Editing Indianapolis 500 (section)

===IndyCar Series===
[[File:2007 Indianapolis 500 - Starting field formation before start.jpg|thumb|left|The starting field of the [[2007 Indianapolis 500]] in formation before the start]]

In 1994, Speedway owner [[Tony George]] announced plans for a new series, to be called the [[Indy Racing League]], with Indy 500 as its centerpiece.<ref name="INDY26">{{cite web
 |publisher   = IndyStar.com
 |url         = http://www2.indystar.com/library/factfiles/people/h/hulman_family/hulman_anton.html
 |title       = The Hulman Family, Owners of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1945
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120710181822/http://www2.indystar.com/library/factfiles/people/h/hulman_family/hulman_anton.html
 |archive-date = 2012-07-10
}}</ref> George announced that he intended to reverse the tide of dramatic cost increases, the decreasing number of [[oval track racing|ovals]] in the CART series, and to allow for more opportunity for drivers from USAC sprint-car ranks. Detractors accused George of using the 500 as leverage to allow the Speedway to gain complete control of the sport of [[American Championship Car Racing|open-wheel racing]] in the United States.

In response to CART's 1996 schedule that put several races in direct conflict with the first Indy Racing League events, George announced that 25 of the 33 starting positions at the [[1996 Indianapolis 500|1996 Indy 500]] would be reserved for the top 25 cars in IRL points standings. This effectively left eight starting positions open to the CART-regulars that chose not to participate in the IRL races and would be the first time that not all 33 spots were open for qualification in the history of the race. CART refused to compromise on the schedule conflicts, skip the IRL races required to accumulate the qualifying points, [[boycott]] the race,<ref name="INDY27">{{cite news
|work=USA Today
|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]
|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2008-04-16-irl-champcar_N.htm
|title=Indy car racing on track with new era, new issues
|first=Nate
|last=Ryan
|date=April 17, 2008
|access-date=September 1, 2017
|archive-date=January 11, 2010
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111141528/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2008-04-16-irl-champcar_N.htm
|url-status=live
}}</ref> and stage a competing event, the [[1996 U.S. 500|U.S. 500]], on the same day at [[Michigan International Speedway|Michigan]]. Veteran [[Buddy Lazier]] won a competitive but crash-filled [[1996 Indianapolis 500|1996 Indy 500]]. Two CART teams, Walker Racing and Galles Racing, competed in the Indianapolis 500 to fulfill sponsor obligations and were welcomed without incident. The U.S. 500, meanwhile was marred by a crash on the pace laps that forced ten teams to use backup cars.

[[File:Helio castroneves (51222190794).jpg|thumb|[[Hélio Castroneves]], winner in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021]]

For 1997, new rules for less expensive cars and "production-based" engines were put into place. The move made it such that the IRL utilized different and incompatible equipment from CART; no CART-based teams would enter the Indy 500 for the next three years. CART would run a 300-mile race [[Gateway Motorsports Park|Gateway International Raceway]] on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend from 1997 to 1999 to avoid a conflict.

In 2000, [[Chip Ganassi Racing|Target Chip Ganassi Racing]], still a CART-mainstay, decided to compete at Indianapolis with drivers [[Jimmy Vasser]] and [[Juan Pablo Montoya]]. On race day, Montoya dominated the event, leading 167 of the 200 laps to victory.<ref name="INDY28">{{cite web
 |publisher   = Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 |url         = http://alpha.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/history/stats/boxscore/?year=2000
 |title       = 84th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday, May 28, 2000
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025107/http://alpha.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/history/stats/boxscore/?year=2000
 |archive-date = July 13, 2011
}}</ref> In 2001, [[Penske Racing]] returned and won the race with driver [[Hélio Castroneves]].<ref name="INDY28A">{{cite web
 |publisher   = Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 |url         = http://alpha.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/history/stats/boxscore/?year=2001
 |title       = 85th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday, May 27, 2001
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://archive.today/20130126011143/http://alpha.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/history/stats/boxscore/?year=2001
 |archive-date = January 26, 2013
}}</ref> Penske and Castroneves repeated with a win in 2002.

By 2003, [[Chip Ganassi Racing|Ganassi]], [[Penske Racing|Penske]] and [[Andretti Green Racing|Andretti Green]] defected to the IRL permanently. CART went bankrupt later in the year, and its rights and infrastructure were purchased by remaining car owners, and it became the [[Champ Car|Champ Car World Series]]. The two series continued to operate separately through 2007. In early 2008, the two series were unified to create a single open-wheel championship after a 12-year split being run under Indy Racing League/IMS control—known as the [[IndyCar Series]].<ref name="INDY29">{{cite web
|publisher=ESPN
|url=https://www.espn.com/racing/news/story?seriesId=1&id=3253353
|title=IRL, Champ Car entities sign merger deal
|date=19 February 2008
|access-date=July 21, 2024
|archive-date=November 30, 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130132851/https://www.espn.com/racing/news/story?seriesId=1&id=3253353
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

The 2012 race was the return of Turbocharged engines for the first time since 1996 with the use of the Dallara DW12 chassis and 2.2 L V-6 single-turbo and twin-turbocharged engines.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}