The '90s By The Numbers

185.981 AVERAGE speed of Arie Luyendyk's car at the 1990 Indianapolis 500, the fastest in race history. The ride took two hours, 41 minutes and 18.404 seconds, cutting 14 minutes off the record set by Bobby Rahal in '86.

21.5 AVERAGE finish for George (Ziggy) Snider during his 22-race Indy 500 career. Snider's quest for victory at the Brickyard began in 1965 and ended in '90. His best finish was eighth ('75 and '78), giving him the dubious distinction of starting the most races without a victory.

1 SITTING U.S. vice president who has served as the festival parade's grand marshal. Dan Quayle, an Indianapolis native and former senator from the state, had the honors in 1990, the first in a decade of VIPs that included Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Larry Bird, and cartoonist Jim Davis (with Garfield). No sitting U.S. president has served, although Gerald Ford took the reins in '79, after leaving office.

45 AGE of Lyn St. James when she climbed from a 27th starting position to finish 11th in 1992 and win the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award. The second woman to run in the race, she is also the oldest rookie in the 500's history.

12 DRIVERS who led in the 1993 race, an Indy 500 record.

38.119 SECONDS Eddie Cheever Jr. took to complete the 78th lap during the 1996 Indy 500. At 236.103 miles per hour, it was the fastest lap ever recorded at the race.