Top 25 IndyCar drivers of all-time

Top IndyCar drivers of all-time: #22 – Paul Tracy

Paul Tracy earns his spot on this list based on what he accomplished throughout his career — not because of something that many still think he accomplished. But maybe that played a role in him gaining a few spots; we’ll leave that for you to decide.

We’ll get to the 2002 Indy 500 in a few seconds, but first let’s talk about what Tracy officially won. He secured 31 race wins, good for a 10th place tie on the all-time list, and he won the sport’s crown jewel street course race, the Grand Prix of Long Beach, on four occasions, good for a second place tie on the all-time list.

He also won the 2003 CART championship, marking the final title won by a driver other than Sebastien Bourdais before the reunification occurred in 2008.

Now back to 2002.

Tracy had competed in the Indy 500 four times prior to 2002, but he had never actually finished the race. To those day, many consider the 2002 Indy 500 runner-up to be the 2002 Indy 500 winner.

While that will never actually be the case considering it was Helio Castroneves who found victory lane for the second time in two tries and that result was never overturned, nobody will ever forget the late-race controversy of that day nearly two decades ago.

When the caution flag came out/didn’t come out is still brought up 19 years later, and Tracy still gets congratulated by fans for his 2002 “win”, as if it happened like any other Indy 500 win. Of all the Indy 500 controversy that has taken place over the years, including some involving other big-name drivers, this is the one that will live on forever.