Winning it once could be a fluke. Taking the checkered flag on more than a single occasion probably means you’re something special. In all, only 16 men have downed the milk at the end of the Indy 500 more than once, and just three have done so four times.

The august list includes:

4 — A.J. Foyt (1961, ‘64, ‘67, ‘77)

4 — Rick Mears (1979, ‘84, ‘88, ‘91)

4 – Al Unser (1970, ‘71, ‘78, ‘87)

3 — Helio Castroneves (2001, ‘02, ‘09)

3 — Louis Meyer (1923, ‘33, ‘36)

3 — Mauri Rose (1941, ‘47, ‘48)

3 — Johnny Rutherford (1974, ‘76, ‘80)

3 — Wilbur Shaw (1937, ‘39, ‘40)

3 — Bobby Unser (1969, ‘75, ‘81)

2 — Emerson Fittipaldi (1989, ‘93)

2 — Gordon Johncock (1973, ‘82)

2 — Arie Luyendyk (1990, ‘97)

2 — Tommy Milton (1921, ‘23)

2 — Al Unser, Jr. (1992, ‘94)

2 — Bill Vukovich (1953, ‘54)

2 — Rodger Ward (1959, ‘62)

To check out the rest of the list, and find out more about the drivers, visit Indy500.com.

Row 1

• Position 1
  Helio Castroneves
  Car # 3
  Speed/Time: 224.864/2:40.0967
• Position 2
  Ryan Briscoe
  Car # 6
  Speed/Time: 224.083/2:40.6546
• Position 3
  Dario Franchitti
  Car # 10
  Speed/Time: 224.010/2:40.7068

Row 2

• Position 4
  Graham Rahal
  Car # 02
  Speed/Time: 223.954/2:40.7470
• Position 5
  Scott Dixon
  Car # 9
  Speed/Time: 223.867/2:40.8098
• Position 6
  Tony Kanaan
  Car # 11T
  Speed/Time: 223.612/2:40.9934

Row 3

• Position 7
  Mario Moraes
  Car # 5
  Speed/Time: 223.331/2:41.1958
• Position 8
  Marco Andretti
  Car # 26
  Speed/Time: 223.114/2:41.3522
• Position 9
  Will Power
  Car # 12
  Speed/Time: 223.028/2:41.4146

Row 4

• Position 10
  Danica Patrick
  Car # 7
  Speed/Time: 222.882/2:41.5205
• Position 11
  Alex Lloyd
  Car # 99
  Speed/Time: 222.622/2:41.7093
• Position 12
  Raphael Matos
  Car # 2
  Speed/Time: 223.429/2:41.1252

Row 5

• Position 13
  Paul Tracy
  Car # 15
  Speed/Time: 223.111/2:41.3545
• Position 14
  Vitor Meira
  Car # 14
  Speed/Time: 223.054/2:41.3958
• Position 15
  Justin Wilson
  Car # 18
  Speed/Time: 222.903/2:41.5051

Row 6

• Position 16
  Hideki Mutoh
  Car # 27
  Speed/Time: 222.805/2:41.5764
• Position 17
  Ed Carpenter
  Car # 20
  Speed/Time: 222.780/2:41.5942
• Position 18
  Dan Wheldon
  Car # 4
  Speed/Time: 222.777/2:41.5969

Row 7

• Position 19
  AJ Foyt IV
  Car # 41
  Speed/Time: 222.586/2:41.7355
• Position 20
  Scott Sharp
  Car # 16
  Speed/Time: 222.162/2:42.0441
• Position 21
  Sarah Fisher
  Car # 67
  Speed/Time: 222.082/2:42.1022

Row 8

• Position 22
  Davey Hamilton
  Car # 44
  Speed/Time: 221.956/2:42.1942
• Position 23
  Robert Doornbos
  Car # 06T
  Speed/Time: 221.692/2:42.3877
• Position 24
  Townsend Bell
  Car # 8
  Speed/Time: 221.195/2:42.7524

Row 9

• Position 25
  Oriol Servia
  Car # 17
  Speed/Time: 220.984/2:42.9079
• Position 26
  Tomas Scheckter
  Car # 19
  Speed/Time: 221.496/2:42.5308
• Position 27
  Mike Conway
  Car # 24
  Speed/Time: 221.417/2:42.5889

