Indianapolis 500
Starting Grid for the 1985 Indianapolis 500
| Position | Car Num. | Driver | Car Name/Entrant* | Make/Model | Qual Speed |
| 1 | 6 | Pancho Carter | Valvoline Buick | March/Buick | 212.580 |
| 2 | 37 | Scott Brayton | Hardee's 37 | March/Buick | 212.350 |
| 3 | 10 | Bobby Rahal | Budweiser | March/Cosworth | 211.810 |
| 4 | 3 | Mario Andretti (W) | Beatrice Foods | Lola/Cosworth | 211.570 |
| 5 | 40 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 7-Eleven | March/Cosworth | 211.320 |
| 6 | 20 | Don Whittington | STP Oil Treatment | March/Cosworth | 210.990 |
| 7 | 11 | Al Unser (W) | Hertz | March/Cosworth | 210.520 |
| 8 | 5 | Danny Sullivan | Miller American | March/Cosworth | 210.290 |
| 9 | 7 | Geoff Brabham | Coors Light Silver Bullet | March/Cosworth | 210.070 |
| 10 | 1 | Rick Mears (W) | Pennzoil Z-7 | March/Cosworth | 209.790 |
| 11 | 30 | Al Unser Jr. | Domino's Pizza | Lola/Cosworth | 209.215 |
| 12 | 12 | Bill Whittington | Arciero Wines | March/Cosworth | 209.000 |
| 13 | 2 | Tom Sneva (W) | Skoal Bandit | Eagle/Cosworth | 208.920 |
| 14 | 22 | Dick Simon | Break Free | March/Cosworth | 208.530 |
| 15 | 99 | Michael Andretti | Electrolux/Kraco | March/Cosworth | 208.185 |
| 16 | 9 | Roberto Guerrero | Master Mechanics/True Value | March/Cosworth | 208.060 |
| 17 | 25 | Danny Ongais | Interscope Racing | March/Cosworth | 207.220 |
| 18 | 55 | Josele Garza | Schaefer/Machinists | March/Cosworth | 206.670 |
| 19 | 33 | Howdy Holmes | Jiffy Mixes | Lola/Cosworth | 206.370 |
| 20 | 61 | Arie Luyendyk (R) | Dutch Treat/Provimi Veal | Lola/Cosworth | 206.004 |
| 21 | 14 | A.J. Foyt (W) | Copenhagen-Gilmore | March/Cosworth | 205.780 |
| 22 | 98 | Ed Pimm (R) | Skoal Bandit | Eagle/Cosworth | 205.720 |
| 23 | 23 | Raul Boesel (R) | Break Free | March/Cosworth | 206.498 |
| 24 | 43 | John Paul Jr. (R) | STS/Indianapolis Heliport | March/Cosworth | 206.340 |
| 25 | 84 | Chip Ganassi | Calumet Farms | March/Cosworth | 206.100 |
| 26 | 76 | Johnny Parsons | Canadian Tire | March/Cosworth | 205.770 |
| 27 | 34 | Jim Crawford (R) | Wysard/Canadian Tire | Lola/Cosworth | 205.520 |
| 28 | 44 | George Snider | A.J. Foyt Chevrolet | March/Chevrolet | 205.450 |
| 29 | 97 | Tony Bettenhausen Jr. | Skoal Bandit | Lola/Cosworth | 204.820 |
| 30 | 21 | Johnny Rutherford (W) | Vermont American | March/Cosworth | 208.250 |
| 31 | 29 | Derek Daly | Kapsreiter Bier | Lola/Cosworth | 207.540 |
| 32 | 18 | Kevin Cogan | Kraco/Wolff Sun Systems | March/Cosworth | 206.360 |
| 33 | 60 | Rich Vogler (R) | Byrd's Kentucky Fried Chicken | March/Cosworth | 205.650 |
- * complete car name/entrant data not available for all entries
- (R) - Indicates Rookie
- (W) - Indicates Past Winner