Note: This article uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia.
|
The USAC Gold Crown Series, currently known as the USAC Gold Crown Series presented by NTT under sponsorship, and colloquially known as Gold Crown, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States. It was established in 1956 as a successor to the AAA Championship Car Series following the American Automobile Association's decision to cease sanctioning auto racing the previous year. The series is self-sanctioned by its parent company, United States Auto Club, which began in 1955.
The series' premier event is the Indianapolis 500 (Indy 500).
WORK-IN-PROGRESS
Overview[]
Series name[]
The series was originally named the USAC National Championship Trail from 1956 to 1970, and again from 1972 to 1979. Marlboro was the series' title sponsor in 1971 (as the USAC Marlboro Championship Trail) and again from 1980 to 1997 (as the USAC Marlboro Indy Car World Series from 1980 to 1983, and then the USAC Marlboro Gold Crown Series from 1984 to 1997).
In 1998, Marlboro's contract expired, and NTT Data became the new title sponsor, the series' current name being the USAC Gold Crown Series presented by NTT.
Popularity[]
The USAC Gold Crown Series is the second-most popular racing series in the world, behind Formula One and ahead of the NASCAR RCA Cup Series. Despite its size and prestige, many teams entering the series often grossly overestimate how much it actually costs to compete. Gold Crown teams run on a budget 1/16th of that of F1 teams, and 1/32 of NASCAR teams, A typical median annual USAC budget is $600,000; by comparison, a typical median annual NASCAR Cup Series budget is $3 million (also thanks to efforts by Johnson to make competing in NASCAR more affordable), and F1 teams are capped at an annual budget of $135 million. This can be attributed to a series of cost control measures implemented by Johnson over the years, including banning turbochargers in 1979, encouraging more chassis and engine constructors to enter the sport to drive costs down, and fronting multi-million dollar purses; even the last-place finisher will receive $350,000, making racing in the Gold Crown Series profitable even for low-budget teams. Costs are so low, that during the lead-up to the 1998 Indianapolis 500, motorsports journalist Robin Miller controversially declared that "Indy cars are now cheaper than cocaine" (he later said it was a joke).
It is a testament to the popularity of the USAC Gold Crown Series that it is directly responsible for several other open-wheel racing series going defunct. One notable example is the Formula Nippon Championship, a series that ran exclusively in the Japanese States. Prior to the start of the 2008 season, the series filed for bankruptcy, and USAC invited all of the Formula Nippon teams to compete in the Gold Crown Series, bringing 11 teams and 22 drivers, the majority of them Native Japanese. Another example was the Atlantic Championship, whose teams all went over to the USAC Gold Crown Series after it, too, went defunct, though all teams waited until 2014 after the series' 2012 shutdown to make the jump.
Car history and current specifications[]
Chassis[]
Chassis are constructed either by major automakers, teams, or other constructors. Chassis are divided into three categories: Customer (built to order by constructors such as Dallara, Panoz, Lola, Reynard, and Racefab), Factory (built by automakers or other major companies such as General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Lotus, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, McLaren, Aston Martin, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and General Electric), and Team (chassis built in-house by teams including Team Penske, Stewart-Foyt Racing, Dale Coyne Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt-Childress Racing, Petty Enterprises, Roush-Keselowski Racing, Allison-Yates Racing, Trackhouse Racing, Oreca, Welter Racing, Callaway Cars, Ginetta Cars, Vanwall, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus, Eagle, Stacker & Associates, Williams Racing, Team Red Bull, and AlphaTauri); there is some crossover between the categories, with McLaren and Ligier being considered both a Factory and Team chassis, as both have teams, and sell chassis to other teams. There is a large variance in chassis designs, and before 1983, safety features between chassis were wildly varied, meaning one chassis could be less safe than another.
In 1983, in response to the deaths of Gordon Smiley and Jim Hickman in 1982, USAC adopted the same monocoque safety cell that had started appearing in Formula One in 1981, the main difference being that it would be mandatory for all chassis to have, while in 1981, only McLaren had safety cells on their cars. Unlike the F1 safety cells, however, the USAC safety cells were initially made of steel.
