Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year

Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year
The Stark and Wetzel Rookie of the Year Award Trophy on display in front of open wheel racing cars in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
Original Stark and Wetzel Rookie of the Year Award trophy on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
SportAmerican open-wheel car racing
CompetitionIndianapolis 500
DisciplineIndyCar Series
Awarded for"the driver who has performed with the most distinction among first-year drivers in the Indianapolis 500."[1]
History
First award1952
Editions71
First winnerUnited States Art Cross (1952)
Most recentUnited States Kyle Larson (2024)

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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) itself encourages voters of the award to treat each criterion equally.[3][4] 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.[5] The award is not always presented to the highest-finishing rookie,[3][4] and it is not given if there are no rookie entrants.[6] 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.[7][8][9][10]

The rules state that the driver must be a rookie who competes in qualifying and the race.[11] Previous Indianapolis 500 racers and prize money winners are ineligible for the award at future events.[11] 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.[12] 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.[13] The IMS disqualified drivers who crashed before the start of the 1958 Indianapolis 500 from competing for the accolade the following year.[14]

The award was established before the 1952 Indianapolis 500 to reward rookie drivers for their performance in the race.[11][15] 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.[3][16] The winners' names are engraved on the Stark and Wetzel Rookie of the Year Award Trophy in the IMS Museum,[16] and they receive $50,000 in cash and a cut glass trophy.[a][23][24] The Herff-Jones company spent $6,000 to create the 40-inch (1,000 mm)-tall trophy.[b] 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.[26] 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.[26][27] The award is presented after the race at the Victory Banquet in Indianapolis.[c][30] Previous awards have included a plaque, a ring, and a year's worth of meat from Stark and Wetzel.[12][17]

There have been 77 drivers who have won the accolade in the 71 years that it has been awarded.[31][32] The first recipient was Art Cross in the 1952 race.[33] 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.[d][3] American Lyn St. James became the first woman driver to win the award at the 1992 edition.[35] Since then, two other women have won: Danica Patrick in 2005 and Simona de Silvestro in 2010.[36] 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.[37] 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.[38] The most recent winner was Kyle Larson in the 2024 race.[31][32]

  1. ^ a b Herrero, Daniel (May 31, 2022). "DCR calls Malukas the 'actual' winner after Johnson named Indy 500 Rookie of the Year". Speedcafe. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  2. ^ Benyon, Jack (May 31, 2022). "Johnson's Indy 500 rookie win draws anger – is it justified?". The Race. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e DiZinno, Tony (May 30, 2017). "DiZinno: Inside the 2017 Indy 500 rookie voting process". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Ayello, Jim (May 30, 2017). "Insider: Alonso wins Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, but Ed Jones deserved better". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  5. ^ Malsher-Lopez, David (May 28, 2019). "Ferrucci confirmed as Indy 500 Rookie of the Year". Motorsport.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  6. ^ "Race Rookie Award Plans Are Completed". The Indianapolis Star. May 13, 1960. p. 33. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ^ a b "Pit Pass". The Indianapolis Star. May 18, 1979. p. 48. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1999Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2012Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Sunoco Sponsors Indy 500 Rookie Award". Performance Racing Magazine. May 21, 2014. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c "Rookie Trophy In '500' To Be Given During '52 Race". The Clarion-Ledger. International News Service. April 17, 1952. p. 2. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  12. ^ a b "It's Happening in May; Rookie Honors Planned". The Indianapolis Star. May 25, 1974. p. 11. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  13. ^ "Definition of Appearance". Indianapolis News. May 9, 1958. p. 16. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  14. ^ "'58 Crash Rookies Ineligible". Indianapolis News. May 7, 1959. p. 46. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  15. ^ "New 500 Trophy". The Indianapolis Star. February 1, 1952. p. 34. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  16. ^ a b "IRL, Indy 500: Bank One Increases Rookie of the Year Award to $25,000". The Auto Channel. May 22, 1999. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Davidson, Donald (May 22, 1997). "Rookie of the year were once rewarded with $500 and a year's supply of meat". The Indianapolis Star. p. D9. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1968Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ "The 25th Stark". The Indianapolis Star. May 25, 1977. p. 53. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  20. ^ Walters, Bob (June 2, 1986). "Rahal's haul $581,062 for winning '500'". The Indianapolis Star. p. 6. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  21. ^ "Bank One Increases Rookie Of The Year Award To $25,000". Indianapolis Motor Speedway. May 21, 1999. Archived from the original on September 29, 2000. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  22. ^ "Rookies Get Trophy Taste". The Indianapolis Star. May 11, 1990. p. D4. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1991Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2022Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  26. ^ a b "First Year Racers Seek Brand New 'Rookie' Prize". The Indianapolis Star. May 30, 1952. p. 31. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  27. ^ Mannweiler, Lyle (May 10, 1968). "$35 Will Buy The Rookie Trophy". Indianapolis News. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  28. ^ "Dinner Honors '60 Rookie of Year". The Indianapolis Star. May 25, 1961. p. 8. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  29. ^ "Rookie Party Slated". The Indianapolis Star. May 20, 1975. p. 8. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
    Van Nuys, Kathleen (May 20, 1977). "Bash, Luau in Party Plans". Indianapolis News. p. 14. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  30. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2021Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  31. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference RookieAwardWinners was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  32. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference RookiesIndy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  33. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1952Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  34. ^ Cadou Jr., Jep (June 1, 1961). "2 Share Rookie Honors". The Indianapolis Star. p. 44. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
    Mittman, Dick (May 30, 1989). "Jourdain, Pruett top rookies". Indianapolis News. p. C5. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  35. ^ Beynon, Jack (May 28, 2022). "Indy 500's most important rookie of the year – 30 years on". The Race. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  36. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2010Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  37. ^ Cavin, Curt (August 24, 2020). "O'Ward Named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year". Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Archived from the original on August 25, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  38. ^ Sturbin, John (May 5, 2009). "Rookies Have Played Major Roles at Indianapolis". Racin' Today. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.


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