 | Andretti Autosport | Ed Carpenter |
| 2013 | Tony Kanaan | Dallara/Chevrolet | 187.433 | 12 | Ganassi | Ed Carpenter |
| 2012 | Dario Franchitti | Dallara/Honda | 167.734 | 16 | Ganassi | Ryan Briscoe |
| 2011 | Dan Wheldon | Dallara/Honda | 170.265 | 6 | Bryan Herta | Alex Tagliani |
| 2010 | Dario Franchitti | Dallara/Honda | 161.623 | 3 | Ganassi | Helio Castroneves |
| 2009 | Helio Castroneves | Dallara/Honda | 150.318 | 1 | Penske | Helio Castroneves |
| 2008 | Scott Dixon | Dallara/Honda | 143.567 | 1 | Ganassi | Scott Dixon |
| 2007 | Dario Franchitti | Dallara/Honda | 151.774 | 3 | Andretti-Green | Helio Castroneves |
| 2006 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Dallara/Honda | 157.085 | 1 | Penske | Sam Hornish Jr. |
| 2005 | Dan Wheldon | Dallara/Honda | 157.603 | 16 | Andretti-Green | Tony Kanaan |
| 2004 | Buddy Rice | G Force/Honda | 138.518 | 1 | Rahal-Letterman | Buddy Rice |
| 2003 | Gil de Ferran | G Force/Toyota | 156.291 | 10 | Penske | Helio Castroneves |
| 2002 | Helio Castroneves | Dallara/Chevy | 166.499 | 13 | Penske | Bruno Junqueira |
| 2001 | Helio Castroneves | Dallara/Oldsmobile | 141.574 | 11 | Penske | Scott Sharp |
| 2000 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Dallara/Oldsmobile | 167.607 | 2 | Ganassi | Greg Ray |
| 1999 | Kenny Brack | Dallara/Aurora | 153.176 | 8 | A.J. Foyt | Arie Luyendyk |
| 1998 | Eddie Cheever Jr. | Dallara/Aurora | 145.155 | 17 | Cheever | Billy Boat |
| 1997 | Arie Luyendyk | G Force/Aurora | 145.827 | 1 | Treadway | Arie Luyendyk |
| 1996 | Buddy Lazier | Reynard/Ford | 147.956 | 5 | Hemelgarn | Tony Stewart |
| 1995 | Jacques Villeneuve | Reynard/Ford | 153.616 | 5 | Green | Scott Brayton |
| 1994 | Al Unser Jr. | Penske/Mercedes | 160.872 | 1 | Penske | Al Unser Jr. |
| 1993 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Penske/Chevrolet | 157.207 | 9 | Penske | Arie Luyendyk |
| 1992 | Al Unser Jr. | Galmer/Chevrolet | 134.477 | 12 | Galles-Kraco | Roberto Guerrero |
| 1991 | Rick Mears | Penske/Chevrolet | 176.457 | 1 | Penske | Rick Mears |
| 1990 | Arie Luyendyk | Lola/Chevrolet | 185.981 | 3 | Shierson | Emerson Fittipaldi |
| 1989 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Penske/Chevrolet | 167.581 | 3 | Patrick | Rick Mears |
| 1988 | Rick Mears | Penske/Chevrolet | 144.809 | 1 | Penske | Rick Mears |
| 1987 | Al Unser | March/Cosworth | 162.175 | 20 | Penske | Mario Andretti |
| 1986 | Bobby Rahal | March/Cosworth | 170.722 | 4 | Truesports | Rick Mears |
| 1985 | Danny Sullivan | March/Cosworth | 152.982 | 8 | Penske | Pancho Carter |
| 1984 | Rick Mears | March/Cosworth | 163.612 | 3 | Penske | Tom Sneva |
| 1983 | Tom Sneva | March/Cosworth | 162.117 | 4 | Bignotti-Cotter | Teo Fabi |