In 2002, the safety cells were updated following the deaths of Jeff Krosnoff and Greg Moore, and Alex Zanardi's career-ending crash in 2001. The safety cells would now be made of carbon fiber instead of steel, and that 2002 chassis would be required to have a honeycomb kevlar structure, much like their F1 counterparts. Pre-2001 chassis were banned from use as a result.
The safety cell is part of a core rolling chassis that is built by the constructors themselves. Each core rolling chassis typically costs roughly $10,000, and is designed to be used in consecutive seasons. This was a key milestone in greatly reducing costs in the USAC Gold Crown Series; in the second year of the monocoque's use, all teams were running full-time schedules, which forced USAC to adopt new qualifying procedures involving heat races (except for the Indianapolis 500), and led to larger and more diverse fields. Constructors provide new aerokits for the core rolling chassis each season, with the underlying chassis potentially remaining in use for years (for example, Team Penske used the same core rolling chassis from 1983 until the original steel monocoques were banned in 2002, with the only changes being to the aerokit, which includes the front nose, front and rear wing, side pods, engine cowl, and rollbar).
In 2009, following the death of Formula Two driver Henry Surtees, the topic of head protection of some kind was brought back up for the first time since Greg Moore's death. USAC began intense research into head protection for drivers, but not before Dan Wheldon was killed in a crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2011. One idea that had been floated following Jeff Krosnoff's death was to use a cockpit canopy similar to those used on fighter jets, but this was rejected due to concerns that drivers wouldn't be able to escape burning cars, issues keeping the canopy clean (as it would require a very large tear-off like those used on helmets and NASCAR windshields), and cockpit temperatures becoming unbearable.
Ultimately, USAC adopted an Aeroscreen in 2013 that resembles a cockpit canopy, but has an open top with a forced air-cooling system, as well as a defogger for rainy conditions and tear-aways that are removed during pit stops. The Aeroscreen, which is part of the aerokit provided by constructors for the rolling core chassis, was credited with saving Justin Wilson's life at Pocono in 2015, as it protected him from being hit by a front nosecone that came off of leader Sage Karam's Mopar when spun into the outside wall in turn 1. Simulations showed that, without the Aeroscreen, Wilson would have been hit directly on the head by the nosecone, resulting in fatal injuries. F1 was hesitant to adopt cockpit protection of the kind provided by the Aeroscreen due to cost issues, but the death of Jules Bianchi forced its hand, and the Halo device was adopted by all FIA open-wheel series, as well as most open-wheel series worldwide, in 2018.
Formula One teams competing in the Indianapolis 500 use the same chassis they use in the rest of the season, but with modifications made for oval racing.
Transmission, gearbox, and clutch[]
Brakes[]
Since the adoption of the carbon fiber monocoque in 2002, the brake package for the Gold Crown Series was slimmer carbon brake rotors with 4-pot brake calipers and carbon pads on all-oval races until 2011. The thicker steel brake rotors with 6-pot brake calipers and carbon pads were introduced in 2005 for road and street course races for stronger braking while approaching sharper turns even hairpins. From 2012 onwards, USAC ditched the steel brake discs in favor of carbon brake rotors on all types of tracks but the caliper configuration remained the same as 1996–2011.
Current brake package suppliers include PFC, Brembo, and Alcon, with subtle differences between each manufacturer.
Wheel rims[]
The wheel rims for all cars are made of aluminum alloy. The size of the wheel rims have been 10 in × 15 in (254 mm × 381 mm) on the front and 14 in × 15 in (356 mm × 381 mm) on the rear since 1996.
Tires[]
Upon Johnson's acquisition of USAC in 1979, Goodyear was the tire supplier for the National Championship Trail. In 1995, Firestone, which had not been seen in the Gold Crown Series in two decades, returned to the series, and by 2000, Goodyear had pulled out of USAC to focus on its NASCAR and NHRA obligations. As of 2024, Firestone is the sole tire supplier for the USAC Gold Crown Series.