Row 10

• Position 28
  John Andretti
  Car # 43
  Speed/Time: 221.316/2:42.6635
• Position 29
  EJ Viso
  Car # 13
  Speed/Time: 221.164/2:42.7753
• Position 30
  Milka Duno
  Car # 23
  Speed/Time: 221.106/2:42.8180

Row 11

• Position 31
  Nelson Philippe
  Car # 00
  Speed/Time: 220.754/2:43.0778
• Position 32
  Ryan Hunter-Reay
  Car # 21T
  Speed/Time: 220.597/2:43.1934
• Position 33
  Alex Tagliani
  Car # 36
• Speed/Time: 221.115/2:42.8114*

* Car was qualified by Bruno Junqueira

Source: Indianapolis 500

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That puts considerable pressure on drivers and teams to hit the track running with the fastest cars, nimblest crews and most competitive drivers. Seasons can be made or broken before the circuit leaves Florida.

Who has been most ready to break from the gate early?

Here are your last 10 Daytona 500 champions, with average speed, money won, and car type:

2009 — Matt Kenseth (Race shortened to 152 laps by rain)

2008 — Ryan Newman, 152.762 mph, $1,506,040 (Dodge)

2007 — Kevin Harvick, 149.336 mph, $1,510,469 (Chevrolet)

2006 — Jimmie Johnson, 142.667 mph, $1,505,124 (Chevrolet)

2005 — Jeff Gordon, 135.173 mph, $1,497,154 (Chevrolet)

2004 — Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 156.345  mph, $1,495,070 (Chevrolet)

2003 – Michael Waltrip, 161,783 mph, $1,331,185 (Chevrolet)

2002 — Ward Burton, 142.971 mph, $1,409,017 (Dodge)

2001 — Michael Waltrip, 161.783 mph, $1,331,185 (Chevrolet)

2000 — Dale Jarrett, 155.669 mph, $1,277,975 (Ford)

Source: Daytonainternationalspeedway.com

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Here are the final Sprint Cup standings:

1. Jimmie Johnson: 6,684 points

2. Carl Edwards: 69 back

3. Greg Biffle: -217

4. Kevin Harvick: -276

5. Clint Bowyer: -303

6. Jeff Burton: -349

7. Jeff Gordon: -368

8. Denny Hamlin: -470

9. Tony Stewart: -482

10. Kyle Busch: -498

11. Matt Kenseth: -500

12. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: -557

It’s about rivalries. It’s about passion. It’s about hating Jeff Gordon, even if you’ve never met the man, and loving Dale Earnhardt, Jr., whether he ever wins another race or not.

NASCAR divides families, bridges cultural boundaries, and often defies common sense. Still, hundreds of thousands pack tracks across America every week, dreaming of that great final lap where the winner crosses the finish line upside down, preferably on fire.

Whether it’s named for Winston or Nextel or Sprint, a cup is awarded to the points leader at the end of the season. In 2008, Jimmie Johnson joined Cale Yarborough as the only drivers to win three consecutive titles.

Here’s the list of the last 10 champions, with number of victories that season and money won:

2008 — Jimmie Johnson (7): $7,225,850

2007 — Jimmie Johnson (10): $7,646,420

2006 — Jimmie Johnson (5): $8,909,140

2005 — Tony Stewart (5): $6,987,530

2004 — Kurt Busch (3): $4,200,330

2003 — Matt Kenseth (1); $4,038,120

2002 – Tony Stewart (3); $4,695,150

2001 — Jeff Gordon (6): $6,649,080

2000 — Bobby Labonte (4): $4,041,750

1999 — Dale Jarrett (4): $3,608,829

Source: NASCAR.com

Convening a distinguished panel of some of the top names in automobile racing, The World Wide Leader in Sports attempted to identify the Top 25 drivers of all time. Those asked to vote included legends such as A.J. Foyt and Richard Petty and current NASCAR stars Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart.

How tough a crowd was it? You’ve probably heard a little about Bobby Allison, Johnny Rutherford, Al Unser Jr., Nelson Piquet, Kenny Bernstein, Bobby Rahal, Rusty Wallace and Michael Andretti.

None of them cracked the Top 25.

