Indianapolis 500: Stats & Info’s preview

1:36 PM ET

The 100th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (coverage begins at 11 a.m. ET on ABC). Stats & Info looks at the key stats about this year’s race.

The first race was held in 1911 (it was not held in 1917 or 1918 and from 1942 to 1945). The first race was won by Ray Harroun at an average speed of 74.6 mph. Last year’s race, won by Juan Pablo Montoya, was won with an average speed of 161.3 mph.

Equal Playing Field

Looking at how race leaders and lead changes have progressed at the Indianapolis 500

LeadersLeadChanges201510382014113520131469201210351911-2011*1230*The maximum in 95 previousIndianapolis 500s

We’re in the most competitive era in race history. In each of the last four years, there have been at least 35 lead changes. There weren’t that many lead changes in any of the first 95 years of the race.

The final pass for the lead has taken place with four or fewer laps to go five straight years. Previously, that had been done eight times in 94 races.

Drivers to watch

James Hinchcliffe will start on the pole, one year after he was involved in a near-fatal practice accident in which a piece of his car punctured his leg. Should Hinchcliffe win, he would be the third Canadian to do so. Each of the last four Indy 500 winners, however, started outside the top 10.

Montoya, the defending champion, won in 2015 for the second time in three attempts. He won it in 2000 and didn’t compete …

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