Formula One teams competing in the Indianapolis 500 initially used their own tires. This meant that Bridgestone and Michelin competed in the race. In 2005, Michelin tires experienced numerous failures, and all Michelin teams who qualified for the Indianapolis 500 pulled off the track during the parade laps, to a chorus of boos from spectators. USAC delayed the start of the race so that teams who had failed to qualify for the race could get their drivers and cars ready to fill the gaps in the field. The entire debacle was widely seen as an embarrassment for the FIA, and in 2006, USAC began tightening its control over F1 teams competing in the Indy 500, including mandating that all teams, regardless of series, must use Firestone tires.
Suspension[]
The suspension of all Gold Crown Series cars is double A-arm, pushrod, with third spring and anti-roll bar configuration multilink. The exact suspension design differs between chassis constructors.
Cockpit and safety components[]
All USAC Gold Crown Series cars use carbon-fiber shell driver's seats with 6-point safety restraints. The cars' steering wheels are designed by Cosworth with a system of buttons that allow the drivers to make adjustments to their cars mid-race. All Gold Crown cars were equipped with Pi Research Sigma Wheel to Display data display units from 2001–2017 until they were replaced by Cosworth's Configurable Display Unit 4.3 display from 2018 onwards (although in 2018 some smaller low-budget Gold Crown teams still utilized old Pi Research Sigma Wheel instead of new Cosworth Configurable Display Unit 4.3 due to cost reasons).
The cockpits of all Gold Crown Series cars are still open but protected by zylon, a foot protection bulkhead, and cockpit padding.
From the 2013 season onwards, the Gold Crown Series implemented a cockpit protection system. This consists of a reinforced windscreen dubbed the "aeroscreen", provided as part of the aerokit created by chassis constructors, to lessen the probability of traumatic head injuries from flying debris.
Other components[]
All Gold Crown Series cars carry an Electronic Control Unit. Live telemetry is used only for television broadcasts, but the data can be recorded from the ECU to the computer if the car is in the garage tents and not on the track. ECU units are provided by the engine manufacturers, and are different for each.
Rearview mirrors for all Gold Crown Series cars are fully mandated to easily enable viewing opponents behind.
Fuel[]
Methanol[]
At the time Johnson acquired USAC, the series used methanol racing fuel, which had been the de facto standard in American open-wheel racing since the 1964 Indianapolis 500 Eddie Sachs - Dave MacDonald crash. Methanol had long provided a safer alternative to gasoline. It had a higher flash point, was easily extinguishable with water, and burned invisible. With the series' introduction of night races in 1997, the burning of methanol fuel was visible for the first time, seen with a light blue haze. With this in mind, in an effort to make it more visible in case of fire during daylight hours, especially following the 1981 Indianapolis 500 when Rick Mears suffered a methanol fire on pit road that was invisible, additional mixtures were placed in the fuel. As a safety feature, the methanol would burn with color.
Methanol fuel was originally provided by Union 76. Starting in 1984, USAC began allowing other companies to provide fuel on a team-by-team basis, much like in Formula One. Fuel providers in this era included Union 76, Chevron, Shell, Sunoco, Sinclair, Exxon, and Mobil.
Ethanol[]
In 2005, the driver Paul Dana brought the sponsorship of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) to his Gold Crown team. EPIC is a consortium of ethanol producers that advocate the increased use of ethanol. EPIC was anxious to address public concerns of that era that ethanol use led to engine damage and poor performance when used in road cars. As a marketing effort, it was believed that sponsoring an Gold Crown could be used as a tool to promote education and awareness of ethanol use and to curb the spread of erroneous information.
Dana was forced to retire in 2006 after a severe crash, but the Gold Crown Series had already begun a transition to ethanol fuel. For the 2006 season the fuel was a 90%/10% mixture of methanol and ethanol. Starting in 2007, the league advertised "100% Fuel Grade Ethanol," the first competitive series to utilize renewable fuel. The mixture was actually 98% ethanol and 2% gasoline, provided by Lifeline Foods of Saint Joseph, Missouri. The additives satisfy the U.S. government's demand that the alcohol is unfit for human consumption and add visible color in case of fire. However, 2010 São Paulo Indy 300, held in Brazil –outside of the U.S. regulations– utilized a full E100 mixture, the first instance in the sport.
Since ethanol gets better fuel mileage than methanol, the fuel tanks in the car were decreased.
