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Who won the Indianapolis 500 the year you were born?
Alexander Rossi won the Indy 500 in 2016. Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports

Who won the Indianapolis 500 the year you were born?

Every true NASCAR fan would want to know who won the Indianapolis 500 the year he or she was born, and the real fanatics want to know every since the race's inception. This list chronicles every champion since 1911, many of whom kissed the track and drank the milk.

 

2018: Will Power

2018: Will Power
Brian Spurlock / USA TODAY Sports

Will Power won for Team Penske in just under three hours. He became the first Australian to win the race, averaging nearly 167 miles per hour.

 

2017: Takuma Sato

2017: Takuma Sato
Brian Spurlock / USA TODAY Sports

Takuma Sato became not only the first Japanese driver to win the Indy 500 but also the first Asian driver to accomplish the feat. Racing for Andretti Autosport, Sato won in just over three hours and 13 minutes, averaging 155 miles per hour.

 

2016: Alexander Rossi

2016: Alexander Rossi
Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports

With an average speed of 166.6 miles per hour, American Alexander Rossi took home the checkered flag at the 2016 Indy 500. It was his first victory in the heralded race.

 

2015: Juan Pablo Montoya

2015: Juan Pablo Montoya
Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Juan Pablo Montoya won at Indy 15 years after his first win, averaging 161 miles per hour.

 

2014: Ryan Hunter-Reay

2014: Ryan Hunter-Reay
Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images

Hunter-Reay was the first American to win the race since 2006, finishing in two hours and 48 minutes.

 

2013: Tony Kanaan

2013: Tony Kanaan
Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Kanaan became the fourth Brazilian to win the Indianapolis 500 in 2013, averaging over 187 miles per hour and finishing in the fastest time ever at just over two hours and 40 minutes.

 

2012: Dario Franchitti

2012: Dario Franchitti
Nick Laham / Getty Images

Franchitti won for the second time in three years and third time overall in 2012.

 

2011: Dan Wheldon

2011: Dan Wheldon
Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images

Wheldon returned as the Indy 500 winner six years after his first win.

 

2010: Dario Franchitti

2010: Dario Franchitti
Robert Laberge / Getty Images

Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time, in 2010, albeit at a slower pace than his first.

 

2009: Helio Castroneves

2009: Helio Castroneves
Robert Laberge / Getty Images

Castroneves won for the third time in 2009 and celebrated by climbing the fence on the track.

 

2008: Scott Dixon

2008: Scott Dixon
Donald Miralle / Getty Images

Dixon became the first Aussie to win at Indy in 2008 in one of the slower paces in the race's history, finishing in just under three-and-a-half hours.

 

2007: Dario Franchitti

2007: Dario Franchitti
Darrell Ingham / Getty Images

Franchitti was the second English driver to win in three years, taking home the first of his three Indy 500 victories.

 

2006: Sam Hornish Jr.

2006: Sam Hornish Jr.
Robert Laberge / Getty Images

Hornish Jr. won for Marlboro Team Penske in 2006.

 

2005: Dan Wheldon

2005: Dan Wheldon
Donald Miralle / Getty Images

Wheldon was the first Brit to win the Indianapolis 500 since Graham Hill in 1966.

 

2004: Buddy Rice

2004: Buddy Rice
Darrell Ingham / Getty Images

Rice won for Rahal Letterman Racing in 2004 in a shortened 450-mile race.

 

2003: Gil de Ferran

2003: Gil de Ferran
Robert Laberge / Getty Images

Gil de Ferran prevented Helio Castroneves from three-peating, but he did keep alive the streak of having a Brazilian win at Indy.

 

2002: Helio Castroneves

2002: Helio Castroneves
Robert Laberge / Getty Images

Castroneves won his second straight Indy 500 in 2002.

 

2001: Helio Castroneves

2001: Helio Castroneves
Jamie Squire / Getty Images

Castroneves became the second Brazilian to win at Indy, in 2001, the first of his three victories.

 

2000: Juan Pablo Montoya

2000: Juan Pablo Montoya
ANN MILLER CARR / AFP / Getty Images

The legendary Colombian driver won at Indy in 2000, finishing in just under three hours.

 

1999: Kenny Brack

1999: Kenny Brack
Vincent Laforet / Getty Images

Brack won for A.J. Foyt Enterprises and became the first Swede to win at Indy.

 

1998: Eddie Cheever Jr.

1998: Eddie Cheever Jr.
Vincent Laforet / Getty Images

Cheever won in 1998 as both an owner and driver, averaging 145 miles per hour.

 

1997: Arie Luyendyk

1997: Arie Luyendyk
Matthew Stockman / Getty Images

Luyendyk won his second Indy 500 in 1997, seven years after winning his first in 1990.

 

1996: Buddy Lazier

1996: Buddy Lazier
Focus on Sport / Getty Images

Lazier won the race in 1996 for Hemelgarn Racing, averaging 148 miles per hour.

