Innovative Miller race cars gathered for memorable class at Pebble Beach

The beautiful and innovative race cars created by Harry Miller in the 1920s and ’30s, slim projectiles that won the Indianapolis 500 an impressive 10 times, were on display in the Miller featured class at the 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Supercharging, front-wheel drive and a host of other advances were pioneered by Miller race cars, which were built with meticulous care and aesthetics that rivaled Bugatti and Duesenberg in their day. Miller dominated Indy racing with both front- and rear-drive cars.

Harry Miller is considered to be a mechanical genius who designed and built highly tuned engines as well as entire race cars.  Besides the 10 Indy 500 wins for Miller cars, his engines – or Offenhauser engines derived from his designs – won an additional 29 times.

Fourteen of the spectacular Miller racers were shown at Pebble, as well as a bare chassis and running gear that displayed some of Miller’s unique features and quality construction.

The class winner was a rear-driven car, the 1926 Miller 91 Perfect Circle Special powered by a 1.5-liter supercharged engine.  This car was also the winner of the 1926 Indy 500, driven by Frank Lockhart.

The Miller class fit in well amid the finery of the Pebble Beach Concours, as these finely honed race cars were every bit as elegant as any classic parked on the 18^th Fairway.