| 1982 | Gordon Johncock | Wildcat/Cosworth | 162.029 | 5 | STP/Patrick | Rick Mears |
| 1981 | Bobby Unser | Penske/Cosworth | 139.084 | 1 | Penske | Bobby Unser |
| 1980 | Johnny Rutherford | Chaparral/Cosworth | 142.862 | 1 | Chaparral | Johnny Rutherford |
| 1979 | Rick Mears | Penske/Cosworth | 158.899 | 1 | Penske | Rick Mears |
| 1978 | Al Unser | Lola/Cosworth | 161.363 | 5 | Chaparral | Tom Sneva |
| 1977 | A.J. Foyt Jr. | Coyote/Foyt | 161.331 | 4 | A.J. Foyt | Tom Sneva |
| 1976 | Johnny Rutherford | McLaren/Offy | 148.725 | 1 | McLaren | Johnny Rutherford |
| 1975 | Bobby Unser | Eagle/Offy | 149.213 | 3 | All American Racers | A.J. Foyt Jr. |
| 1974 | Johnny Rutherford | McLaren/Offy | 158.589 | 25 | McLaren | A.J. Foyt Jr. |
| 1973 | Gordon Johncock | Eagle/Offy | 159.036 | 11 | Patrick | Johnny Rutherford |
| 1972 | Mark Donohue | McLaren/Offy | 162.962 | 3 | Penske | Bobby Unser |
| 1971 | Al Unser | Colt/Ford | 157.735 | 5 | P. Jones | Peter Revson |
| 1970 | Al Unser | Colt/Ford | 155.749 | 1 | P. Jones | Al Unser |
| 1969 | Mario Andretti | Hawk/Ford | 156.867 | 2 | STP | A.J. Foyt Jr. |
| 1968 | Bobby Unser | Eagle/Offy | 152.882 | 1 | Leader Cards | Joe Leonard |
| 1967 | A.J. Foyt | Coyote/Ford | 151.207 | 4 | Ansted-Thompson | Mario Andretti |
| 1966 | Graham Hill | Lola/Ford | 144.317 | 15 | J. Mecom Jr. | Mario Andretti |
| 1965 | Jim Clark | Lotus/Ford | 150.686 | 2 | Lotus | A.J. Foyt Jr. |
| 1964 | A.J. Foyt Jr. | Watson/Offy | 147.350 | 5 | Ansted-Thompson | Jim Clark |
| 1963 | Parnelli Jones | Watson/Offy | 143.137 | 1 | J.C. Agajanian | Parnelli Jones |
| 1962 | Rodger Ward | Watson/Offy | 140.293 | 2 | Leader Cards | Parnelli Jones |
| 1961 | A.J. Foyt | Trevis/Offy | 139.130 | 7 | Bignotti-Bowes | Eddie Sachs |
| 1960 | Jim Rathman | Watson/Offy | 138.767 | 2 | Ken-Paul | Eddie Sachs |
| 1959 | Rodger Ward | Watson/Offy | 135.857 | 6 | Leader Cards | Johnny Thomson |
| 1958 | Jimmy Bryan | Salih/Offy | 133.791 | 7 | G. Salih | Dick Rathmann |
| 1957 | Sam Hanks | Salih/Offy | 135.601 | 13 | G. Salih | Pat O’Connor |
| 1956 | Pat Flaherty | Watson/Offy | 128.490 | 1 | J. Zink | Pat Flaherty |
| 1955 | Bob Sweikert | KK500C/Offy | 128.213 | 14 | J. Zink | Jerry Hoyt |
| 1954 | Bill Vukovich | KK500A/Offy | 130.840 | 19 | H. Keck | Jack McGrath |
| 1953 | Bill Vukovich | KK500A/Offy | 128.740 | 1 | H. Keck | Bill Vukovich |
| 1952 | Troy Ruttman | Kuzma/Offy | 128.922 | 7 | J.C. Agajanian | Freddie Agabashian |
| 1951 | Lee Wallard | Kurtis/Offy | 126.244 | 2 | M. Belanger | Duke Nalon |
| 1950 | Johnnie Parsons | Kurtis/Offy | 124.002 | 5 | Kurtis-Kraft | Walt Faulkner |
| 1949 | Bill Holland | Deidt/Offy | 121.327 | 4 | L. Moore | Duke Nalon |
| 1948 | Mauri Rose | Deidt/Offy | 119.814 | 3 | L. Moore | Rex Mays |
