Which engine make has the most Indianapolis 500 victories?

Offenhauser is the engine make with the most Indianapolis 500 victories, credited with 27 wins. Its dominance defined much of the race’s pre-modern era, especially from the 1930s through the 1970s.

The Offenhauser engine was developed from Harry Miller’s designs and became associated with American championship racing after Fred Offenhauser acquired Miller’s business in the early 1930s. The compact, powerful four-cylinder engine proved exceptionally durable at Indianapolis, where reliability over 500 miles was as important as outright speed.

Offenhauser-powered cars won the 1935 Indianapolis 500 and then repeatedly through the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The final wins in the record list came in 1976. Chevrolet ranks behind Offenhauser with 13 victories, while Miller has 12 and Cosworth has 10; Honda’s wins came much later in the modern era.

The wording “engine make” matters. This is not a driver, team, chassis, or automobile manufacturer record. Dallara leads the separate chassis-make category, while Roger Penske leads team ownership victories. Those categories are often confused when comparing Indianapolis 500 records.