0 0 ▁mile ▁distance ▁first , ▁sans ▁pen alt ies . ▁A ▁winner ▁is ▁declared ▁with ▁a ▁finishing ▁time ▁in ▁hours , ▁minutes , ▁and ▁seconds . ▁Fin ish ers ▁behind ▁the ▁winner ▁were ▁given ▁additional ▁time ▁– ▁up wards ▁of ▁an ▁hour ▁in ▁early ▁years ▁– ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ▁mile ▁distance . ▁In ▁very ▁early ▁years , ▁comple ting ▁the ▁full ▁ 5 0 0 ▁miles ▁was ▁a ▁requirement ▁to ▁receive ▁prize ▁money . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁Ralph ▁Mul ford ▁fam ously ▁took ▁nearly ▁nine ▁hours ▁( over ▁ 2 ▁hours ▁after ▁the ▁winner ) ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁race ▁and ▁ear n ▁the ▁ 1 0 th ▁place ▁prize ▁money . ▁Later , ▁it ▁was ▁because ▁comple ting ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ▁mile ▁distance ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁speed ▁of ▁over ▁ 1 0 0   m ph ▁earned ▁a ▁driver ▁a ▁spot ▁in ▁the ▁pr estig ious ▁Champion ▁Spark ▁Pl ug ▁ 1 0 0 ▁m ph ▁Club . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁as ▁live ▁television ▁arrived , ▁this ▁" extra ▁time " ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁about ▁five ▁minutes , ▁and ▁after ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁when ▁ra uc ous ▁fans ▁ran ▁out ▁on ▁the ▁track ▁at ▁the ▁check ered ▁flag , ▁extra ▁time ▁was ▁elimin ated . ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁lap ▁the ▁winner ▁finish es ▁the ▁race ▁is ▁the ▁final ▁lap ▁for ▁all ▁compet itors . ▁In ▁ 1