INDIANAPOLIS — The threat of inclement weather is always a concern for race fans at the Indianapolis 500.
That concern is heightened this year, with the potential for rain and storms in the forecast heading into race weekend.
But curiously enough, despite the uncertainty of spring weather in Indiana, the 500 has only been heavily impacted by rain 13 times in the 107 years in which it has run — and only five of those races saw a postponement. Only seven races have been declared over before reaching 500 miles.
The 1915 race was the first to be affected by the weather — and not even because of rain on Race Day. The fifth running of the 500 was scheduled for Saturday, May 29, but it was announced on May 28 that it would be postponed to Monday, May 31 due to recent storms.
Eleven years later, the 1926 race was stopped twice by rain on the same day and became the first race to be called before the full 500 miles. Rain stopped the race after 71 laps, then again after 160 laps, when it was officially declared over.
The last 50 laps of the 1940 race were run under caution, with Hoosier Wilbur Shaw leading the way to his third and final Indy 500 win, the last Indiana native to win the race.
In 1950, the race was shortened to 138 laps by rain, when Johnnie Parsons was declared the winner.
The 1967 Indianapolis 500 was the first to be resumed on a second day when rain halted the race after 18 laps. It picked back up the following day, with A.J. Foyt winning his third of four 500s.
Six years later, the 1973 race was red-flagged after a first-lap crash that severely injured driver Salt Walther. The rain came before the race could restart, pushing it back a day, but rain fell again during the parade lap. It finally started on Wednesday, May 30, but weather again intervened, stopping the race after 332 1/2 miles, with Gordon Johncock declared the winner.
The 1975 and 1976 races were both shortened due to rain, with 174 laps completed in the 1975 race and the following year, when the race was called after 102 laps, just after it became official.
The 1986 race was rained out twice, on Sunday, May 25 and Monday, May 26. They got all 200 laps in the following Saturday, when Bobby Rahal won on May 31.
After a postponement to Monday, May 26, 15 laps of the 1997 race were run before rain pushed it back another day, with Arie Luyendyk winning his second Indianapolis 500.
Rain caused a delay of about 16 minutes on Lap 155 of the 2001 race before Hélio Castroneves could finish off the first of his four wins at Indy.
The 2004 race was possibly the most heavily weather-impacted Indy 500 in race history. Rain stopped the race for nearly two hours on Lap 28, then halted the race with 50 miles to go when severe storms, including tornadoes, moved into central Indiana, including the vicinity of the Speedway. The traditional victory podium was moved inside, where Buddy Rice celebrated his win.
The 2007 race was also stopped twice by rain, including a nearly three-hour wait on Lap 113. The race was restarted, but declared over after 415 miles when the skies opened up again, and Dario Franchitti splashed to his first of two Indy 500 wins.
