Indianapolis 500
Race Results for the 1961 Indianapolis 500
| Finish | Start | Car Num. | Driver | Car Name/Entrant* | Make/Model | Status | Laps | Led | Prize Money |
| 1 | 7 | 1 | A.J. Foyt | Bowes Seal Fast | Trevis/Offy | 139.130 | 200 | 71 | $117,975 |
| 2 | 1 | 12 | Eddie Sachs | Dean Van Lines | Ewing/Offy | 139.041 | 200 | 44 | $53,400 |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | Rodger Ward (W) | Del Webb's Sun City | Watson/Offy | 138.539 | 200 | 7 | $26,500 |
| 4 | 18 | 7 | Shorty Templeman | Bill Forbes Racing Team | Meskowski/Offy | 136.873 | 200 | 0 | $16,025 |
| 5 | 26 | 19 | Al Keller | Konstant Hot | Phillips/Offy | 136.034 | 200 | 0 | $13,725 |
| 6 | 28 | 18 | Chuck Stevenson | Metal-Cal | Epperly/Offy | 135.742 | 200 | 0 | $9,875 |
| 7 | 33 | 31 | Bobby Marshman (R) | Hoover Motor Express | Epperly/Offy | 135.534 | 200 | 0 | $9,550 |
| 8 | 25 | 5 | Lloyd Ruby | Autolite Dealer's Assn. | Epperly/Offy | 134.860 | 200 | 0 | $8,750 |
| 9 | 13 | 17 | Jack Brabham (R) | Kimberly Cooper-Climax | Cooper/Climax | 134.116 | 200 | 0 | $7,250 |
| 10 | 32 | 34 | Norm Hall (R) | Federal Engineering | KK500E/Offy | 134.104 | 200 | 0 | $8,250 |
| 11 | 15 | 28 | Gene Hartley | John Chalik | Trevis/Offy | Running | 198 | 0 | $5,820 |
| 12 | 5 | 98 | Parnelli Jones (R) | Agajanian Willard Battery | Watson/Offy | Running | 192 | 27 | $10,350 |
| 13 | 6 | 97 | Dick Rathmann | Jim Robbins | Watson/Offy | Fuel pump | 164 | 0 | $5,580 |
| 14 | 17 | 10 | Paul Goldsmith | Racing Associates | Lesovsky/Offy | Oil leak | 160 | 0 | $5,210 |
| 15 | 12 | 15 | Wayne Weiler | Hopkins Coral Harbour | Watson/Offy | Wheel | 147 | 0 | $5,040 |
| 16 | 31 | 35 | Dempsey Wilson | Lysle Greenman | Kuzma/Offy | Fuel pump | 145 | 0 | $4,920 |
| 17 | 16 | 32 | Bob Christie | North Electric | Kurtis/Offy | Piston | 132 | 0 | $4,850 |
| 18 | 10 | 33 | Eddie Johnson | Jim Robbins | Kuzma/Offy | Accident | 127 | 0 | $4,730 |
| 19 | 8 | 8 | Len Sutton | Bryant Heating & Cooling | Watson/Offy | Transmission | 110 | 0 | $4,650 |
| 20 | 22 | 52 | Troy Ruttman (W) | John Zink Trackburner | Watson/Offy | Clutch | 105 | 10 | $6,970 |
| 21 | 20 | 41 | Johnny Boyd | Leader Card 500 Roadster | Watson/Offy | Clutch | 105 | 0 | $4,650 |
| 22 | 3 | 99 | Jim Hurtubise | Demler | Epperly/Offy | Piston | 102 | 35 | $10,410 |
| 23 | 19 | 86 | Ebb Rose (R) | Meyer Speedway | Porter/Offy | Oil line | 93 | 0 | $4,530 |
| 24 | 30 | 26 | Cliff Griffith | McCullough Engineering | Elder/Offy | Piston | 55 | 0 | $4,750 |
| 25 | 21 | 45 | Jack Turner | Bardahl | Kurtis/Offy | Accident | 52 | 0 | $5,720 |
| 26 | 14 | 73 | A.J. Shepherd (R) | Travelon Trailer | Christensen/Offy | Accident | 51 | 0 | $4,440 |
| 27 | 29 | 22 | Roger McCluskey (R) | Racing Associates | Moore/Offy | Accident | 51 | 0 | $4,710 |
| 28 | 9 | 14 | Bill Cheesbourg | Dean Van Lines | Kuzma/Offy | Accident | 50 | 0 | $4,430 |
| 29 | 27 | 83 | Don Davis (R) | Dart-Kart by Rupp | Trevis/Offy | Accident | 49 | 0 | $4,950 |
| 30 | 11 | 4 | Jim Rathmann (W) | Simoniz | Watson/Offy | Magneto | 48 | 6 | $5,270 |
| 31 | 23 | 55 | Jimmy Daywalt | Schultz Fueling Equipment | KK500G/Offy | Brakes | 27 | 0 | $4,890 |
| 32 | 24 | 16 | Bobby Grim | Thompson Industries | Watson/Offy | Fuel injection | 26 | 0 | $4,660 |
| 33 | 2 | 3 | Don Branson | Hoover Motor Express | Epperly/Offy | Valves | 2 | 0 | $5,080 |
- * complete car name/entrant data not available for all entries
- (R) - Indicates Rookie
- (W) - Indicates Past Winner