The IndyCar Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a IndyCar Series season.
The following lists compiling all the winners of the Rookie of the Year Award in open wheel American Championship Car Racing from 1946 season to the present day. Before the creation of Championship Auto Racing Teams the prize is not officially awarded. So all of the AAA and USAC winners of the Rookie of the Year award is not officially recognized.
As of the 2022 IndyCar Series season, a driver is a Rookie Driver in the IndyCar Series if the driver has: A) not participated in more than four (4) IndyCar Series races in a Racing Season or B) participated in less than eight (8) IndyCar Series races in his/her career.
The list of "Indy car", "Champ Car", or "IndyCar" rookies under the following auspices:
American Automobile Association Contest Board (1946–1955) United States Automobile Club (1956–1980) Championship Auto Racing Teams (1979–2007) Indy Racing League/IndyCar Series (1997–present)
Sanctioning bodies
The AAA Contest Board began sanctioning races as early as 1904. In the early years of the sport, only two seasons (1905 and 1916) an official national championship was recognized and awarded. The 1946 season is a source of a statistical anomaly. The AAA Contest Board included a substantial number of "Big Car" races in the national championship for 1946, swelling the season to 77 events (6 Champ Car races and 71 Big Car races). Some later texts chose to dismiss the 71 Big Car races from record, but reliable records and historians contend that the season should be regarded as the full 77-race schedule. Officially, Jim Trueman Rookie of the Year Award named after the late founder of the two-time champion TrueSports Racing Team, it was presented from 1979 Season to 2007 Season to the rookie who accumulates the most Champ Car Championship Series points among first year drivers.
Rookie of the Year winners
AAA and USAC Rookie of the Year winners AAA National Motor Car ChampionshipYear Rookie of the Year winners Driver standings Wins Team 1946 Jimmy Jackson 4 Jimmy Jackson Racing 1947 Bill Holland2 2 Fred Peters Racing 1948 Mack Hellings 8 Tommy Lee Racing 1949 Jimmy Davies 17 1 Pat Clancy Racing 1950 Walt Faulkner2 1 J.C. Agajanian Racing 1951 Mike Nazaruk 5 Jim Robbins Racing,Lou & Bruce Bromme Racing 1952 Jimmy Reece 9 John Zink Racing 1953 Ernie McCoy 16 H.A. Chapman Racing 1954 Larry Crockett 11 Federal Engineering 1955 George Amick 9 Lindsey Hopkins RacingUSAC National ChampionshipYear Rookie of the Year winners Driver standings Wins Team 1956 Jud Larson 22 1 John Zink Racing 1957 A. J. Foyt 26 John Wills Racing 1958 Joe Barzda 18 Joe Barzda Racing 1959 Jim Hurtubise 21 1 Racing Associates 1960 Parnelli Jones 18 D.A. Caruthers Racing 1961 Bobby Marshman 8 Walter Meskowski Racing 1962 Johnny Rutherford 25 Ollie Prather Racing 1963 Jim Clark 6 1 Team Lotus 1964 Mario Andretti 11 Dean Van Lines Racing 1965 Carl Williams 23 1966 Al Smith 16 Federal Automotive Associates 1967 Jim Malloy 27 Jim Robbins Racing 1968 Sonny Ates 24 Boyce Holt Racing,Joe Barzda Racing,Federal Automotive Associates 1969 Steve Krisiloff 24 Shelby-Dowd Racing 1970 Dick Simon 10 Racing International 1971 George Eaton 24 Fejer Brothers Racing 1972 Mike Hiss 6 Page Racing Enterprises 1973 Tom Sneva 31 1974 Pancho Carter 11 Bob Fletcher Racing 1975 Spike Gehlhausen 24 Carl Gehlhausen Racing 1976 Rick Mears 16 Art Sugai Racing 1977 Danny Ongais 12 1 Interscope Racing 1978 Tom Bagley 11 Leader Card Racers 1979 Howdy Holmes 12 AMI Racing 1980 Gordon Smiley 18 Patrick Racing
