List of Indianapolis 500 lap leaders
Indianapolis 500-Mile Race">Indianapolis 500">Indianapolis 500-Mile Race all-time lap leaders
Two hundred twenty-nine drivers have led the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, in 103 races.Career lap leader percentage rounded to hundredths of a percent.
Green indicates drivers active as of most recent race.
Lap Leaders, Individual Races
Most Laps Led
Fifty-seven of one hundred three Indianapolis 500-Mile Races have been won by the driver leading the most laps, 55.34%.| Year | Leader, Most Laps | Laps Led | Percentage Race Led | Won Race |
| 1911 |  Ray Harroun | 88 | 44.0% | Yes |
| 1912 | 1 Ralph DePalma | 196 | 98.0% | No |
| 1913 |  Jules Goux | 138 | 69.0% | Yes |
| 1914 | René Thomas | 102 | 51.0% | Yes |
| 1915 | 1 Ralph DePalma | 132 | 66.0% | Yes |
| 1916 |  1 Dario Resta | 103 | 85.8% | Yes |
| 1919 | Howdy Wilcox | 98 | 49.0% | Yes |
| 1920 | Joe Boyer | 93 | 46.5% | No |
| 1921 | 1 Ralph DePalma | 108 | 54.0% | No |
| 1922 | Jimmy Murphy | 153 | 76.5% | Yes |
| 1923 | Tommy Milton | 128 | 64.0% | Yes |
| 1924 | Earl Cooper | 119 | 59.5% | No |
| 1925 | Peter DePaolo | 115 | 57.5% | Yes |
| 1926 | Frank Lockhart | 95 | 59.4% | Yes |
| 1927 | Frank Lockhart | 110 | 55.0% | No |
| 1928 | Leon Duray | 64 | 32.0% | No |
| 1929 | Louis Meyer | 65 | 32.5% | No |
| 1930 | Billy Arnold | 198 | 99.0% | Yes |
| 1931 | Billy Arnold | 155 | 77.5% | No |
| 1932 | Fred Frame | 58 | 29.0% | Yes |
| 1933 | Louis Meyer | 71 | 35.5% | Yes |
| 1934 | Frank Brisko | 69 | 29.5% | No |
| 1935 | Kelly Petillo | 102 | 51.0% | Yes |
| 1936 | Louis Meyer | 96 | 48.0% | Yes |
| 1937 | Wilbur Shaw | 131 | 65.5% | Yes |
| 1938 | Floyd Roberts | 92 | 46.0% | Yes |
| 1938 | Jimmy Snyder | 92 | 46.0% | No |
| 1939 | Louis Meyer | 79 | 39.5% | No |
| 1940 | Wilbur Shaw | 136 | 68.0% | Yes |
| 1941 | Wilbur Shaw | 107 | 53.5% | No |
| 1946 | 2 George Robson | 138 | 69.0% | Yes |
| 1947 | Bill Holland | 143 | 71.5% | No |
| 1948 | Mauri Rose | 81 | 40.5% | Yes |
| 1949 | Bill Holland | 146 | 83.0% | Yes |
| 1950 | Johnnie Parsons | 115 | 83.3% | Yes |
| 1951 | Lee Wallard | 159 | 79.5% | Yes |
| 1952 | Bill Vukovich | 150 | 75.0% | No |
| 1953 | Bill Vukovich | 195 | 97.5% | Yes |
| 1954 | Bill Vukovich | 90 | 45.0% | Yes |
| 1955 | Bob Sweikert | 86 | 43.0% | Yes |
| 1956 | Pat Flaherty | 127 | 63.5% | Yes |
| 1957 | Sam Hanks | 136 | 68.0% | Yes |
| 1958 | Jimmy Bryan | 139 | 69.5% | Yes |
| 1959 | Rodger Ward | 130 | 65.0% | Yes |
| 1960 | Jim Rathmann | 100 | 50.0% | Yes |
| 1961 | A.J. Foyt | 71 | 35.5% | Yes |
| 1962 | Parnelli Jones | 120 | 60.0% | No |
| 1963 | Parnelli Jones | 167 | 83.5% | Yes |
| 1964 | A.J. Foyt | 146 | 73.0% | Yes |
| 1965 | Jim Clark | 190 | 95.0% | Yes |
| 1966 | Lloyd Ruby | 68 | 34.0% | No |
| 1967 | Parnelli Jones | 171 | 85.5% | No |
| 1968 | Bobby Unser | 127 | 63.5% | Yes |
| 1969 | 1 Mario Andretti | 116 | 58.0% | Yes |
| 1970 | Al Unser | 190 | 95.0% | Yes |
| 1971 | Al Unser | 103 | 51.5% | Yes |
| 1972 | Gary Bettenhausen | 138 | 69.0% | No |
| 1973 | Gordon Johncock | 64 | 48.1% | Yes |
| 1974 | Johnny Rutherford | 122 | 47.0% | Yes |
| 1975 | Wally Dallenbach | 96 | 55.2% | No |
| 1976 | Johnny Rutherford | 48 | 47.1% | Yes |
| 1977 | Gordon Johncock | 129 | 64.5% | No |
| 1978 | Al Unser | 121 | 60.5% | Yes |
| 1979 | Bobby Unser | 89 | 44.5% | No |
| 1980 | Johnny Rutherford | 118 | 59.0% | Yes |
| 1981 | Bobby Unser | 89 | 44.5% | Yes |
| 1982 | Rick Mears | 77 | 38.5% | No |
| 1983 | Tom Sneva | 98 | 49.0% | Yes |
| 1984 | Rick Mears | 119 | 59.5% | Yes |
| 1985 | 1 Mario Andretti | 107 | 53.5% | No |
| 1986 | Rick Mears | 76 | 38.0% | No |
| 1987 | 1 Mario Andretti | 170 | 85.0% | No |
| 1988 | Danny Sullivan | 91 | 45.5% | No |
| 1989 |  Emerson Fittipaldi | 158 | 79.0% | Yes |
| 1990 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 128 | 64.0% | No |
