2018 Indy 500 countdown: 5 years ago – 2013 Indianapolis 500

By Asher Fair | May 22, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 26: Ed Carpenter, driver of the #20 Fuzzy's Vodka / Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, leads the field at the start of the IZOD IndyCar Series 97th running of the Indianpolis 500 mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

With just five days to go until the 2018 Indianapolis 500, let’s take a look back at the 2013 Indy 500, which took place five years ago.

The 2012 Indianapolis 500 set a new record for lead changes in Indy 500 history with 34. The 97th running of the Indy 500 in 2013 shattered that record in arguably the most exciting race in Indy 500 history and perhaps even IndyCar history sans the finish of the race, which took place under caution.

Tony Kanaan started the race in 12th place and led 34 laps en route to his first career win in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” after taking the lead from Ryan Hunter-Reay, who ended up finishing the race in third, on the final restart just seconds before Dario Franchitti crashed to bring out the caution flag that would stay out as the checkered flag flew and Kanaan crossed the finish line ahead of rookie Carlos Munoz in second.

Here is a video of those crazy final green flag laps of the race.

A total of 13 drivers combined to lead the other 166 laps of the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana.

More from IndyCar

Those 13 drivers were Carlos Munoz, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, A.J. Allmendinger, polesitter Ed Carpenter, who led a field-high 37 laps, Scott Dixon, E.J. Viso, Will Power, James Jakes, James Hinchcliffe, Alex Tagliani and Townsend Bell.

The previous Indy 500 record of 34 lead changes, which was set in the previous year in the 2012 edition of the race, was shattered. In fact, it was doubled.

The 2013 Indy 500 featured a record 68 lead changes among 14 drivers. It also featured only five caution flag periods for 21 laps, which allowed it to set an all-time Indy 500 average speed record of 187.433 miles per hour as well.

Of the 33 drivers who started the race, 26 finished it, and of those 26 drivers who finished the race, 19 did so on the lead lap.

Ana Beatriz advanced a field-high 14 positions throughout the race, as she finished in 15th place after starting all the way back in the middle of the 10th of 11 rows on the starting grid in 29th.

Here is the full broadcast of the 2013 Indianapolis 500.

Next: Top 10 IndyCar drivers of all-time

Be sure to tune in to Beyond the Flag tomorrow for a recap of the 2014 Indianapolis 500 from four years ago since there will be just four days to go until this year’s running of the event at that time. That recap is set to be published at 10:00 am ET tomorrow. This year’s running of the Indy 500 is set to take place on on Sunday, May 27. It is set to be broadcast live starting at 11:00 am ET on ABC on that date.