Compared to methanol, human contact with the current GCS fuel is much less harsh, and the fumes much less irritating. The fumes are often compared with the sweet smell of apple cider or apple cobbler. Unlike methanol, ethanol is not caustic and does not cause chemical burns when it comes in contact with the skin. It also is less polluting when spilled compared to methanol.
Following the adoption of ethanol fuel, all teams were required to use a single fuel supplier, in this case, 76. Formula One teams competing in the Indianapolis 500 were initially allowed to use their own fuels, but when USAC began tightening its control of F1 teams at the race, all teams were required to use ethanol fuel. The 2007 race saw every F1 power unit in the field fail (except the Ferraris, since they used the same V6 engines as their USAC operation), as they were designed to use gasoline, not ethanol. In 2008, all F1 teams were provided with "Indy Special" engines that are ethanol-compatible.
Fuel cell[]
The fuel cell for all current Gold Crown Series cars are made of rubber and are covered with a Kevlar-fitted blanket for extra protection in side impacts. Since 2012 the capacity has been 18.5 US gallons (70 litres). Previous capacities were 22 US gallons (83 litres) from 2007–2011, 30 US gallons (114 litres) from 2002–2006, and 35 US gallons (132 litres) from 1979–2001.
Engines[]
Upon Johnson's acquisition of USAC in 1979, there were six engine manufacturers, these being Cosworth, Offenhauser, Chevrolet, AMC, and DGS, plus A. J. Foyt's own rebadged Ford engines; AMC engines only lasted a year before disappearing, while a few secondhand Foyt engines floated around in 1980.
Until 1979, turbochargers were allowed in USAC, but following the Johnson buyout, turbocharged engines were banned on cost and safety grounds, and all engines had to be naturally-aspirated, and were set at 358 cubic inches to compensate for the loss of horsepower, the same amount as NASCAR (despite this, though, there is no cylinder limit, and V6, V8, and V10 engines have competed alongside each other for years). Since then, engine manufacturers have fluctuated somewhat, but have largely remained stable. Offenhauser, which had been using an I4 engine for years, introduced a new V8 engine in 1982, while the Cosworth engines were co-badged with Ford by 1992. General Motors, at one time, had four engines competing in the Gold Crown Series, these being Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Buick; as of 2023, Chevrolet is the only GM engine manufacturer in the series, as Buick left after 2001, and Pontiac and Oldsmobile, while both returned to the series in the early 2010s, are now owned by Johnson Auto.
Dodge engines were rarely, if ever, seen in the series (though they did have a small presence starting in the early 1980s, and actually won a race at Talladega with Machinists Union Racing in 1983) until 1988, when Chrysler Corporation greatly expanded its presence in the series alongside the Mopar M-Series chassis. Dodge engines quickly became a regular in victory lane, mainly because the Mopar chassis, themselves dominant, exclusively use Dodge engines (though some teams with other chassis also use Dodge engines). In the late 1990s, some Dodge engines were rebadged as either Chrysler or Plymouth, but this ceased by 2002. Likewise, some Ford-Cosworth engines were rebadged as Mercury or Lincoln during this period.
Honda entered the series in 1994, and by 1996, was one of the top engines in the field. This came crashing down, however, when, after a series of major accidents in 1996, including the deaths of Scott Brayton and Jeff Krosnoff, and a crash that ended Emerson Fittipaldi's career, Johnson convened a safety review panel at the end of the season, and, while inspecting all engine types used in the series, discovered that Honda had designed their engine with a well-hidden turbocharger in order to flaunt the 1979 turbocharger ban. This had pushed speeds beyond the safety features of the rolling core chassis, and resulted in Honda being sued by Krosnoff's family (as his car had a Honda engine), which Honda lost. The manufacturer eventually retured in 2003 with a naturally-aspirated V8 engine, but many of the bigger teams in the paddock were hesitant to use the engine until they were certain it was safe.
