Facts and Figures of the 94th Indianapolis 500
Facts and figures of the 94th Indianapolis 500-mile race Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
EVENT - The 94th Indianapolis 500.
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.
RACE CARS - Open-cockpit, open-wheel and single-seat, with 3.5-liter, 635-horsepower normally aspirated Honda Indy V-8 engines.
PACE CAR - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, driven by Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts.
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 - Helio Castroneves, a three-time race winner who averaged 227.970 in 4-lap qualifications. He will start first, the inside of the front row, for the fourth time in his ten races at Indianapolis.
SLOWEST QUALIFIER - Sebastian Saavedra, who averaged 223.634 mph. Will start 32nd, the middle of the 11th row.
FASTEST ROOKIE - Ana Beatriz, 224.243 mph. Will start 21st, the outside of the seventh row.
2009 WINNER - Helio Castroneves, who averaged 150.318 mph for his third win at Indianapolis last year.
FORMER WINNERS IN RACE (4) - Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009), Dan Wheldon (2005), Dario Franchitti (2007), Scott Dixon (2008).
ROOKIES IN RACE (6) - Ana Beatriz, Simona de Silvestro, Bertrand Baguette, Mario Romancini, Takuma Sato and Sebastian Saavedra.
YOUNGEST IN RACE - Sebastian Saavedra, 19 (Born June 2, 1990).
OLDEST IN RACE - Davey Hamilton, 47 (Born June 13, 1962)
MOST PREVIOUS RACES - John Andretti (11).
FOREIGN BORN (24) - Helio Castroneves, Brazil; Ryan Briscoe, Australia; Dario Franchitti, Scotland; Scott Dixon, Australia; Tony Kanaan, Brazil; Mario Moraes, Brazil; Will Power, Australia; Alex Lloyd, England; Raphael Matos, Brazil; Vitor Meira, Brazil; Justin Wilson, England; Hideki Mutoh, Japan; Dan Wheldon, England; Tomas Scheckter, South Africa; Mike Conway, England; E.J. Viso, Venezuela; Alex Tagliani, Canada; Ana Beatriz, Brazil; Simona de Silvestro, Switzerland; Bertrand Baguette, Belgium; Bruno Junqueira, Brazil; Mario Romancini, Brazil; Takuma Sato, Japan; Sebastian Saavedra, Colombia.
FIELD AVERAGE IN QUALIFICATIONS - 224.974 mph (Record 228.648 mph, 2002)
QUALIFICATION RECORD - 236.986 mph, Arie Luyendyk, 1996.
RACE RECORD - 185.981 mph, Arie Luyendyk, 1990.
CLOSEST FINISHES - 0.043 seconds, Al Unser Jr. over Scott Goodyear, 1992; 0.0635 seconds, Sam Hornish Jr. over Marco Andretti, 2006.
PURSE - Depends on attendance and accessory awards; 2009 payoff was $14.3 million, of which winner Helio Castroneves received a record $3.04 million for Team Penske.
CROWD - Estimated at up to 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 and in high definition by ESPN on ABC starting at noon EDT, one hour before the race, with host Brent Musburger, lead announcer Marty Reid, analysts Eddie Cheever and Scott Goodyear, and pit reporters Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little, Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.
RADIO - More than 340 affiliate IMS Radio Network stations throughout the United States and Canada, plus XM 145, Sirius 211, American Forces Radio Network, shortwave radio worldwide and the Internet, with Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network anchor Mike King, IMS historian Donald Davidson, Jerry Baker, Firestone Indy Lights driver James Hinchcliffe and Paul Page in the booth; Jake Query, Mark Jaynes and Chris Denari in the turns, Kevin Lee, Dave Argabright and Nick Yeoman in the pits and Dave Wilson in the garage.
MORTALITY - There have been 67 deaths at the Speedway, including pre-500 races of 1909-10. Last death was on 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, 110-pounds, with bas-relief bust of each winner. Valued at more than $1 million, on permanent display at Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Each winner receives an 18-inch sterling silver replica.