Here’s the Top 5:

1. A.J. Foyt: First four-time winner of the Indy 500.

2. Mario Andretti: Only driver to win an F1 title, the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500.

3. Dale Earnhardt: Tied with Richard Petty with seven Cup championships.

4. Michael Schumacher: Only driver to win seven F1 championships.

5. Ayrton Senna: Produced 41 F1 victories in 161 starts.

To read more about these drivers, and to see the rest of the list, visit ESPN.com.

Richard Petty. Bill Elliott. Cale Yarborough. Bobby Allison. Dale Earnhardt. Darrell Waltrip.

Who has taken the most checkered flags in modern-era NASCAR history? Most of today’s stars have a long way to go to make the list.

Here’s what they find themselves up against as they try to climb the ranks of most victories ever:

Darrell Waltrip: 84

Jeff Gordon: 81

Dale Earnhardt: 76

Cale Yarborough: 69

Richard Petty: 60

Bobby Allison: 55

Rusty Wallace: 55

David Pearson: 45

Bill Elliott: 44

Mark Martin: 35

Jimmie Johnson: 34

Tony Stewart: 32

Check out the rest of the list, and find out more about the drivers at NASCAR.com.

The German-born Schumacher won seven World Championships, claimed 68 poles, and finished first in 91 of the 250 Grand Prix events he entered. By the time he retired in 2004, he had set standards likely never to be broken.

Between 1950 and 2007, 28 different drivers won the Formula One World Championship. Of those, 14 prevailed more than once.

Here’s the list:

7 — Michael Schumacher (1994-95, 2000-04)

5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, 1954-57)

4 — Alain Prost (1985-86, ‘89, ‘93)

3 – Jack Brabham (1959, ‘60, ‘66)

3 — Niki Lauda (1975, ‘77, ‘84)

3 — Nelson Piquet (1981, ‘83, ‘87)

3 — Ayrton Senna (1988,  1990-91)

3 — Jackie Stewart (1969, ‘71, ‘73)

2 — Fernando Alonso (2005-06)

2 — Alberto Ascari (1952-53)

2 – Jim Clark (1963, ‘65)

2 — Emerson Fittipaldi (1972, ‘74)

2 — Mika Hakkinen (1998-99)

2 – Graham Hill (1962, ‘68)

To find out more about these drivers and Formula 1 racing in general, visit formula1.com.

That’s an impressive run, certainly, but Junior has a way to go to top Bill Elliott, who won the award 15 times, including streaks of five (1984-88) and 10 straight years (1991-2000). Richard Petty finished first on eight different occasions, capped by a five-year run from 1974-78. Bobby Allison enjoyed two streaks of three consecutive victories, separated curiously enough by a decade (1971-73, 1981-83).

The Most Popular Driver Award dates back to 1953 and is presented annually by the NMPA. It is the only major NASCAR honor determined wholly by fan vote.

Here’s the full list:

2007 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2006 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2005 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2003 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2002 Bill Elliott
2001 Dale Earnhardt
2000 Bill Elliott
1999 Bill Elliott
1998 Bill Elliott
1997 Bill Elliott
1996 Bill Elliott
1995 Bill Elliott
1994 Bill Elliott
1993 Bill Elliott
1992 Bill Elliott
1991 Bill Elliott
1990 Darrell Waltrip
1989 Darrell Waltrip
1988 Bill Elliott
1987 Bill Elliott
1986 Bill Elliott
1985 Bill Elliott
1984 Bill Elliott
1983 Bobby Allison
1982 Bobby Allison
1981 Bobby Allison
1980 David Pearson
1979 David Pearson
1978 Richard Petty
1977 Richard Petty
1976 Richard Petty
1975 Richard Petty
1974 Richard Petty
1973 Bobby Allison
1972 Bobby Allison
1971 Bobby Allison
1970 Richard Petty
1969 Bobby Isaac
1967 Cale Yarborough
1966 Darel Dieringer
1965 Fred Lorenzen
1964 Richard Petty
1963 Fred Lorenzen
1962 Richard Petty
1961 Joe Weatherly
1960 Rex White
1959 Jack Smith
1958 Glen Wood
1957 Fireball Roberts
1956 Curtis Turner
1955 Tim Flock
1954 Lee Petty
1953 Lee Petty

Source: npmaonline.com