The Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year is awarded annually to the racing driver deemed to have been the best performing rookie in the Indianapolis 500. Criteria include drivers' performance during practice, qualifying, and the race, their relationship with fans and the media, their sportsmanship and positive impact on the race. Sportsmanship is a driver's relationship with fellow racers and fans, and media interaction is their availability to spectators and the press during the event. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) itself encourages voters of the award to treat each criterion equally. Competitors who outperform in their equipment during qualifying and the race, as well as those who led part of the event but retired for various reasons such as a mechanical failure or involved in an accident, can be given leeway by voters. The award is not always presented to the highest-finishing rookie, and it is not given if there are no rookie entrants. There is no current sponsor of the accolade; it has formerly been sponsored by Stark and Wetzel, American Fletcher National Bank, Bank One, Chase, and Sunoco.
The rules state that the driver must be a rookie who competes in qualifying and the race. Previous Indianapolis 500 racers and prize money winners are ineligible for the award at future events. According to earlier regulations, drivers were evaluated on their ability to follow United States Auto Club regulations, mental attitude, willingness to listen to advice from experts, actions to improve the welfare and safety of other competitors, and their own performance in qualifying and the race. In 1958, officials amended the regulations to make competitors who paid for or took part in prize money for one of the race's 33 starting spots eligible to compete for the award; this was done by redefining "appearance" in the rules following a two-car collision between Elmer George and Eddie Russo prior to the start of the 1957 race that resulted in differing opinions on whether the former was a rookie driver. The IMS disqualified drivers who crashed before the start of the 1958 Indianapolis 500 from competing for the accolade the following year.
The award was established before the 1952 Indianapolis 500 to reward rookie drivers for their performance in the race. Each year, after the race has ended, a small group of current and former media members, along with IndyCar Series and IMS officials, vote. They use a points-based voting system to choose their first and second choices. The winners' names are engraved on the Stark and Wetzel Rookie of the Year Award Trophy in the IMS Museum, and they receive $50,000 in cash and a cut glass trophy. The Herff-Jones company spent $6,000 to create the -tall trophy. It has an onyx base with sterling rest googles and a sterling plate featuring the name and year of each recipient is mounted on a central walnut shaft. A sterling bar in the shape of the IMS official emblem (wings sprouting from a racing tire) adorns the trophy's head. The trophy features the number 500 in gold and a gold race car going through the middle numeral. The award is presented after the race at the Victory Banquet in Indianapolis. Previous awards have included a plaque, a ring, and a year's worth of meat from Stark and Wetzel.
There have been 77 drivers who have won the accolade in the 71 years that it has been awarded. The first recipient was Art Cross in the 1952 race. It is typically given to one driver per year, but on five occasions it was awarded to two racers for their performance in a single race: Parnelli Jones and Bobby Marshman for 1961, Rick Mears and Larry Rice for 1978, Michael Andretti and Roberto Guerrero for 1984, Bernard Jourdain and Scott Pruett for 1989, and Alex Barron and Tomas Scheckter for 2002. American Lyn St. James became the first woman driver to win the award at the 1992 edition. Since then, two other women have won: Danica Patrick in 2005 and Simona de Silvestro in 2010. Juan Pablo Montoya (2000), Hélio Castroneves (2001) and Alexander Rossi (2016) are the three drivers who have won both the rookie prize and the race in the same calendar year. Josele Garza is the youngest winner of the award; he was 19 years and 70 days old when he won it after the 1981 event. The most recent winner was Mick Schumacher in the 2026 race.