CART Jim Trueman Rookie of the Year winners The Rookie of the Year award in CART was named in the honor of Jim Trueman. Season Driver Driver standings Wins Team Chassis Engine Tyres 1979 Bill Alsup 15 WASP Racing McLaren M16C/D Offenhauser L4t 159 ci Goodyear 1980 Dennis Firestone 12 Rhoades Competition Penske Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1981 Bob Lazier 9 Bob Fletcher Racing Penske (1–6) March 81C (7–11) Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1982 Bobby Rahal2 2 Truesports March 82C Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1983 Teo Fabi2 4 Forsythe Racing March 83C Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1984 Roberto Guerrero 11 Bignotti-Cotter Racing March 84C Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1985 Arie Luyendyk 18 Provimi Racing Lola T900 Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1986 Dominic Dobson 30 Leader Cards Racing March 86C Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1987 Fabrizio Barbazza 12 Arciero Racing March 87C Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1988 John Jones 11 Arciero Racing March 88C Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1989 Bernard Jourdain 20 Andale Racing Lola Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1990 Eddie Cheever 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Penske PC-18 Chevrolet A Goodyear 1991 Jeff Andretti 15 Bayside Disposal Racing Lola Cosworth DFX Goodyear 1992 Stefan Johansson 14 Bettenhausen Racing Penske PC-20 Chevrolet A Goodyear 1993 Nigel Mansell Champion 5 Newman/Haas Racing Lola T93/00 Ford XB Goodyear 1994 Jacques Villeneuve 6 1 Forsythe Racing Reynard 94i Ford XB Goodyear 1995 Gil de Ferran 14 1 Jim Hall Racing Reynard 95i Mercedes-Benz IC108 Goodyear 1996 Alex Zanardi 3 3 Chip Ganassi Racing Reynard 96i Honda HRH Firestone 1997 Patrick Carpentier 17 Bettenhausen Racing Reynard 97i Mercedes-Benz IC108D Goodyear 1998 Tony Kanaan 9 Tasman Motorsports Reynard 98i Honda HRK Firestone 1999 Juan Pablo Montoya Champion 7 Chip Ganassi Racing Reynard 99i Honda HRS Firestone 2000 Kenny Bräck 4 Team Rahal Reynard 2Ki Ford Cosworth XF Firestone 2001 Scott Dixon 8 1 PacWest Racing Reynard 01i Toyota RV8F Firestone 2002 Mario Domínguez 18 1 Herdez Competition Lola B02/00 Ford Cosworth XF Bridgestone 2003 Sébastien Bourdais 4 3 Newman/Haas Racing Lola B02/00 Ford Cosworth XFE Bridgestone 2004 A. J. Allmendinger 6 RuSPORT Lola B02/00 Ford Cosworth XFE Bridgestone 2005 Timo Glock 8 Rocketsports Racing Lola B02/00 Ford Cosworth XFE Bridgestone 2006 Will Power 6 Team Australia Lola B02/00 Ford Cosworth XFE Bridgestone 2007 Robert Doornbos 3 2 Minardi Team USA Panoz DP01 Cosworth XFE Bridgestone
IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year winners As of 2018 IndyCar Series season The Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the top-finishing rookie in the IndyCar Series Drivers point standings. Winner also receives a $50,000 bonus. The Rookie of the Year Award is based on points for the IndyCar Series Drivers' Championship earned at each event. Season Driver Driver standings Wins Team Chassis Engine Tyres 1996–97 Jim Guthrie 12 1 Blueprint Racing Lola T93/00Dallara IR7 Menard V6Buick V6Oldsmobile Aurora V8 Firestone 1998 Robby Unser 16 Cheever Racing G-Force GF01BDallara IR8 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 Goodyear 1999 Scott Harrington 14 Harrington Motorsports Dallara IR9 Infiniti VRH35ADE V8Oldsmobile Aurora V8 Firestone 2000 Airton Daré 16 TeamXtreme G-Force GF05 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 Firestone 2001 Felipe Giaffone 6 