| 1991 | Michael Andretti | 97 | 48.5% | No |
| 1992 | Michael Andretti | 160 | 80.0% | No |
| 1993 | 1 Mario Andretti | 72 | 36.0% | No |
| 1994 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 145 | 72.5% | No |
| 1995 | Maurício Gugelmin | 59 | 29.5% | No |
| 1996 |  Roberto Guerrero | 47 | 23.5% | No |
| 1997 | Tony Stewart | 64 | 32.0% | No |
| 1998 | Eddie Cheever | 76 | 38.0% | Yes |
| 1999 |  Kenny Bräck | 66 | 33.0% | Yes |
| 2000 | Juan Pablo Montoya | 167 | 83.5% | Yes |
| 2001 | Hélio Castroneves | 52 | 26.0% | Yes |
| 2002 |  Tomas Scheckter | 85 | 42.5% | No |
| 2003 | Tomas Scheckter | 63 | 31.5% | No |
| 2004 | Buddy Rice | 91 | 50.5% | Yes |
| 2005 | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 77 | 38.5% | No |
| 2006 | Dan Wheldon | 148 | 74.0% | No |
| 2007 | Tony Kanaan | 83 | 50.0% | No |
| 2008 |  Scott Dixon | 115 | 57.5% | Yes |
| 2009 | Scott Dixon | 73 | 36.5% | No |
| 2010 | Dario Franchitti | 155 | 77.5% | Yes |
| 2011 | Scott Dixon | 73 | 36.5% | No |
| 2012 | Marco Andretti | 59 | 29.5% | No |
| 2013 | Ed Carpenter | 37 | 18.5% | No |
| 2014 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 56 | 28.0% | Yes |
| 2015 | Scott Dixon | 84 | 42.0% | No |
| 2016 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 52 | 26.0% | No |
| 2017 | Max Chilton | 50 | 25.0% | No |
| 2018 | Ed Carpenter | 65 | 32.5% | No |
| 2019 | Simon Pagenaud | 116 | 58.0% | Yes |
50%+ Race Laps Led, non-winning entries
Nineteen separate entries in equal years, driven by fifteen drivers, have failed to win despite leading over half a given race's completed laps.| Rank | Year | Driver | Laps Led | Race Percentage | |
| 1 | 1912 |  Ralph DePalma | 196 | 98.0% | 11 |
| 2 | 1967 | Parnelli Jones | 171 | 85.5% | 6 |
| 3 | 1987 | Mario Andretti | 170 | 85.0% | 9 |
| 4 | 1992 | Michael Andretti | 160 | 80.0% | 13 |
| 5 | 1931 | Billy Arnold | 155 | 77.5% | 19 |
| 6 | 1952 | Bill Vukovich | 150 | 75.0% | 17 |
| 7 | 2006 | Dan Wheldon | 148 | 74.0% | 4 |
| 8 | 1994 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 145 | 72.5% | 17 |
| 9 | 1947 | Bill Holland | 143 | 71.5% | 2 |
| 10 | 1972 | Gary Bettenhausen | 138 | 69.0% | 14 |
| 11 | 1977 | Gordon Johncock | 129 | 64.5% | 11 |
| 12 | 1990 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 128 | 64.0% | 3 |
| 13 | 1962 | Parnelli Jones | 120 | 60.0% | 7 |
| 14 | 1924 | Earl Cooper | 119 | 59.5% | 2 |
| 15 | 1927 | Frank Lockhart | 110 | 55.0% | 10 |
| 16 | 1921 | Ralph DePalma | 108 | 54.0% | 12 |
| 17 | 1941 | Wilbur Shaw | 107 | 53.5% | 18 |
| 17 | 1985 | Mario Andretti | 107 | 53.5% | 2 |
| 19 | 1975 | Wally Dallenbach | 96 | 55.2% | 9 |
Lap Leader records
Led opening lap and final lap: 21 entries among 19 drivers- Jimmy Murphy, 1922
- Joe Boyer, 1924
- Peter DePaolo, 1925
- Lee Wallard, 1951
- Bill Vukovich, 1953
- Jimmy Bryan, 1958
- Jim Clark, 1965
- Mario Andretti, 1969
- Al Unser, 1970
- Johnny Rutherford, 1976
- Johnny Rutherford, 1980
- Bobby Unser, 1981
- Rick Mears, 1984
- Emerson Fittipaldi, 1989
- Rick Mears, 1991
- Al Unser, Jr., 1994
- Buddy Rice, 2004
- Scott Dixon, 2008
- Hélio Castroneves, 2009
- Dario Franchitti, 2010
- Simon Pagenaud, 2019
Leaders Circle Club
The qualifications were simple: any driver who had led at least one lap during the history of the race, whether living or already deceased, were recognized as members. At its inception, 102 drivers were listed as members. A total of 56 were deceased at the time, and 46 were living.
Honorees receive a jacket, and are honored at a banquet in their honor. The number of new members inducted at the banquet varies annually, as it is solely based on the previous year's first-time lap leaders. Some years can have as few as one or zero new members inducted, while other years have had as many as 4-5. The "club" is still active as of 2012.