Rookie of the Year winners +Tire manufacturersSymbol Tire manufacturer Firestone Goodyear
+Winners of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the YearYearWinner(s)Team(s)TireDistance and status 1952 33 Bowes Seal Fast / Ray Brady Kurtis KK4000-Offenhauser 20 5 200 500 800 Running 1953 48 Sumar / Chapman Root Kurtis KK3000-Offenhauser 21 6 200 500 800 Running 1954 28 Federal Engineering Kurtis KK3000-Offenhauser 25 9 200 500 800 Running 1955 71 Martin Brothers Silnes-Offenhauser 16 7 200 500 800 Running 1956 14 Federal Engineering Kurtis KK500E-Offenhauser 23 7 200 500 800 Running 1957 92 Roy McKay Kurtis KK500G-Offenhauser 27 19 170 425 680 Spun out 1958 99 Norman C Demler Epperly-Offenhauser 25 2 200 500 800 Running 1959 48 Chapman S Root Kurtis KK500G-Offenhauser 5 26 85 212.5 340 Magneto 1960 56 Ernest L Ruiz Christensen-Offenhauser 23 18 185 462.5 740 Rod 1961 98 J. C. Agajanian Watson-Offenhauser 5 12 192 480 768 Running 31 John R Wills Watson-Offenhauser 33 7 200 500 800 Running 1962 15 Ollie Prather Kurtis-Offenhauser 7 6 200 500 800 Running 1963 92 Team Lotus Lotus 29-Ford 5 2 200 500 800 Running 1964 99 Norman C Demler Watson-Offenhauser 21 4 200 500 800 Running 1965 12 Dean Van Lines Racing Division Hawk I-Ford 4 3 200 500 800 Running 1966 43 Mecom Racing Enterprises Lola T90-Ford 11 6 190 475 760 Oil pressure 1967 69 Smokey Yunick Eagle 67-Ford 24 4 197 492.5 788 Running 1968 98 J. C. Agajanian Shrike-Offenhauser 23 7 198 495 792 Running 1969 66 US Racing Lola T152-Ford 4 7 190 475 760 Running 1970 14 Foyt-Greer Racing Eagle 70-Ford 23 4 200 500 800 Running 1971 43 Fiore Racing Vollstedt-Offenhauser 28 8 189 472.5 756 Running 1972 60 Page Racing Enterprises Eagle 72-Offenhauser 25 7 196 490 784 Running 1973 60 Patrick Racing Eagle-Offenhauser 13 16 91 227.5 364 Header 1974 11 Fletcher Racing Eagle 74-Offenhauser 21 7 191 477.5 764 Running 1975 83 Lee Elkins Eagle 75-Offenhauser 15 7 165 412.5 660 Running 1976 9 Jorgensen Steel Eagle 74-Offenhauser 17 18 97 242.5 388 Running 1977 36 James C Bidwell McLaren M16C/D-Offenhauser 16 10 187 467.5 748 Running 1978 71 Penske Racing Penske PC-6-Cosworth 3 23 97 242.5 388 Engine 35 Pat Santello Lightning-Offenhauser 30 11 181 452.5 724 Engine 1979 46 AMI Racing Wildcat Mk2-Offenhauser 13 7 195 487.5 780 Running 1980 21 Mach 1 Racing Penske PC-7-Cosworth 19 9 195 487.5 780 Out of fuel 1981 55 Psachie-Garza Racing Penske PC-9-Cosworth 6 23 138 345 552 Accident 1982 42 Rattlesnake Racing March 81C-Cosworth 24 7 189 472.5 756 Running 1983 33 Forsythe Racing March 83C-Cosworth 1 26 47 117.5 188 Fuel gasket 1984 99 Kraco Racing March 84C-Cosworth 4 5 198 495 792 Running 9 Bignotti-Cotter Racing March 84C-Cosworth 7 2 198 495 792 Running 1985 61 Provimi Veal Racing Lola T900-Cosworth 20 7 198 495 792 Running 1986 12 Arciero Racing March 86C-Cosworth 13 10 195 487.5 780 Running 1987 12 Arciero Racing March 87C-Cosworth 17 3 198 495 792 Running 1988 56 Gohr Racing March 88C-Cosworth 23 14 179 447.5 716 Running 1989 69 Andale Racing Lola T89/00-Cosworth 20 9 191 477.5 764 Running 3 Truesports Lola T89/00-Judd 17 10 190 475 760 Running 1990 25 Chip Ganassi Racing Penske PC-18-Chevrolet 14 8 193 482.5 772 Running 1991 86 Bayside Disposal Racing Lola T91/00-Cosworth 11 15 150 375 600 Engine 1992 90 Dick Simon Racing Lola T91/00-Chevrolet 27 11 193 482.5 772 Running 1993 5 Newman/Haas Racing Lola T93/00-Ford 8 3 200 500 800 Running 1994 12 Forsythe-Green Racing Reynard 94I-Ford 4 2 200 500 800 Running 1995 15 Walker Racing Reynard 95I-Ford 27 2 200 500 800 Running 