Beyond the Flag
Fansided

Indy 500: Top 10 Indianapolis 500 drivers of all-time

By Asher Fair

INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 27: Helio Castroneves, driver of the #3 Team Penske Dallara Honda, leads a pack of cars at the start of the IRL IndyCar Series 91st running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 27, 2007 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 27: Helio Castroneves, driver of the #3 Team Penske Dallara Honda, leads a pack of cars at the start of the IRL IndyCar Series 91st running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 27, 2007 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MAY 27: The Borg-Warner trophy is seen prior to practice on Carb Day at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 27, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MAY 27: The Borg-Warner trophy is seen prior to practice on Carb Day at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 27, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

#6 – Wilbur Shaw

Wilbur Shaw managed to win the Indianapolis 500 three times in 13 attempts, and he is one of only 10 drivers who have won the race more than twice as a result of this.

In 2,019 career laps in the Indy 500, Shaw led 508 (25.16%) of them, a total that ranks 5th on the all-time Indy 500 laps led list. His percentage of Indy 500 laps led is higher than three of the four drivers he trails in the all-time Indy 500 laps led list.

Shaw made his Indy 500 debut in 1927. He started the race in 19th place before finishing in 4th without leading a single lap. He returned in 1928 and 1930 but failed to finish both of those races. He also did not lead any laps in either of those two races. He did not race in the Indy 500 in 1929 or 1931.

From 1932 to 1936, Shaw drove in all five Indy 500 races without winning, but he managed to lead laps in three of them. From 1937 to 1940, he drove in all four Indy 500 races, and he also led laps in three of them. Of those three races he led laps in in 1937, 1939 and 1940, he won all of them.

Shaw became the second driver to win the Indy 500 three times as a result of these three victories, and he became the first driver to win the race in back-to-back years with his second and third career victories in the race. In his final attempt in the race in 1941, he finished in 18th place after crashing following a 3rd place start.