Surprising Past Winners of the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year

The original trophy awarded to the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year winner, this trophy was sponsored by Indiana meat company Stark and Wetzel. For 2025, an all-new Ray Harroun Trophy was given to this year's top rookie. (Photo Credit: JeromeG111 Link to image here)

 

As Spain’s Alex Palou claimed the ultimate prize at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend by winning the 2025 Indy 500, a race for a desirable secondary trophy was fought for throughout practice, qualifying as well as the race. For this year’s event, the Indianapolis 500's Rookie of the Year award was handed to Robert Shwartzman who stunned the motorsport world by taking pole position driving for Prema Racing (also an IndyCar newcomer for 2025). The honour being given to Shwartzman despite a forgettable 26th place result in the 500-mile race is the latest example for the somewhat unique criteria used in crowning the achievement.

First given out in 1952, the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award assesses newcomers to the 500-mile event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a broad scope not only judging performance in the storied race but on-track results through practice and qualifying as well as overall conduct on and off the track. 

As a prestigious accolade that a driver only has one opportunity to win, the honour of being the top rookie has resulted in the recipients who have gone on to have varying levels of success in their careers. Some Indy 500 Rookie of the Year recipients went on to claim the greatest prize at the speedway including Mario Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve, Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves. However, there have also been some talents who grew to become prominent despite being overlooked for the rookie award. Bobby Unser, Bobby Rahal as well as four-time race winners A.J Foyt and Al Unser Sr have been some drivers who missed out on the rookie of the year honours in their initial runs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Alex Palou is the latest Indy 500 champion who achieved the outcome without claiming the rookie award at the track.   

Although some future superstars of racing lost the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award due to lackluster freshman showings, there were some editions of the event where the choice could be hotly debated. A few instances exist where the contest between newcomers at the 

1959- Bobby Grim

Bobby Grim made a name for himself in sprint car competition following his stint serving in the United States army during the second world war. Born in 1924, Grim was a young talent who found a rise to prominence thanks to the skilled wrench of Hector Honore eventually capturing four consecutive championships in IMCA (the International Motor Contest Association founded in 1915 and continues to operation as the United States’ oldest auto racing sanctioning body) from 1955 to 1958. In 1959, the Indiana native netted his first opportunity to compete at the 500-miler at Indianapolis Motor Speedway driving an Offenhauser-powered Kurtis Kraft wearing a Sumar name.

The rookie’s talent shined brightly during qualifying for the great race grabbing an impressive fifth place starting spot on the 33-car grid. Unfortunately, Grim suffered a magneto issue after completing 85 laps and finished the event in 26th place. Chuck Arnold was the top-finishing rookie for what was the only time the driver would race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Despite finishing four among the five newcomers in the 1959 Indy 500, Bobby Grim’s overall performance at the speedway allowed him to take that year’s top rookie honours. This is just one instance where the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award was bestowed upon a driver for accomplishments throughout the month of May activities. 

Grim would compete at the Indianapolis 500 on eight more occasions with his best race result being 10th place which he recorded in 1964 and later in the 1968 event (the final time he competed at the track). Bobby Grim passed away in 1995 at the age of 70.

1966- Jackie Stewart

Pictured in June 1971 competing in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Jackie Stewart would trek to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a competitor on two occasions for the 500-mile race. Stewart did return to the track as a commentator as well as the ceremonial pace car driver in 1979. (Photo Credit: Evers, Joost / Anefo with Wikimedia Commons. Link to image here)

The 1960s was a decade of massive transformation for auto racing with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway serving as a grand stage. In addition to front-engined roadster era giving way to rear-engined race cars becoming the norm in open wheel competitor, technology and sponsorship also showed rapid evolution. Even the drivers entered in the Indianapolis 500 showed a changing culture as names such as Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Jim Clark and Richard Petty put auto racing firmly into the conversation with other sports. The combination of increased finances and the prestige of the race drew superstar American drivers as well as the best drivers from around the globe during the 1960s. After several appearance by New Zealander and three-time world Formula 1 champion Jack Brabham, the decade saw the before-mentioned Jim Clark score a monumental victory with his Ford-powered Lotus in the 1965 Indy 500. For the 1966 edition of the race, future Formula 1 champions Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill took on the 2.5-mile oval in what would be an aggressive battle for the Rookie of the Year award.

The 1966 Indianapolis 500 established itself immediately as a race to be noted for a massive opening lap crash that claimed 11 cars. Polesitter Mario Andretti fell out of contention when he was forced to retire his Dean Van Lines Special after 27 laps. Lloyd Ruby and Jim Clark would swap the lead for much of the 500 mile race with the former falling victim to engine failure on lap 166. Jackie Stewart led late before his car was parked due to an oil pressure issue. Graham Hill led the final 10 laps to win that Indy 500 becoming the first rookie to win the race since 1927. Clark’s team initially disputed the result arguing a scoring issue where their driver, who finished second, was actually a lap ahead of Hill. There was no official protest from the teams or evidence concluding there was any reason to rule out Graham Hill as the 1966 Indy 500 winner. 

For Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, a decision was made not to award to the race-winning rookie but to Jackie Stewart. Classified in sixth place at the end of the race, the Scottish driver impressed by leading 40 laps at the 2.5-mile oval. Stewart’s rookie of the year award came one week after winning his first Formula 1 race, the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix. Graham Hill being shunned for top rookie after victory does seem debatable but both drivers are now documented as legends behind the steering wheel. 

In later years, several winners of the Indianapolis 500 also claim rookie of the year recognition (Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000, Helio Castroneves in 2001 and Alexander Rossi in 2016). 

