Which driver is the oldest winner of the Indianapolis 500?

Which driver is the oldest winner of the Indianapolis 500? Al Unser is the oldest Indianapolis 500 winner, taking the race at 47 years and 360 days old in 1987.

Unser’s fourth Indy 500 victory came on May 24, 1987, almost exactly a week before his 48th birthday. Driving a Penske March-Cosworth, he defeated Roberto Guerrero by 4.496 seconds and became only the second driver to win the race four times. His age made the achievement extraordinary in a sport demanding intense concentration, physical stamina, and rapid reactions.

The result also completed a remarkable career arc. Unser had already won the 500 in 1970, 1971, and 1978, including consecutive victories in 1970 and 1971. His 1987 triumph tied Ralph DePalma’s long-standing mark of four Indianapolis wins and broke his brother Bobby Unser’s previous record as the oldest winner.

Fans sometimes confuse the record with the age of a driver at his final start or with the youngest-winner mark. Troy Ruttman remains the youngest winner, at 22 years and 80 days, while Al Unser’s 47 years and 360 days remains the oldest-winning age.