Treadway Racing G-Force GF05B Oldsmobile Aurora V8 Firestone 2002 Laurent Rédon 12 Conquest Racing Dallara IR-02 Infiniti VRH35ADE V8 Firestone 2003 Dan Wheldon 11 Andretti Green Racing Dallara IR-03 Honda HI3R V8 Firestone 2004 Kosuke Matsuura 14 Fernández Racing G-Force GF09B Honda HI4R V8 Firestone 2005 Danica Patrick 12 Rahal Letterman Racing Panoz GF09C Honda HI5R V8 Firestone 2006 Marco Andretti 7 1 Andretti Green Racing Dallara IR-05 Honda HI6R V8 Firestone 2007 Ryan Hunter-Reay 19 Rahal Letterman Racing Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 Firestone 2008 Hideki Mutoh 10 Andretti Green Racing Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 Firestone 2009 Raphael Matos 13 Luczo-Dragon Racing Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 Firestone 2010 Alex Lloyd 16 Dale Coyne Racing Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 Firestone 2011 James Hinchcliffe 12 Newman/Haas Racing Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 Firestone 2012 Simon Pagenaud 5 Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara DW12 Honda HI12TT V6t Firestone 2013 Tristan Vautier 20 Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara DW12 Honda HI13TT V6t Firestone 2014 Carlos Muñoz 8 Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12 Honda HI14TT V6t Firestone 2015 Gabby Chaves 15 Bryan Herta Autosport Dallara DW12 Honda HI15TT V6t Firestone 2016 Alexander Rossi 11 1 Bryan Herta Autosport Dallara DW12 Honda HI16TT V6t Firestone 2017 Ed Jones 14 Dale Coyne Racing Dallara DW12 Honda HI17TT V6t Firestone 2018 Robert Wickens 11 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Dallara IR-18 Honda HI18TT V6t Firestone 2019 Felix Rosenqvist 6 Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara IR-18 Honda HI19TT V6t Firestone 2020 Rinus VeeKay 14 Ed Carpenter Racing Dallara IR-18 Chevrolet IndyCar V6t Firestone 2021 Scott McLaughlin 14 Team Penske Dallara IR-18 Chevrolet IndyCar V6t Firestone 2022 Christian Lundgaard 14 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara IR-18 Honda HI22TT V6t Firestone 2023 Marcus Armstrong 20 Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara IR-18 Honda HI23TT V6t Firestone 2024 Linus Lundqvist 16 Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara IR-18 Honda HI24TT V6t Firestone 2025 Louis Foster 23 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara IR-18 Honda HI25TT V6t Firestone 2025 Dennis Hauger https://www.indycar.com/news/2026/09/09-06-rookie-of-year-hauger 22 Dale Coyne Racing Dallara IR-18 Honda HI26TT V6t Firestone
Notes Due to sanctioning body splits in the sport of American Open Wheel racing from 1979 to 2007, several years saw two separate Rookie of the Year Award winners for separately sanctioned championship circuits. Because of the sanctioning body split, Indy Racing League officials in 2003 did not consider Scott Dixon (Champion), Tony Kanaan (4th), or Toranosuke Takagi (10th) as rookies. However, by 2007, with a new Champ Car formula and elimination of ovals, League officials declared subsequent 2006 and 2007 rookie candidates rookies because they lacked oval experience. In 2008 IndyCar Season Will Power was considered a rookie. That year he won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, but that race was run under Champ Car rules and he become the last ever winner of a Champ Car-style race. Power's rookie year in Champ Car was 2006 as he won the Rookie of the Year award that season, so in 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Power did not have a rookie status for that race.
IndyCar Rookie winners