| 1947 | Mauri Rose | Deidt/Offy | 116.338 | 3 | L. Moore | Ted Horn |
| 1946 | George Robson | Adams/Sparks | 114.820 | 15 | Thorne | Cliff Bergere |
| 1945 | Not Held | |||||
| 1944 | Not Held | |||||
| 1943 | Not Held | |||||
| 1942 | Not Held | |||||
| 1941 | Floyd Davis
Mauri Rose |
Wetteroth/Offy | 115.117 | 17
1 |
L. Moore | Mauri Rose |
| 1940 | Wilbur Shaw | Maserati/Maserati | 114.277 | 2 | Boyle | Rex Mays |
| 1939 | Wilbur Shaw | Maserati/Maserati | 115.035 | 3 | Boyle | Jimmy Snyder |
| 1938 | Floyd Roberts | Wetteroth/Miller | 117.200 | 1 | L. Moore | Floyd Roberts |
| 1937 | Wilbur Shaw | Shaw/Offy | 113.580 | 2 | W. Shaw | Bill Cummings |
| 1936 | Louis Meyer | Stevens/Miller | 109.069 | 28 | L. Meyer | Rex Mays |
| 1935 | Kelly Petillo | Wetteroth/Offy | 106.240 | 22 | K. Petillo | Rex Mays |
| 1934 | Bill Cummings | Miller/Miller | 104.863 | 10 | H.C. Henning | Kelly Petillo |
| 1933 | Louis Meyer | Miller/Miller | 104.162 | 6 | L. Meyer | Bill Cummings |
| 1932 | Fred Frame | Wetteroth/Miller | 104.144 | 27 | H. Hartz | Lou Moore |
| 1931 | Louis Schneider | Stevens/Miller | 96.629 | 13 | B.L Schneider | Russ Snowberger |
| 1930 | Billy Arnold | Summers/Miller | 100.448 | 1 | H. Hartz | Billy Arnold |
| 1929 | Ray Keech | Miller/Miller | 97.585 | 6 | M.A. Yagle | Cliff Woodbury |
| 1928 | Louis Meyer | Miller/Miller | 99.482 | 13 | A. Sampson II | Leon Duray |
| 1927 | George Souders | Duesenberg/Duesenberg | 97.545 | 22 | W.S. White | Frank Lockhart |
| 1926 | Frank Lockhart | Miller/Miller | 95.904 | 20 | P. Kreis | Earl Cooper |
| 1925 | Peter DePaolo | Duesenberg/Duesenberg | 101.127 | 2 | Duesenberg | Leon Duray |
| 1924 | Joe Boyer/L.L. Corum | Duesenberg/Duesenberg | 98.234 | 21 | Duesenberg | Jimmy Murphy |
| 1923 | Tommy Milton | Miller/Miller | 90.954 | 1 | H.C.S. Motor | Tommy Milton |
| 1922 | Jimmy Murphy | Duesenberg/Miller | 94.484 | 1 | J. Murphy | Jimmy Murphy |
| 1921 | Tommy Milton | Frontenac/Frontenac | 89.621 | 20 | L. Chevrolet | Tommy Milton |
| 1920 | Gaston Chevrolet | Frontenac/Frontenac | 88.618 | 6 | W. Small | Ralph DePalma |
| 1919 | Howdy Wilcox | Peugeot/Peugeot | 88.050 | 2 | Indianapolis
Speedway |
Rene Thomas |
| 1918 | Not Held | |||||
| 1917 | Not Held | |||||
| 1916 | Dario Resta | Peugeot/Peugeot | 84.001 | 4 | Peugeot | Johnny Aitken |
| 1915 | Ralph DePalma | Mercedes/Mercedes | 89.840 | 2 | E.C. Patterson | Howdy Wilcox |
| 1914 | Rene Thomas | Delage/Delage | 82.474 | 15 | L. Delage | Jean Chassagne |
| 1913 | Jules Goux | Peugeot/Peugeot | 75.933 | 7 | Peugeot | Caleb Bragg |
| 1912 | Joe Dawson | National/National | 78.719 | 7 | National Motor | Gil Anderson |
| 1911 | Ray Harroun | Marmon/Marmon | 74.602 | 28 | Nordyke & Marmon | Lewis Strang |