Prior to the Honda turbocharger scandal, Roger Penske had secretly developed an engine specifically for the Indianapolis 500. Developed by Mercedes-Benz and Cosworth, and nicknamed "The Beast", the engine was a 1,000 hp pushrod engine developed in secret. Penske believed he had exploited a loophole in the USAC rulebook, as although turbocharged engines were banned, there was nothing banning pushrod engines. It was unveiled in a press event, and promptly banned by USAC for potentially setting a dangerous precedent in forcing all other engine manufacturers to create their own high-horsepower pushrod engines, which would cause costs to spiral out of control, put smaller teams out of business, and potentially require restrictor plates to be used at Michigan and Texas World. In 1995, USAC officially made its stance on pushrod engines known by reaffirming that the only type of engines allowed were naturally-aspirated, effectively banning pushrod engines.
Other manufacturers currently in USAC include Toyota (joined in 1988) and Lotus (joined in 2012). Factory teams, Formula One teams with USAC operations, and other teams use their own engines, including Nissan, Mazda, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, and General Electric; it is expected that, when Audi enters Formula One in 2026, Sauber's USAC team will also kick over to Audi engines.
Occasionally, teams will enter experimental engines in the Indianapolis 500; this practice has been around for as long as the race has, one notable example being the STP-Paxton Turbocar, a car with a Pratt & Whitney-designed turbine driven by Parnelli Jones (who was eight miles away from winning the race when a transmission bearing that cost a mere $6 failed, and allowed A. J. Foyt and his naturally-aspirated Ford-engined Coyote to win). In 1999, MAZDASPEED entered a third car driven by French sports car driver Yannick Dalmas with one of their signature rotary (or Wankel) engines. The engine allowed for longer runs between pit stops, but it ended up overheating and starting a fire that red flagged the race. Later, in 2001, Volkswagen entered a one-off entry with a diesel engine. The car pulled higher horsepower than even the already-powerful Dodge engines, and managed to finish 8th. In 2012, both GM and Toyota each replaced the engine in one of their factory team cars with hybrid engines; the 2012 edition of the race ended up being chaotic, and both cars were able to save fuel during caution periods. As of 2023, USAC has yet to adopt hybrid engines, but Tim Johnson is committed to electrification of some sort (though he plans to introduce hybridization to NASCAR first).
In 2014, Formula One adopted a new engine formula with turbocharged V6 hybrid engines. This resulted in a two-month standoff between USAC and the FIA in early 2014, as USAC made no exceptions for the 1979 turbocharger ban, and the FIA had no control over the rules of the Indianapolis 500. Eventually, the FIA gave in, and all F1 teams were required to remove the turbochargers from their cars for the Indianapolis 500, as well as disable to Energy Recovery System (ERS), as it would be useless and add dead weight on a superspeedway.
Spark plugs[]
Performance[]
Specifications[]
Racetracks[]
Championship point system[]
Like other governing bodies, USAC awards points based upon where a driver finishes in a race. The winner of a race gets 50 points. The top four drivers are separated by ten, five and three points respectively. The fourth through tenth-place finishers are separated by two points each. Eleventh through twenty-fifth are separated by one point each. All other drivers who start the race score five points. Bonus points are awarded as follows: one point to the driver that earns the pole each race (except at Indianapolis), one point to any driver that leads at least one lap in a race, and two additional bonus points to the driver that leads the most laps each race.
For the Indianapolis 500, qualifying points are awarded for all 46 cars at the Indianapolis 500. The point scale slides based on the teams that qualify for the top-nine shootout, then descending by speed and position.
In the case of a tie, the USAC Gold Crown Series will determine the champion based on the most first-place finishes. If there is still a tie, USAC Gold Crown Series will determine the champion by the most second-place finishes, then the most third-place finishes, etc., until a champion is determined. USAC Gold Crown Series will apply the same system to other ties in the rankings at the close of the season and at any other time during the season.
