Who became the first driver to win four Indianapolis 500s?

A.J. Foyt became the first driver to win four Indianapolis 500s. He achieved the milestone with victories in 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1977, spanning more than a decade and several major eras of Indy-car racing.

Foyt’s four wins were especially notable because they came in different generations of race car technology. His 1961 and 1964 victories came during the transition from front-engine roadsters to rear-engine machines, while his 1967 and 1977 wins reflected the growing importance of advanced chassis design and turbocharged power.

Foyt was not merely an Indianapolis specialist. He won seven national open-wheel championships and competed successfully in stock cars, sprint cars, and endurance racing. In 1967, he also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, making him the only driver to win both Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year.

Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Rick Mears, and Hélio Castroneves later joined Foyt as four-time Indy 500 winners. Foyt, however, remains the driver who reached four victories first.