Winners of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award, first awarded in 1952. No official award was given from 1911–1951, even though at least one rookie starter has been present in every running of the Indianapolis 500. The award is voted on by members of the media the night of the race (or the morning after), and does not necessarily go to the highest finishing rookie. Noteworthy accomplishments during qualifying, regardless of the respective race result, have frequently been a factor in voting. A rookie who competitively runs up front during the race, passes many cars, and/or leads laps (but ultimately drops out) can also garner consideration over another rookie who finished higher, but did so merely by surviving attrition. Other contributing attributes can include personal attitude, sportsmanship, professionalism, and interaction with driver coaches, fans, and media. Years in which two drivers are listed indicate co-winners, due to a tie in the final voting.
The Indianapolis 500 rookie of the year award has been sponsored by the following companies:
Stark & Wetzel meats (1952–1979)
American Fletcher National Bank (1980–1988)
Bank One (1989–2004)
JPMorgan Chase (2005–2013)
Sunoco (2014-present)
This award is separate from the annual rookie of the year award presented by IndyCar, as well as the Jim Trueman Award (rookie of the year) which was handed out by CART. The current award is $25,000 cash and a plaque. In the early years, when Stark & Wetzel sponsored the award, the prize package included $500 in cash, and a year's supply of meat.
The term "rookie" (or newcomer) at the Indianapolis 500 can at times be misleading. According to race rules, a rookie is defined as any driver who has never qualified for the race and/or has never been on the track during the pace lap, and officially credited with a start. Several unique situations have created confusion, among the many include:
In 1911, the first Indianapolis 500, all 40 participants are considered rookies. However, 23 of the 40 starters had previously participated in early events at the Speedway in 1909–1910. Therefore, in the first 500, there were actually only seventeen complete newcomers to the Speedway. In addition, four other drivers who raced in the 500 in subsequent years, had previous experience at the Speedway in 1909–1910. Inaugural 500 winner Ray Harroun had actually won a total of 7 races at the IMS through 1909 and 1910, including the 200 mile Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race on Memorial Day Weekend in 1910.
In 1927, Louis Meyer did not qualify for the race, but served as a relief driver. He first qualified on his own in 1928, and was considered a rookie when he won that race.
Bill Puterbaugh had a notable streak of failing to qualify for the race six times from 1968–1974, before finally making the race for the first time in 1975. He was still scored a rookie for the 1975 race, and his 7th-place finish earned him the Rookie of the Year award.
Jacques Villeneuve (Sr., aka Brother of Gilles) qualified for the 1984 race, but crashed in practice. He was not cleared to drive, and was forced to withdraw, and not credited with a start. He returned in 1985, but a crash early in the month prevented him from making a qualifying attempt. In 1986, he qualified and started the race (his third year overall), where he was considered a rookie, and still eligible for the award (he did not win). Members of the media lightheartedly referred to him as "the veteran rookie."
Affonso Giaffone was a rookie when he first qualified for the 1997 race. As the safety car entered pit lane to start the race, the entire Row 5 where he was starting was involved in an incident in Turn 4 headed to the start, and never saw the green flag to take the start. All three drivers were credited with 0 laps, having taken the track for the pace lap, but not having taken the start. Had he returned in a subsequent year, despite never actually starting the race, he would not have been considered a rookie again.
The term "rookie" can also confuse spectators, as it suggests a young, inexperienced competitor. In reality, it can be a mis-nomer, since several experienced champions of other forms of motorsports have come to Indy and been ruled a rookie because of their first start in the 500 only. Formula One and NASCAR Sprint Cup champions were still scored as "rookies" in their first starts.
Graham Hill was considered a rookie winner when he won in his first start (1966). However, Hill had already won the 1962 World Championship going into the race.
In 2012, longtime Formula One veterans Rubens Barrichello and Jean Alesi were by rule, considered race "rookies."
In the wake of the CART/IRL split in 1996, several drivers who first arrived at Indy in the early 2000s had been experienced fixtures of the CART circuit. Juan Pablo Montoya was the 1999 CART champion, but when he raced at Indy for the first time and won in 2000, he was still considered by definition, a "rookie." A similar situation occurred for Helio Castroneves a year later. After experience in three seasons in the CART series, Castroneves attempted Indy for the first time in 2001. He won the 2001 race, also scored as a rookie. He would go on to win the 2002 race also, becoming the first driver to win the race in his first two starts.
After the Open-wheel unification in 2008, several former Champ Car drivers arrived at Indy for the first time. All were scored as rookies, despite several having multiple years of experience in Open-wheel type cars.