Seasons[]
| Year | Races | National champion | Indianapolis 500 winner | Rookie of the year | Owner's Cup | Constructors' Cup | Manufacturers' Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 12 | Jimmy Bryan | Pat Flaherty | not awarded | Dean Van Lines | Eddie Kuzma | Offenhauser |
| 1957 | 13 | Jimmy Bryan | Sam Hanks | Dean Van Lines | Eddie Kuzma | Offenhauser | |
| 1958 | 13 | Tony Bettenhausen | Jimmy Bryan | Racing Associates | Eddie Kuzma | Offenhauser | |
| 1959 | 13 | Rodger Ward | Rodger Ward | Bob Wilke | A. J. Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1960 | 12 | A. J. Foyt | Jim Rathmann | George Bignotti | Meskowski | Offenhauser | |
| 1961 | 12 | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt | George Bignotti | A. J. Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1962 | 13 | Rodger Ward | Rodger Ward | Bob Wilke | A. J. Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1963 | 12 | A. J. Foyt | Parnelli Jones | Ansted-Thompson Racing | A. J. Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1964 | 13 | A. J. Foyt | A. J Foyt | Ansted-Thompson Racing | A. J. Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1965 | 18 | Mario Andretti | Jim Clark | Dean Van Lines | Lotus | Ford | |
| 1966 | 16 | Mario Andretti | Graham Hill | Dean Van Lines | Clint Brawner | Ford | |
| 1967 | 21 | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt | Ansted-Thompson Racing | Clint Brawner | Ford | |
| 1968 | 28 | Bobby Unser | Bobby Unser | Bob Wilke | Dan Gurney | Offenhauser | |
| 1969 | 24 | Mario Andretti | Mario Andretti | Andy Granatelli | Clint Brawner | Ford | |
| 1970 | 18 | Al Unser | Al Unser | Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing | PJ Colt | Ford | |
| 1971 | 12 | Joe Leonard | Al Unser | Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing | PJ Colt | Ford | |
| 1972 | 10 | Joe Leonard | Mark Donahue | Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing | Parnelli Jones | Offenhauser | |
| 1973 | 16 | Roger McCluskey | Gordon Johncock | Lindsey Hopkins Jr. | Dan Gurney | Offenhauser | |
| 1974 | 14 | Bobby Unser | Johnny Rutherford | Oscar Olson | Dan Gurney | Offenhauser | |
| 1975 | 13 | A. J. Foyt | Bobby Unser | Gilmore Racing | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt | |
| 1976 | 13 | Gordon Johncock | Johnny Rutherford | Patrick Racing | Dan Gurney | Offenhauser | |
| 1977 | 14 | Tom Sneva | A. J. Foyt | Team Penske | McLaren | Cosworth | |
| 1978 | 18 | Tom Sneva | Al Unser | Patrick Racing | Parnelli Jones | Cosworth | |
| 1979 | 27 | Rick Mears | Rick Mears | Team Penske | Penske | Cosworth | |
| 1980 | 17 | Johnny Rutherford | Johnny Rutherford | Dennis Firestone | Chaparral Cars | Chaparral | Cosworth |
| 1981 | 18 | Tom Sneva | Bobby Unser | N/A | Bignotti-Cotter Racing | Penske | Cosworth |
| 1982 | 18 | Rick Mears | Gordon Johncock | Keith Kauffman | Team Penske | March | Cosworth |
| 1983 | 18 | Al Unser | Tom Sneva | Teo Fabi | Team Penske | March | Cosworth |
| 1984 | 23 | Mario Andretti | Rick Mears | Emerson Fittipaldi | Newman/Haas Racing | March | Cosworth |
| 1985 | 21 | Al Unser | Danny Sullivan | Arie Luyendyk | Team Penske | March | Cosworth |
| 1986 | 24 | Bobby Rahal | Bobby Rahal | Chip Robinson | Truesports | March | Offenhauser |
| 1987 | 23 | Bobby Rahal | Al Unser | Fabrizio Barbazza | Truesports | Lola | Cosworth |
| 1988 | 24 | Danny Sullivan | Rick Mears | John Jones | Team Penske | Mopar | Chevrolet |
| 1989 | 24 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Emerson Fittipaldi | Bernard Jourdain | Patrick Racing | Mopar | Chevrolet |
| 1990 | 28 | Al Unser Jr. | Arie Luyendyk | Eddie Cheever | Galles-Kraco Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 1991 | 28 | Michael Andretti | Rick Mears | Jeff Andretti | Newman/Haas Racing | Lola | Pontiac |
