Who is the youngest winner of the Indianapolis 500?

The youngest winner of the Indianapolis 500 is Troy Ruttman, who won the 1952 race at 22 years and 80 days old.

Ruttman drove a Kuzma-Offenhauser for car owner J. C. Agajanian and started seventh in the field. He led 44 laps and completed the 500-mile race in a contest that became the defining victory of his career.

Ruttman’s record is sometimes confused with the youngest driver to start the race or the youngest pole winner. A. J. Foyt IV was only 19 when he started in 2003, but he did not win. Joe Dawson, the 1912 champion, is the second-youngest winner at 22 years and 318 days—nearly eight months older than Ruttman was at his victory.

Ruttman’s mark has endured for decades despite major changes in Indy-car technology, qualifying, and safety. His 1952 triumph remains both a landmark race result and the benchmark for youth among Indianapolis 500 champions.