Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
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Indianapolis 500 | |||||
Sanctioning body | USAC | ||||
Season | 1962 USAC season | ||||
Date | May 30, 1962 | ||||
Winner | Rodger Ward | ||||
Winning team | Leader Cards | ||||
Average speed | 140.293 mph (225.780 km/h) | ||||
Pole position | Parnelli Jones | ||||
Pole speed | 150.370 mph (241.997 km/h) | ||||
Fastest qualifier | Parnelli Jones | ||||
Rookie of the Year | Jim McElreath | ||||
Most laps led | Parnelli Jones (120) | ||||
Pre-race ceremonies | |||||
National anthem | Purdue Band | ||||
"Back Home Again in Indiana" | C. David Cochard | ||||
Starting command | Tony Hulman | ||||
Pace car | Studebaker Lark Daytona Convertible | ||||
Pace car driver | Sam Hanks | ||||
Starter | Pat Vidan[1] | ||||
Honorary referee | Robert A. Stranahan, Jr.[1] | ||||
Estimated attendance | 230,000[2] | ||||
TV in the United States | |||||
Network | N/A | ||||
Announcers | N/A | ||||
Nielsen ratings | N/A / N/A | ||||
Chronology | |||||
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The 46th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Wednesday, May 30, 1962.
A historic pole day saw Parnelli Jones break the 150 mph (240 km/h) barrier in qualifying. Rodger Ward and Len Sutton finished 1st-2nd for Leader Cards Racing.
The 1962 Indy 500 marked the final 500 wherein the entire 33-car field consisted of U.S.-born participants. It was also the first race held with the track surface paved entirely in asphalt, with just the ceremonial single yard of bricks exposed at the start/finish line.[citation needed]