Who are the 10 Indy 500 test drivers of all time?

The 2026 INDYCAR season has already delivered some exceptional moments, even before “the greatest spectacle in racing.” This highly anticipated race will take place on Sunday, May 24, with the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. Coverage of the Indy 500 begins at 10 a.m. ET. You can watch Indy 500 pre-race and race broadcasts on FOX and stream broadcasts on FOX One, FOX Sports.com and the FOX Sports app. Before all the action, we’ve rounded up the best drivers to grace the course. Here are the 10 best Indianapolis 500 drivers of all time. 10 Best Indy 500 Drivers of All Time 10. Dario Franchitti Although he had one of the shortest Indy 500 careers on this list, Franchitti managed to compile some impressive results. He scored three track victories between 2007 and 2012. Additionally, he added three more top 10 finishes to his tally despite competing in only 10 races. His best streak was when he finished in the top seven six times in seven attempts between 2005 and 2012. 9. Arie Luyendyk Luyendyk won the Indy 500 twice, but the result was mixed overall. He competed in this event every year from 1985 to 2002 and withdrew in 2003, but he finished outside the top 10 in 10 different races. Yet few can match the success he has enjoyed, with seven top-10 finishes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 8. Louis Meyer The first triple winner in the history of the race, Meyer is one of the best drivers who we don’t talk about enough. He had a truly remarkable race in 1936, becoming only the second racer in history – and the last – to win the Indy 500 from a starting position of 28th or lower. Meyer took first and second, respectively, in his first two tries at Indianapolis. 7. Bobby Unser It’s not how you start, it’s how you end. This has never been more true than with Unser, who has only one top-10 finish in his first four tries at Indy. However, Unser would end up winning the Indy 500 three times (1968, 1975 and 1981). In his last four starts, he has three top-six finishes, including winning the event in his last time on the track at age 47. 6. Johnny Rutherford Another three-time Indy 500 winner, Rutherford earned his victories between 1974 and 1980. Rutherford got off to a bit of a slow start, finishing 18th or lower each of his first nine times on the track. He then had four straight top-10 finishes, including a win in 1974 and 1976 and a second-place finish in 1975. 5. Wilbur Shaw As good as Rutherford’s three-year streak was, Shaw surpassed him with his wild four-year run. From 1937 to 1940, Shaw placed first, second, first and first. A race like that automatically propels you into the top five in Indy 500 history. Before that, it had been an eventful race for Shaw, but you can’t ignore how dominant he was overall, with three wins and seven top-five finishes. 4. Helio Castroneves Castroneves is the first of four drivers on this list tied for the most wins (four) at the Indy 500. He earned his most recent win in 2021, while his previous three wins came between 2001 and 2009. He is also one of six drivers to have back-to-back Indy 500 wins, in 2001 and 2002. Perhaps the most notable part of his IMS racing career is that he holds the record for the longest period between his first and last victory – 20 years. 3. Al Unser Sr. Unser is not only tied for the most Indy 500 wins, taking his four victories in 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987. He is also the oldest winner ever, at 47 years and 360 days, slightly edging out his brother Bobby. In his penultimate race at IMS in 1992, Unser finished third, while his son, Al Unser Jr., was the winner. 2. AJ Foyt Foyt undoubtedly deserves one of the top spots on this list as the first four-time winner in the history of the race, finishing in first place in 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977. Most impressive about his career at Indy, however, is that Foyt has the most starts there of any driver (35), including in each of those 1958 races to 1992. 1. Rick Mears The other driver tied for the most wins at IMS, Mears dominated at Indy. He started 11 times on the front row, including six consecutive times between 1986 and 1991, both records on the track. He also won a record six pole positions at the event and is one of 12 drivers to have won two consecutive pole positions. Discover all our daily rankings.