Every podium tastes like glory and every victory more so.
Alex Palou on the calibre of competition in IndyCar, September 5th 2023, via Marca.com
I'm just so f***ing disappointed!
Kosuke Matsuura, St Pete's 2007
Back then there were 50-75 cars just trying to make the field. And they were the best drivers in the world. I remember thinking; I can’t believe this. I can't believe I got a spot.
A.J. Foyt on qualifying for his first Indianapolis 500 mile race
Hope you're all snug in your beds, while Indycars dance in your head...
Simon Pagenaud on insomnia, Twitter, 4:31 AM, July 23rd 2019
Time to go to the back row party!
Ryan Hunter Reay, Indy 500 Bump Day 2009
I think the IRL has been poised for a long time to be discovered by a lot of people.
Chip Ganassi
I drove the best race of my whole career!
Rinus VeeKay on finishing 5th at the IMS Road Course, July 4th 2020
It felt way better than I ever thought it was going to feel!
Ed Carpenter on finally winning his first race, Kansas, October 2011
Antony! Yer losin' 3 seconds a lap! Now get yer foot into it, I'm not gonna tell ya again!!
AJ Foyt, Chicagoland 2004
Some of the drivers roll out this 'safety' word, and suddenly it ties everybody's hands. But those arguments make no sense anyway. Remove downforce and you actually improve safety
Rick Mears on downforce, Motorsport.com, October 28th 2015
I have learned more in one week here than I did in my entire Formula One career.
Jean Alesi, Bump Day, Indy 2012
I lifted a little, but I didn't touch the brake.
Will Power on the art of restarting, St Pete's, March 30th 2014
Good news is we've won every race we've finished!
James Hinchcliffe on crashing out at Long Beach, April 22nd 2013
The Indy 500 is one of the greatest events in the sport. Drivers all over the world know this. I belong there. Because I'm a racer.
Fernando Alonso on The Indy 500, The Players Tribune, May 18th 2017
My mom hasn't played much of a role in my racing career. In fact, I think she still wants me to join the Coast Guard. But I still love her.
PJ Chesson on Mothers Day
It's like a reunion to come back here every May. I've never retired. I always say, "I'm not done yet."
Parnelli Jones, Indy 2007
The only reason I'm wearin' it is so I didn't leave it in no hotel nowhere!
A.J. Foyt on his Indy 500 winner's ring, Detroit, June 3rd 2016
If we're not racing hard, we're not racing.
Tony Kanaan, St Pete's 2007
It's a living, breathing, organism.
Eddie Cheever on Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Winning is always a great feeling, but winning at your home track, a place that you grew up at and a place that helped you fall in love with the sport of IndyCar racing... this is priceless.
Graham Rahal on winning at Mid-Ohio, Instagram, August 3rd 2015
It was a tough day – really disappointing... I guess it was a good day in reality.
Josef Newgarden on finishing 7th at the IMS Road Course, July 4th 2020
The last time this flag was on the front row of the Indy500, I wasn’t born. Makes me proud.
Rinus Veekay on the Dutch flag, Twitter.com, May 25th 2021
There comes a time in a race where money doesn't matter, living doesn't matter. Winning is the only thing that matters, and so when you go into those corners, it's winning that tells all.
Al Unser Jr.
The track is narrower than I thought! You watch the television and you see three cars alongside on the main straight - now I am in the car on the main straight and it's hard to imagine how you can fit three cars there at speed.
Fernando Alonso after his first test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 3rd 2017
It takes a lot of guts to expose yourself in front of millions of people, in front of all the media, in front of all your peers. If somebody came to me and said, "Hey, you want to run Texas in an IRL car," I'd say, "Hell, no. I don't want to get embarrassed." She's doing that. I have a lot of respect for that.
Jeff Burton on Danica Patrick, June 2010
Speed on ovals is insane. Currently re-calibrating my eyes.
Jimmie Johnson on his first oval test at Texas Motor Speedway, via Twitter, August 30th 2020
Some people strap on their helmet and lose their brains.
Graham Rahal on the carnage at Toronto, July 2011
Most importantly, for the Indy 500 we'll probably be all okay, and that's cause to be happy.
Mikhail Aleshin on Honda's prospects for the 2017 season, Motorsport.com, February 2nd 2017
I'm tired of being nice about it. The fact is, grip created by aerodynamic downforce is our enemy... At the moment, the downforce is so great that it masks the handling and hurts the racing
Rick Mears on what's wrong with IndyCar, Motorsport.com, October 28th 2015
Milka, if you're gonna go that slow you gotta drive your mirrors, hon'!
Ryan Hunter-Reay to Milka Duno after Watkins Glen qualifying, July 2010
Pounding down toward the yard of bricks...
Tom Carnegie
And here comes Max Crappis into the pits!
Paul Page, Michigan '99
Back at the big house next weekend, kids.
Alexander Rossi on the Harvest GP, Twitter.com, 24th September 2020
My picture isn't everywhere, but people recognize me. I'm telling you, it's the nose.
Tony Kanaan, May 2007
I remember the first year I raced here, I took pictures of the entrance. I was taking pictures. I hoped one day to race here in May.
Fernando Alonso on Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 3rd 2017
There is nothing like winning the Indianapolis 500 and fortunately I was able to do so.
Eddie Cheever Jr.
Less than a mile an hour and I'm on pole. It's tough. It's IndyCar. It's why we love it.
Scott McLaughlan on qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 22nd 2023, via Speed Street
Maybe he should start thinking about driving and stop thinking about dancing because that was a stupid move.
Tomas Scheckter on Helio Castroneves, Detroit 2007
Everyone wants to pick a fight with me. Whatever.
Sage Karam on everyone wanting to pick a fight with him, IndyStar.com, August 3rd 2015
The last I looked, I earned the label of Indy 500 champion; those lobbing unfounded accusations at me have not.
Eddie Cheever Jr. after Watkins Glen 06
You're not going to out-Dixon Dixon!
James Hinchcliffe on trying to beat Scott Dixon on fuel mileage, during the Bommarito Automative 500, August 27th 2023
I never would've had my opportunity to race at Indy if it weren't for Tony George and the IRL.
Tony Stewart, May 2007
Some of the drivers who don't want to do the Indy 500, they just have small balls. I think that's the only explanation.
Mikhail Aleshin on drivers who are too scared to run the Indy 500, May 16th 2017
Eyes on the starter...
Tom Carnegie
If he wins this race with what he has to work with, they ought to name this place after him.
John Barnes on Sam Hornish Jr, indy 2003
The Indy 500 is the biggest race in the world. I don't think it's even debatable. It is.
Dan Wheldon
Finishing in the Top-10 here was because of nutrition.
A Sarah Fisher malapropism, Texas 2007
Cheever had a problem with my dad, he had a problem with me, and now he's taking it out on Marco.
Michael Andretti, Watkins Glen 2006
The minute he got in front of me, he slowed down half-a-second a lap because he knows I'm fighting him for the championship and he was out of the race. It's probably the most unsportsmanlike thing I've ever seen on the racetrack, apart from shunting someone into a wall.
Wade Cunningham on Sebastien Saavedra, Iowa 2009
The day started when I walked into Gasoline Alley and saw the grandstands. It was my first time here on race day and it was quite unbelievable.
Alex Tagliani on the 2009 Indianapolis 500
| Driver | Value | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Takuma Sato | $290000 | 60 |
| Will Power | $340000 | 47 |
| Juan Pablo Montoya | $340000 | 43 |
| Helio Castroneves | $335000 | 39 |
| Stefano Coletti | $295000 | 29 |
| Total | $1600000 | 218 |