Tom Sneva was the first driver to exceed 200 mph in Indianapolis 500 qualifying.
Sneva broke the qualifying barrier in 1977, recording a one-lap speed of 200.535 mph during time trials. The achievement was an official qualifying performance, not merely a practice lap, making Sneva the first driver to join Indianapolis’s celebrated 200-mph milestone.
He drove a Norton Spirit McLaren M24/Cosworth for Roger Penske. Sneva’s breakthrough helped define his Indy 500 reputation: he was renowned for exceptional qualifying speed and eventually won the race in 1983, after finishing second three times.
The wording can cause confusion because the Indianapolis 500 uses a four-lap qualifying run, while the original 200-mph milestone concerned a single lap. In 1978, Sneva went further by becoming the first driver to complete all four qualifying laps above 200 mph, averaging 202.156 mph and taking pole position. He later became the first to qualify over 210 mph as well.