•There are five former Indianapolis 500 winners in the starting field: Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009), Scott Dixon (2008), Dario Franchitti (2007, 2010), Buddy Rice (2004) and Dan Wheldon (2005). Between them they have eight victories. The record for most former winners in the field is 10, in 1992. The fewest, other than the inaugural race in 1911, is zero in 1912.
•There are five Chase Rookie of the Year candidates in the field. This year’s rookies: JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Jay Howard, Charlie Kimball and Pippa Mann. Last year there were six rookies.
•John Andretti is the most experienced driver in the field, with 11 previous Indianapolis 500 starts. The record is 35, set in consecutive years from 1958-1992 by A.J. Foyt.
•Dario Franchitti has led 255 career laps in the Indianapolis 500, more than any other driver in this year’s field. Other drivers in the field who have led more than 200 laps are Dan Wheldon (234), Helio Castroneves (231), Scott Dixon (220) and Tony Kanaan (214).
•Seventeen different drivers in this year’s field have led a total of 1,563 laps in previous Indianapolis 500 Mile Races.
•There is a combined 142 previous Indianapolis 500 starts among the 33 drivers in this year’s field. The record is 260 years of experience, set in 1987 and 1992. There were 140 years of combined experience in last year’s field.
•The oldest driver in the starting field is Davey Hamilton, 48. The youngest qualifier is Graham Rahal, 22.
•There are 10 veterans of the INDYCAR-sanctioned Firestone Indy Lights series in the field: Marco Andretti, Ana Beatriz, Ed Carpenter, JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Jay Howard, Charlie Kimball, Alex Lloyd, Pippa Mann, and Graham Rahal.
•Eight Indy Lights champions, under CART and INDYCAR sanction, qualified for the race: Townsend Bell, Scott Dixon, JR Hildebrand, Jay Howard, Alex Lloyd, Tony Kanaan, Oriol Servia and Paul Tracy.
•In addition to the five rookies in the race, there are three drivers - Buddy Rice, Oriol Servia and Paul Tracy - who did not start in last year’s race.
•This is the closest-matched field by time in Indianapolis 500 history: 2.5399 seconds separate fastest qualifier Alex Tagliani and slowest qualifier Ana Beatriz. The previous record was 3.0622 seconds set in 2010.
•This is the fifth-closest matched field by speed in Indianapolis 500 history: 3.593 mph separate fastest qualifier Alex Tagliani and slowest qualifier Ana Beatriz. The record is 3.130 miles per hour set in 1953.
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