 | |||||
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | INDYCAR | ||||
| Season | 2013 IndyCar season | ||||
| Date | May 26, 2013 | ||||
| Winner |  Tony Kanaan | ||||
| Winning team | KV Racing Technology | ||||
| Average speed | 187.433 mph (301.644 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position |  Ed Carpenter | ||||
| Pole speed | 228.762 mph (368.157 km/h) | ||||
| Fastest qualifier |  Will Power | ||||
| Rookie of the Year |  Carlos Muñoz | ||||
| Most laps led | Ed Carpenter (37) | ||||
| Pre-race ceremonies | |||||
| National anthem | Sandi Patty | ||||
| "Back Home Again in Indiana" | Jim Nabors | ||||
| Starting command | Mari Hulman George | ||||
| Pace car | 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray | ||||
| Pace car driver | Jim Harbaugh | ||||
| Starter | Paul Blevin | ||||
| Honorary starter | Michael Peña | ||||
| Estimated attendance | TBD | ||||
| TV in the United States | |||||
| Network | ABC | ||||
| Announcers | Marty Reid Scott Goodyear Eddie Cheever | ||||
| Nielsen ratings | 3.7[1] | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
| |||||
The 97th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 26, 2013. It was the premier event of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season. Tony Kanaan, a native of Brazil, was victorious on a record-setting day. Kanaan became the fourth Brazilian driver to win the Indianapolis 500 joined by Emerson Fittipaldi, Helio Castroneves, and Gil de Ferran.
The track opened for practice on Saturday, May 11. Time trials were held May 18–19, and the final practice, traditionally dubbed "Carb Day", was Friday, May 24. A support race, the Freedom 100 for the Indy Lights series was also held on Carb Day. In time trials, owner/driver Ed Carpenter of Indianapolis won the pole position, the first American-born pole-sitter since 2006, and the first owner/driver to sit on the pole since 1975.
For the first time since 1987, two drivers in the field entered the race attempting to win a fourth Indianapolis 500.[2] Three-time winners Hélio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009) and Dario Franchitti (2007, 2010, 2012) attempted to tie A. J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears for the most Indy 500 victories. Neither driver was victorious this day, through Castroneves would achieve the feat in 2021. Unknown at the time, the 2013 race would be Franchitti's last; he retired after suffering severe injuries in a crash at Houston about five months later.[3]
After eleven previous attempts, Tony Kanaan, racing for KV Racing Technology, won the race. On a restart with three laps remaining, Kanaan overtook leader Ryan Hunter-Reay in the first turn. Three-time champion Dario Franchitti got loose and crashed into the outside wall bringing out the final caution of the race. Kanaan led Rookie of the Year Carlos Muñoz and Hunter-Reay across the line. The average speed of the race – 187.433 mph (301.644 km/h) – was the fastest Indianapolis 500, breaking the record set in 1990 by Arie Luyendyk. The record would stand until 2021. The 68 lead changes, and 14 different leaders, set during the race are also new records. Other records set (each of which have since been broken) included most cars running at the finish in a race that completed 200 laps (26), fewest caution laps (21), most laps completed by the field (5,863), as well as a 133-lap caution-free segment from lap 61 through 193.
Chevrolet swept the top four finishing positions, and took its first Indianapolis 500 win since 2002, breaking Honda's streak of nine consecutive Indy 500 wins. Chassis manufacturer Dallara won its 8th straight Indy 500, and 13th overall since joining the series in 1997.
- ^ "Indy 500: Final Rating Avoids Low, But Race Least-Viewed Ever". Sports Media Watch. 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
- ^ The Talk of Gasoline Alley – WFNI, May 13, 2013.
- ^ "Dario Franchitti retires from IndyCar after accident". USA Today. Gannett Company. November 14, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2014.