| 1992 | 30 | Bobby Rahal | Al Unser Jr. | Stefan Johansson | Rahal-Hogan Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 1993 | 29 | Nigel Mansell | Emerson Fittipaldi | Nigel Mansell | Newman/Haas Racing | Penske | Chevrolet |
| 1994 | 31 | Al Unser Jr. | Al Unser Jr. | Bryan Herta | Marlboro Team Penske | Penske | Chevrolet |
| 1995 | 31 | Jacques Villeneuve | Jacques Villeneuve | Gil de Ferran | Team Green | Mopar | Dodge |
| 1996 | 36 | Jimmy Vasser | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 1997 | 40 | Tony Stewart | Arie Luyendyk | Patrick Carpentier | Team Menard | General Motors | Pontiac |
| 1998 | 43 | Kenny Bräck | Eddie Cheever | Tony Kanaan | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Mopar | Dodge |
| 1999 | 40 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Kenny Bräck | Juan Pablo Montoya | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2000 | 40 | Gil de Ferran | Juan Pablo Montoya | Airton Daré | Team Penske | Mopar | Ford |
| 2001 | 40 | Gil de Ferran | Hélio Castroneves | Scott Dixon | Team Penske | Rahal | Ford |
| 2002 | 40 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Hélio Castroneves | Hélio Castroneves | Team Penske | Penske | Dodge |
| 2003 | 40 | Paul Tracy | Gil de Ferran | Sébastien Bourdais | Team Player's | A. J. Watson | Offenhauser |
| 2004 | 40 | Tony Kanaan | Michael Schumacher | Harley Petty | Andretti Green Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2005 | 40 | Dan Wheldon | Dan Wheldon | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2006 | 40 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Sam Hornish Jr. | Marco Andretti | Team Penske | Penske | Dodge |
| 2007 | 40 | Dario Franchitti | Dario Franchitti | Wendy Burleson | Andretti Green Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2008 | 40 | Wendy Burleson | Fernando Alonso | Hideki Mutoh | Boeing Motorsports | Boeing | Dodge |
| 2009 | 40 | Dario Franchitti | Wendy Burleson | Raphael Matos | Target Chio Ganassi Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2010 | 40 | Harley Petty | Dario Franchitti | Frankie Muniz | Petty Enterprises | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2011 | 40 | Wendy Burleson | Dan Wheldon | James Hinchcliffe | Boeing Motorsports | Boeing | Chevrolet |
| 2012 | 40 | Harley Petty | Sebastian Vettel | Simon Pagenaud | Petty Enterprises | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2013 | 40 | A. J. Foyt IV | Tony Kanaan | Tristan Vautier | Stewart-Foyt Racing | Stewart-Foyt | Offenhauser |
| 2014 | 40 | Will Power | Harley Petty | Daniel Burkett | Team Penske | Penske | Dodge |
| 2015 | 40 | Daniel Burkett | Juan Pablo Montoya | Lyra Lambert | Ferrari Racing | Ferrari | Ferrari |
| 2016 | 40 | Daniel Burkett | Alexander Rossi | Alexander Rossi | Ferrari Racing | Ferrari | Ferrari |
| 2017 | 40 | Wendy Burleson | Takuma Sato | Ed Jones | Boeing Motorsports | Boeing | Chevrolet |
| 2018 | 40 | Scott Dixon | Kimi Räikkönen | Robert Wickens | Chip Ganassi Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2019 | 40 | Lyra Lambert | Tony Stewart | Felix Rosenqvist | Équipe Ligier | Ligier | Honda |
| 2020 | 34 | Julius Hayden | Lewis Hamilton | Rinus VeeKay | Red Bull Racing | Red Bull | Renault |
| 2021 | 40 | Álex Palou | Harley Petty | Lois Hayden | Chip Ganassi Racing | Mopar | Dodge |
| 2022 | 40 | Will Power | Marcus Ericsson | Christian Lundgaard | Team Penske | Penske | Dodge |
| 2023 | 40 | Lyra Lambert | Max Verstappen | Agwa Mendoza | Équipe Ligier | Ligier | Honda |
| 2024 | Wendy Burleson | TBA | Jamie Chadwick | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Statistics[]
Television[]
Since 1979, WBC Sports is the exclusive television partner of the series. WBC airs twenty-five races per season (including the Indianapolis 500), with the remaining fifteen airing on Johnson-owned ESPN and TNN.
Logo history[]
