After World War II, the Novi was used again in 1946 in the Indianapolis 500, developed with 510 horsepower and fitted in a more advanced Kurtis Kraft front-wheel-drive chassis. It performed well in a car driven by Ralph Hepburn, who set the track record and led the field for 44 laps. Drivers such as Paul Russo and Duke Nalon later drove cars powered by the engine at notable speeds, but did not win. In 1949, Nalon's Novi was involved in a spectacular crash; his car hit the wall in turn three, rupturing the gasoline tank and creating a wall of fire most of the way through the turn.