NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Pato O’Ward celebrated his 22nd birthday on Thursday, which means he remains eligible to earn a unique place in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history.

O’Ward will be one of three drivers competing in the upcoming Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge with a chance to break the 69-year-old record for being the youngest winner in “500” history.

Troy Ruttman was 22 years, 80 days old when he won the 1952 race. In something of an irony, his achievement is one of the oldest of driver milestones on record. Among the others: The lowest starting position for a winner – 28th – was last achieved by Louis Meyer in 1936, and the record for largest margin of victory – 13 minutes, 8.4 seconds by Jules Goux in 1913 – will surely stand forever.

Colton Herta (21 years, 61 days) and Rinus VeeKay (20 years, 261 days) are the other drivers in this year’s field with a chance to eclipse Ruttman’s mark. In fact, both drivers still will be eligible next year, too.

Herta, who drives the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Autosport, could have a remarkable four chances to become the youngest winner of the “500.” He finished 33rd in the 2019 race and was eighth last year. Herta already holds a piece of INDYCAR history, becoming its youngest race winner (18 years, 11 months, 25 days) with his 2019 victory at Circuit of The Americas.

VeeKay, the driver of Ed Carpenter Racing’s No. 21 SONAX/Autogeek Chevrolet, qualified in the fourth position for last year’s “500” and finished 20th. This will be his second of potentially three chances at the record.

O’Ward, who won his first series race last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, will have a third and final opportunity. After failing to earn a starting position in 2019, he earned the Rookie of the Year Award last year after finishing sixth in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Santino Ferrucci, who has joined Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s No. 45 Honda for this race, will still be 22 when the green flag drops for the May 30 race. But his 23rd birthday is the next day, which means his chance at the mark has passed after two valiant efforts (seventh in 2019, fourth in 2020).

At the other end of the age spectrum, Al Unser’s status as the oldest winner of the “500” – 47 years, 360 days – will stand at least for a few more years. Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves will be 46 in this year’s race, but neither will have exceeded Unser’s winning age until the 2023 race.