 

1995: Jacques Villeneuve

1995: Jacques Villeneuve
John Maxwell / Getty Images

Villeneuve became the first Canadian to win the Indianapolis 500, finishing in just over three hours and 15 minutes.

 

1994: Al Unser Jr.

1994: Al Unser Jr.
Al Bello / Getty Images

Unser Jr. won for the second time in three years in 1994, averaging nearly 161 miles per hour.

 

1993: Emerson Fittipaldi

1993: Emerson Fittipaldi
Focus on Sport / Getty Images

Fittipaldi won for the second time in 1993, four years after his first victory.

 

1992: Al Unser Jr.

1992: Al Unser Jr.
ISC Archives / Getty Images

Unser Jr. claimed victory, winning only five years after his father won at Indy.

 

1991: Rick Mears

1991: Rick Mears
Focus on Sport / Getty Images

Mears won the race for the fourth time, in 1991, tying Al Unser Sr. and A.J. Foyt for the most Indy 500 wins in history.

 

1990: Arie Luyendyk

1990: Arie Luyendyk
Focus on Sport / Getty Images

The Dutch Luyendyk made it two straight wins for non-U.S. drivers, averaging almost 187 miles per hour.

 

1989: Emerson Fittipaldi

1989: Emerson Fittipaldi
Bettmann

Fittipaldi, one of the best drivers ever, won Indy in 1989. He was the first non-U.S. driver to win since 1966.

 

1988: Rick Mears

1988: Rick Mears
Bob Harmeyer / Archive Photos / Getty Images

Mears won the Indy 500 for the third time, in 1988.

 

1987: Al Unser

1987: Al Unser
Bettmann / Getty Images

Unser won his fourth Indianapolis 500, in 1987, tying him for the most ever with A.J Foyt. Rick Mears, who won in 1988, joined Unser and Foyt in 1991 with his fourth win at Indy.

 

1986: Bobby Rahal

1986: Bobby Rahal
Bettmann / Getty Images

Legendary driver Bobby Rahal won at Indy in 1986, averaging nearly 171 miles per hour.

 

1985: Danny Sullivan

1985: Danny Sullivan
Bob Harmeyer / Getty Images

Sullivan made it back-to-back wins for Penske, in 1985, following up the victory in 1984 by Rick Mears.

 

1984: Rick Mears

1984: Rick Mears
Focus on Sport / Getty Images

Mears won his second Indy 500, in 1984, halfway to his record-tying fourth.

 

1983: Tom Sneva

1983: Tom Sneva
Bob Harmeyer / Getty Images

Tom Sneva won the race in 1983, finishing in three hours and five seconds.

 

1982: Gordon Johncock

1982: Gordon Johncock
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Johncock claimed victory for the second time, with his previous win coming in 1973.

 

1981: Bobby Unser

1981: Bobby Unser
Bob Harmeyer / Getty Images

Unser won his third Indy 500 and his first since 1975.

 

1980: Johnny Rutherford

1980: Johnny Rutherford
Bob Harmeyer / Getty Images

Rutherford won his third Indianapolis 500 in 1980.

 

1979: Rick Mears

1979: Rick Mears
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Mears claimed the win for Penske Racing at Indy in 1979, the first of four victories for Mears.

 

1978: Al Unser

1978: Al Unser
Bob Harmeyer / Getty Images

Unser won his third Indy 500, in 1978.

 

1977: A.J. Foyt

1977: A.J. Foyt
Bob Harmeyer / Getty Images

Foyt became the first driver to win Indy four times, in 1977.

 

1976: Johnny Rutherford

1976: Johnny Rutherford
Bettmann / Getty Images

Just two years after winning the Indy, Rutherford won a rain-shortened race in 1976.

 

1975: Bobby Unser

1975: Bobby Unser
Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Unser won his second Indy 500 and his first since 1968.

 

1974: Johnny Rutherford

1974: Johnny Rutherford
The Enthusiast Network / Getty Images

Rutherford won the Indy in 1974, his 11th time in the race.

 

1973: Gordon Johncock

1973: Gordon Johncock
Bettmann / Getty Images

Johncock won a rain-shortened Indy 500 in 1973, which went only 333 miles.

 

1972: Mark Donohue

1972: Mark Donohue
Bob Olsen / Toronto Star / Getty Images

Donohue won the Indy 500 in 1972, driving for Roger Penske Enterprises.

 

1971: Al Unser

1971: Al Unser
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Unser won his second Indianapolis 500 in a row, in 1971, finishing more than two seconds faster than his 1970 time.

 

1970: Al Unser

1970: Al Unser
Underwood Archives / Getty Images

Just two years after his brother Bobby won the Indy 500, Al claimed victory.

 

1969: Mario Andretti

1969: Mario Andretti
Bettmann / Getty Images

Legendary driver Mario Andretti won the race in 1969, adding to his long list of accomplishments.