1996 20 Team Menard Lola T95/00-Buick/Menard 1 24 82 205 328 Engine 1997 52 Team Cheever G-Force GF01-Oldsmobile Aurora 7 3 200 500 800 Running 1998 55 ISM Racing Dallara IR7-Oldsmobile Aurora 23 3 200 500 800 Running 1999 55 Conti Racing Dallara IR7-Oldsmobile Aurora 27 5 199 497.5 796 Running 2000 9 Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force GF05-Oldsmobile Aurora 2 1 200 500 800 Running 2001 68 Team Penske Dallara IR-01-Oldsmobile Aurora 11 1 200 500 800 Running 2002 44 Blair Racing Dallara IR-01-Chevrolet 26 4 200 500 800 Running 52 Cheever Racing Dallara IR-01-Infiniti 10 26 172 430 688 Accident 2003 12 Mo Nunn Racing Panoz G-Force GF09-Toyota 7 5 200 500 800 Running 2004 55 Super Aguri Fernández Racing Panoz G-Force GF09-Honda 9 11 180 450 720 Running 2005 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Panoz G-Force GF09-Honda 4 4 200 500 800 Running 2006 26 Andretti Green Racing Dallara IR-03-Honda 9 2 200 500 800 Running 2007 31 Playa Del Racing Panoz G-Force GF09-Honda 33 29 106 265 424 Accident 2008 17 Rahal Letterman Racing Dallara IR-05-Honda 20 6 200 500 800 Running 2009 36 Conquest Racing Dallara IR-05-Honda 33 11 200 500 800 Running 2010 78 HVM Racing Dallara IR-05-Honda 22 14 200 500 800 Running 2011 4 Panther Racing Dallara IR-05-Honda 12 2 200 500 800 Running 2012 8 KV Racing Technology Dallara DW12-Chevrolet 10 11 200 500 800 Running 2013 26 Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12-Chevrolet 2 2 200 500 800 Running 2014 26 Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12-Honda 12 6 200 500 800 Running 2015 98 Bryan Herta Autosport Dallara DW12-Honda 26 16 200 500 800 Running 2016 98 Andretti Herta Autosport Dallara DW12-Honda 11 1 200 500 800 Running 2017 29 McLaren-Honda-Andretti Dallara DW12-Honda 5 24 179 447.5 716 Mechanical 2018 6 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Dallara DW12-Honda 18 9 200 500 800 Running 2019 19 Dale Coyne Racing Dallara DW12-Honda 23 7 200 500 800 Running 2020 5 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara DW12-Chevrolet 15 6 200 500 800 Running 2021 3 Team Penske Dallara DW12-Chevrolet 17 20 200 500 800 Running 2022 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara DW12-Honda 12 28 193 482.5 772 Contact 2023 55 A. J. Foyt Racing Dallara DW12-Chevrolet 11 21 196 490 784 Contact 2024 17 Arrow McLaren w/ Rick Hendrick Dallara DW12-Chevrolet 5 18 200 500 800 Running 2025 83 Prema Racing Dallara DW12-Chevrolet 1 26 87 217.5 350 Contact 2026 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara DW12-Honda 27 18 200 500 800 Running
Statistics +Winners by nationalityLicenceWinners 49 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Fastest rookie qualifier Since 1975, the American Dairy Association Indiana (ADA) has presented the Fastest Rookie of the Year award to the fastest rookie qualifier regardless of starting position or four-lap average speed in order to welcome and celebrate, and honor each rookie entrant in the Indianapolis 500. The quickest rookie qualifier receives $10,000, a commemorative poster, and a plaque at the annual ADA Fastest Rookie Luncheon. The driver's name is also inscribed on the IMS Museum's permanent Fastest Rookie trophy. There have been 50 winners of the award. The first winner was Bill Puterbaugh in the 1975 race, and the most recent winner was Robert Shwartzman at the 2025 edition.
+Key Denotes a Fast Six Shootout qualifier Denotes a Fast Nine Shootout qualifier Denotes a Top 12 Qualifying entrant
+Tire manufacturersSymbol Tire manufacturer Firestone Goodyear