Despite his status as the 2007 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year, Ryan Hunter-Reay was declared a 2008 Indianapolis 500 rookie, because he had not started the race during his rookie season.
In the 2014 race, 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch was, by rule, considered a rookie.
Officially nine drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 in their first attempt. In 1928, Louis Meyer won the race in his first start, but he had driven relief in the race a year earlier. In the first race in 1911, all drivers were considered "rookies," even though 23 of the 40 starters had previously driven in other races at the track in 1909–1910.
1911: Ray Harroun (first race; Harroun had driven in early events at the Speedway in 1909–1910)
1913: Jules Goux
1914: Rene Thomas
1926: Frank Lockhart
1927: George Souders
1928: Louis Meyer (drover relief in 1927)
1966: Graham Hill (did not win Rookie of the Year award)
2000: Juan Pablo Montoya
2001: Hélio Castroneves
2016: Alexander Rossi
Since 1975, a separate award has been presented to the fastest rookie qualifier in the field. It has been sponsored by the American Dairy Association Indiana Inc. since its inception. The award goes to the rookie who posts the fastest four-lap qualifying average during official time trials - regardless of overall starting position, and regardless of day in which the qualifying run was completed. The award is currently $5,000 cash and a plaque. It is presented at a luncheon a few days before the race. Each other rookie in the field receives $250. The names of the winners are affixed to a permanent trophy on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Although rookies have qualified for every race dating back to 1911, this particular award has been officially recognized only since 1975.
In 2009, the award celebrated its 35th consecutive year of continuous sponsorship by the American Dairy Association Indiana Inc.. Since 2010, the pole position has been determined utilizing the Fast Nine Shootout. In 2012, Josef Newgarden became the first rookie to make the shootout. Though by rule, his Segment 1 speed of 224.677 mph was erased at the start of the shootout, it counted as his speed in regards to the Fastest Rookie Qualifier award.
1975: Bill Puterbaugh, 183.833 mph
1976: Billy Scott, 183.383 mph
1977: Danny Ongais, 193.040 mph
1978: Rick Mears, 200.078 mph (started 3rd)
1979: Howdy Holmes, 185.864 mph (lone rookie in the field)
1980: Tim Richmond, 188.334 mph
1981: Josele Garza, 195.101 mph
1982: Chip Ganassi, 197.704 mph
1983: Teo Fabi, 207.395 mph (won pole position)
1984: Michael Andretti, 207.805 mph
1985: Raul Boesel, 206.498 mph
1986: Randy Lanier, 209.964 mph
1987: Davy Jones, 208.117 mph
1988: Dominic Dobson, 210.096 mph
1989: John Jones, 214.028 mph
1990: Eddie Cheever, 217.926 mph
1991: Mike Groff, 219.015 mph
1992: Jimmy Vasser, 222.313 mph
1993: Stephan Gregoire, 220.851 mph
1994: Jacques Villeneuve, 226.259 mph
1995: Andre Ribeiro, 226.495 mph
1996: Tony Stewart, 233.100 mph (started on pole position after fatal crash of Scott Brayton; rookie speed record)
1997: Vincenzo Sospiri, 216.822 mph (started 3rd)
1998: Jimmy Kite, 219.290 mph
1999: John Hollansworth, Jr., 221.698 mph
2000: Juan Pablo Montoya, 223.372 mph (started 2nd, won race)
2001: Bruno Junqueira, 224.208 mph
2002: Tony Kanaan, 230.253 mph
2003: Scott Dixon, 230.099 mph
2004: Kosuke Matsuura, 220.740 mph
2005: Danica Patrick, 227.004 mph (started 4th)
2006: Marco Andretti, 224.918 mph
2007: Phil Giebler, 219.637 mph
2008: Hideki Mutoh, 223.887 mph
2009: Raphael Matos, 223.429 mph
2010: Mario Romancini, 224.641 mph
2011: J. R. Hildebrand, 225.579 mph
2012: Josef Newgarden, 224.677 mph (Segment 1 time); 224.037 mph (Fast Nine Shootout time)
2013: Carlos Muñoz, 228.171 mph (Segment 1 time) ; 228.342 (Fast Nine Shootout time)
2014: Kurt Busch, 229.960 mph (Saturday time); 230.782 mph (Sunday time)
2015: Gabby Chaves, 222.916 mph
2016: Alexander Rossi, 230.048 mph (Saturday time); 228.473 mph (Sunday time)