 

1968: Bobby Unser

1968: Bobby Unser
The Enthusiast Network / Getty Images

The first Indianapolis 500 win for the legendary Unser family came in 1968 with Bobby's victory.

 

1967: A.J. Foyt

1967: A.J. Foyt
The Enthusiast Network / Getty Images

Foyt claimed his third Indianapolis 500 win, in 1967.

 

1966: Graham Hill

1966: Graham Hill
Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Hill made it back-to-back wins for British drivers, following up Jim Clark in 1965 with a victory of his own.

 

1965: Jim Clark

1965: Jim Clark
The Enthusiast Network / Getty Images

Clark was the first non-U.S. winner of the Indy 500 since 1920.

 

1964: A.J. Foyt

1964: A.J. Foyt
The Enthusiast Network / Getty Images

Foyt won his second Indianapolis 500, in 1964.

 

1963: Parnelli Jones

1963: Parnelli Jones
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Jones won the Indianapolis 500 in 1963, finishing in just under three-and-a-half hours.

 

1962: Rodger Ward

1962: Rodger Ward
The Enthusiast Network / Getty Images

Ward claimed his second Indy 500 in 1962 after first tasting Victory Lane in 1959.

 

1961: A.J. Foyt

1961: A.J. Foyt
Bettmann / Getty Images

Legendary driver A.J. Foyt won his first Indy 500 in 1961, and he became the first driver to win four, a record he now shares with two other drivers.

 

1960: Jim Rathmann

1960: Jim Rathmann
RacingOne / Getty Images

Rathmann won in 1960 with a time of 3:36:11.384.

 

1959: Rodger Ward

1959: Rodger Ward
RacingOne / Getty Images

Ward won in 1959 with a record 16 cars participating in the race.

 

1958: Jimmy Bryan

1958: Jimmy Bryan
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Owner George Salih won for the second year in a row when Jimmy Bryan claimed victory in 1958.

 

1957: Sam Hanks

1957: Sam Hanks
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Hanks set a then record time of 3:41:14.238 in 1957.

 

1956: Pat Flaherty

1956: Pat Flaherty
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Flaherty won with a time of 3:53.28.872.

 

1955: Bob Sweikert

1955: Bob Sweikert
Bettmann / Getty Images

Sweikert won the race with a time of 3:53:59.576 in 1955.

 

1954: Bill Vukovich

1954: Bill Vukovich
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Vukovich became the second back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner, in 1954.

 

1953: Bill Vukovich

1953: Bill Vukovich
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Vukovich won in 1953 with a time of 3:53:01.668.

 

1952: Troy Ruttman

1952: Troy Ruttman
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Ruttman won with a time of 3:52:41.930 in 1952.

 

1951: Lee Wallard

1951: Lee Wallard
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Wallard was the first winner to break four hours over the full race.

 

1950: Johnnie Parsons

1950: Johnnie Parsons
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Parsons won a rain-shortened Indy 500 in 1950.

 

1949: Bill Holland

1949: Bill Holland
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Holland won in 1949 with a time of 4:07:15.939, easily the fastest ever at the time.

 

1948: Mauri Rose

1948: Mauri Rose
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Rose became the first back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner in 1948.

 

1947: Mauri Rose

1947: Mauri Rose
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Rose, the 1941 co-winner, won as a solo driver in 1947.

 

1946: George Robson

1946: George Robson
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

Robson won the first Indy 500 since 1941 with a time of 4:21:16.711.

 

1942-1945 (no race)

1942-1945 (no race)
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

No race was held from 1942-45 due to World War II.

 

1931-1941

1931-1941
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

1931: Louis Schneider; 1932: Fred Frame; 1933: Louis Meyer; 1934: Bill Cummings (pictured); 1935: Kelly Petillo; 1936: Louis Meyer; 1937: Wilbur Shaw; 1938: Floyd Roberts; 1939: Wilbur Shaw; 1940: Wilbur Shaw; 1941: Floyd Davis/Mauri Rose

 

1919-1930

1919-1930
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

1919: Howdy Wilcox; 1920: Gaston Chevrolet; 1921: Tommy Milton; 1922: Jimmy Murphy; 1923: Tommy Milton (pictured); 1924: L.L. Corum/Joe Boyer; 1925: Peter DePaolo; 1926: Frank Lockhart; 1927: George Souders; 1928: Louis Meyer; 1929: Ray Keech; 1930: Billy Arnold

 

1917-1918 (no race)

1917-1918 (no race)
RacingOne / ISC Archives / Getty Images

The Indianapolis 500 wasn't held in 1917 or 1918 due to World War I.

 

1911-1916

1911-1916
Bettmann / Getty Images

1911: Ray Harroun (pictured); 1912: Joe Dawson; 1913: Jules Goux; 1914: Rene Thomas; 1915: Ralph DePalma; 1916: Dario Resta

Seth Trachtman is a fantasy sports expert and diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. He doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter @sethroto.

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