1983- Teo Fabi

Following elevating through the various ladder series in Europe, Japan and a stint in the Can-Am series to gain a ride in Formula 1, Teo Fabi engaged in running in the CART/IndyCar World Series in 1983. Fabi returned to F1 in 1984 running for the former Brabham team as well as Toleman/Benetton. Pictured is Fabi driving a Toleman TG185 race car in practice for the European Grand Prix. (Photo Credit: Jerry Lewis-Evans. Link to image here) 

Italian driver Teo Fabi is recognized as a successful motor racing journeyman who has found success in both open wheel and sports car racing from 1980s into the 1990s. Competing in seven races in Formula 1 for Toleman Motorsport in 1982, Fabi decided to bring his talents to Indy Car racing for a 1983 campaign. He was a breakout star driving for Forsythe Racing collecting four race wins and finishing only 5 points behind CART PPG Indy Car World Series champion Al Unser Sr. in this freshman year. 

Teo Fabi’s 1983 accolades also included the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year honours. With a four-lap average speed of 207.395 miles per hour on Pole Day qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Italian took the top spot ahead of Americans Mike Mosley and Rick Mears. Unfortunately, Fabi’s experience in the 500-mile event was cut short. Leading the first 23 laps, his #33 car suffered a fuel gasket failure resulting the effort being parked after 47 laps with a 26th place finish. Despite finishing fifth among the six rookies in the 1983 Indy 500, Teo Fabi’s efforts throughout the month of May at the track garnered him the top honours for first-time runners.    

Although the pole-setting effort was a standout achievement, Teo Fabi’s race performance has led some to question why would the Italian driver be the 1983 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year over future Indy Car star Al Unser Jr. Making the starting field with a 5th place qualifying effort, he drove his Eagle chassis race car to a 10th in the final running order. The results do not tell the entire story of the first Indy 500 for the second generation driver who would be affectionately nicknamed “Little Al”. During a final restart on lap 176, Al Unser Jr. (running five laps down) attempted to influence the battle for the race’s victory as his father Al Unser Sr. led Tom Sneva. Jumping ahead of both lead cars, he promptly allowed his father pass but remained in front of Sneva for multiple laps. Unser Jr. admitted he wanted the turbulence from his car or so-called dirty air to slow Sneva’s advance on the leader of the race. After blue flags were issued to lapped car, Sneva would chase down and pass Al Unser Sr. for victory. This obstruction for the lead car battle is cited as a possible reason why Unser Jr. was not selected as that year’s Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. 

Teo Fabi and Al Unser Jr. enjoyed meaningful careers in motorsport with the former steadily racing in Formula 1 and CART/IndyCar during through to the 1990s while the former secured two Indy 500 wins as well as two CART championship titles.

2022- Jimmie Johnson 

Jimmie Johnson alongside the Rookie of the Year trophy during the 106th Indianapolis 500 Victory Celebration in 2022. (Photo Credit: Walt Kuhn/Penske Entertainment)

Joining the NASCAR Cup Series in 2002, Jimmie Johnson’s first season concluded with him missing out on the tour’s Rookie of the Year award. Despite winning two events and placing highest in the overall championship points, Johnson lost out to Ryan Newman in what was, even for the time, seen as an upset. While both drivers would enjoy long, successful careers in the top tier stock car racing series, many suspected Jimmie Johnson was destined for true greatness.

Johnson became a familiar sight in victory lane wheeling the #48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports sponsored by home improvement retailer Lowe’s amounting to 83 wins including the 2006 and 2013 editions of the Daytona 500. Another major accomplishment was claiming seven series championships with five occurring in a consecutive streak between 2006 to 2010. 

Following the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, Jimmie Johnson announced a surprise move to the NTT IndyCar Series in 2021. Arriving as a 45-year-old rookie in a series where youthful talent is battling for recognition, his entrance to the series came on association with the Chip Ganassi Racing superteam and financial backing from automotive retailer Carvana. Johnson competed exclusively on road/street courses during the 2021 season so the following year would be his first time involved with the Indianapolis 500. Qualifying into the race with an impressive 12th place starting spot, his race with the #48 Chip Ganassi Racing car came to an late in the Indy 500 when he crashed with 6 laps remaining. 

Finishing the race fourth-highest of the rookies running in the 2022 Indianapolis 500, Jimmie Johnson was nonetheless selected as the event’s Rookie of the Year. The decision to grant Johnson the award proved highly lambasted by observers questioning his worthiness. Most arguments center on Jimmie Johnson gaining the Rookie of the Year award based heavily on his pre-established stardom rather than his on-track efforts. Many critics cite the performance of Chicago-born driver David Malukas as a performance more deserving of top rookie honours. Malukas qualified 13th and provided some entertaining dicing towards the front of the field for much of the race settling for a16th finish. Another point of order is that David Malukas’s effort came with the smaller Dale Coyne Racing team compared to Johnson’s more richly prepared Chip Ganassi Racing organization. 

Jimmie Johnson would step away from the NTT IndyCar Series at the end of the 2022 season and return focus to NASCAR as a team owner and part-time driver. In the 2025 Indy 500, David Malukas crossed the finish line in third place for the #4 A.J. Foyt Racing team but his result was upgraded to second after the Andretti Global car driven by Marcus Ericsson failed post-race inspection.

References

 Automobile Quarterly, Third Quarter 2005, pg. 88-90, From Dirt to Indy. L. Spencer Riggs 

The History of the Indy 500, 1992, pg.76. William G. Holder

The Indianapolis 500, 1975, pg. 23,50. Julian May