IndyCar Top Speed Comparison (MPH)
Compare IndyCar official top speeds. Texas to Indianapolis with exact timing trap speeds and MPH to KPH converter listed here. Includes tables and sources.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arie Luyendyk Texas 1996 Qual Top here. Still the closed course record. | 236.99 mph | Texas Motor Speedway qualifying record | IndyCar Texas qualifying records 236.986 mph |
| Arie Luyendyk Indianapolis 1996 Qual Tied top. 1996 was peak speed year. | 236.99 mph | Indianapolis 500 qualifying. Same speed weekend | IndyCar Indianapolis qualifying records |
| Scott Dixon Texas 2023 Qual Modern aero top. | 234.5 mph | Texas Motor Speedway qualifying trap | IndyCar Texas 2023 qualifying results 234.5 mph |
| Scott McLaughlin Indianapolis 2024 Pole Four lap average. Fastest Indy 500 pole. | 234.06 mph | Indianapolis 500 pole run 2024 | IndyCar Indianapolis 2024 pole 234.062 mph |
| Alex Palou Indianapolis 2023 Pole Four lap average. | 233.4 mph | Indianapolis 500 pole run 2023 | IndyCar Indianapolis 2023 pole 233.398 mph |
| Scott Dixon Indianapolis 2022 Pole Four lap average. | 231.69 mph | Indianapolis 500 pole run 2022 | IndyCar Indianapolis 2022 pole 231.685 mph |
| Rinus VeeKay Texas 2023 Qual 231.2 mph trap. | 231.2 mph | Texas Motor Speedway qualifying trap | IndyCar Texas 2023 qualifying results |
| Colton Herta Indianapolis 2022 Qual 230.5 mph trap. | 230.5 mph | Indianapolis 500 qualifying trap | IndyCar Indianapolis 2022 qualifying results |
| Pato OWard Texas 2022 Qual 229.8 mph trap. | 229.8 mph | Texas Motor Speedway qualifying trap | IndyCar Texas 2022 qualifying results |
| Josef Newgarden Indianapolis 2023 Qual 229.5 mph trap. | 229.5 mph | Indianapolis 500 qualifying trap | IndyCar Indianapolis 2023 qualifying results |
| Takuma Sato Indianapolis 2019 Qual 228.3 mph trap. | 228.3 mph | Indianapolis 500 qualifying trap | IndyCar Indianapolis 2019 qualifying results |
| Marco Andretti Indianapolis 2020 Qual Four lap average pole. | 231.07 mph | Indianapolis 500 pole run 2020 | IndyCar Indianapolis 2020 pole 231.068 mph |
About this converter
IndyCar top speeds come from timed qualifying traps on ovals. Texas Motor Speedway at 1.5 miles and Indianapolis at 2.5 miles give the highest numbers. Arie Luyendyk set the all time marks in 1996 at 236.986 mph at Texas and Indianapolis. Modern poles run 231 to 234 mph. Scott McLaughlin set the fastest Indy 500 pole at 234.062 mph in 2024. This page ranks 12 traps in MPH from official timing.
How to use it
Pick two entries and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Start with Luyendyk Texas and McLaughlin Indy pole to see era change. Then try Dixon Texas against Palou Indy pole for modern ovals.
Speeds are official timed laps from IndyCar timing and race guides. The 236.986 marks still stand as track records. Pole runs are four lap averages. Trap runs are single lap peaks. KPH math uses 1 KPH is 0.621371 MPH for base change. Modern cars run less boost than 1996 cars. Use trap speeds here for top end comparison only, not race average. All values are base game numbers before buffs, gear, and event bonuses.
FAQ
What is the fastest IndyCar lap?
Arie Luyendyk at Texas and Indianapolis in 1996 at 236.986 mph.
What is the fastest Indy 500 pole?
Scott McLaughlin in 2024 at 234.062 mph four lap average.
Why are modern speeds lower?
Boost, aero, and safety rules cut power since 1996. Modern poles run 231 to 234 mph.
How does KPH change work here?
Base is MPH. One KPH is 0.621371 MPH, so the tool turns KPH to MPH by that rate.
Sources
- IndyCar Texas and Indianapolis qualifying records
- IndyCar 2024 Indianapolis pole results
Last verified: 2026-10-02 · 12 entries
More speed stats converters
Advance Wars Dual Strike Movement Comparison
Advance Wars Dual Strike game movement in tiles, from Mech 2 to Fighter 9. Wars Wiki unit stats with linked converter tool. See all 15 units listed here.
Advance Wars Movement Range Comparison (Base Tiles)
Compare Advance Wars movement from Mech 2 to Fighter 9 tiles. Base AWBW values with units. See full table with sources now. See more. See table. with sources.
Advance Wars Vision Range Comparison (Base Tiles)
Compare Advance Wars vision from APC 1 to Recon 5 tiles. Base AWBW values with units. See full table with sources now. See more. See table. with sources.
← Indy 500 Winning Speed Comparison (2005-2024 MPH) · IndyCar Driver Win Counts (Race Victories) →