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| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | USAC | ||||
| Season | 1977 USAC Trail | ||||
| Date | May 29, 1977 | ||||
| Winner | A. J. Foyt, Jr. | ||||
| Winning team | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | ||||
| Average speed | 161.331 mph (259.637 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position | Tom Sneva | ||||
| Pole speed | 198.884 mph (320.073 km/h) | ||||
| Fastest qualifier | Tom Sneva | ||||
| Rookie of the Year | Jerry Sneva | ||||
| Most laps led | Gordon Johncock (129) | ||||
| Pre-race ceremonies | |||||
| National anthem | Purdue band | ||||
| "Back Home Again in Indiana" | Jim Nabors | ||||
| Starting command | Tony Hulman | ||||
| Pace car | Oldsmobile Delta 88 | ||||
| Pace car driver | James Garner | ||||
| Starter | Pat Vidan[1] | ||||
| Estimated attendance | 350,000[2] | ||||
| TV in the United States | |||||
| Network | ABC | ||||
| Announcers | Jim McKay andJackie Stewart | ||||
| Nielsen ratings | 15.6 / 32 | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
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The61st 500 Mile International Sweepstakes was held at theIndianapolis Motor Speedway inSpeedway, Indiana, on Sunday, May 29, 1977. Considered one of the most historically significant editions of the Indianapolis 500, several sidebar stories complemented the unprecedented accomplishment of race winnerA. J. Foyt.[3] Foyt became the firstdriver to win the Indianapolis 500 four times. As of 2025, Foyt's record has been tied byAl Unser Sr.,Rick Mears andHélio Castroneves, but still stands as an Indy 500 record. Foyt's victory is also the last time the winning car (both chassis and engine) was built entirely within the United States.
The race was sanctioned byUSAC, and was part of the1977 USAC National Championship Trail. After rain-shortened races in three of the past four years (1973,1975,1976), the 1977 race was run the full distance under hot and sunny conditions.
Two major stories headlined qualifying. During time trials,Tom Sneva won thepole position with a new track record. He became the first driver to break the 200 mph barrier at the Speedway. On the final day of time trials,Janet Guthrie broke thegender barrier by becoming the firstfemale driver to qualify for the Indy 500.
During the summer of 1976, the entire track was repaved inasphalt. It marked the first time since the original brick surface was laid in the fall of 1909 that theIndianapolis Motor Speedway was repaved in its entirety. The surface was allowed to cure over the winter, and during a tire test in March,Gordon Johncock ran a lap of 200.401 mph, an unofficial track record.[4]
This would be the final Indy 500 for track ownerTony Hulman, who would die of heart failure on October 27, 1977.IMS Radio Network anchorSid Collins did not call the race for the first time since 1951. Collins committed suicide on May 2,[5] just five days before opening day, after being diagnosed withALS. Collins was replaced by new "Voice of the 500"Paul Page. Then less than a year later, eightUSAC officials would be killed in aplane crash.
Other historical milestones during the month included the inauguralPit Stop Contest, the first grandson of a former driver entering (Teddy Pilette), and the first father and son combination attempting to qualify for the same race (Jim andJames McElreath Jr.). However, neither Pilette (grandson of1913 competitorThéodore Pilette) nor McElreath Jr. succeeded in making the field.[6]
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For 1977, the turbocharger "boost" settings were increased from 75inHg (used in 1976) back to 80 inHg (used in 1974–1975).[7] This, along with offseason engine development by the teams, was expected to provide about 50 additionalhorsepower.[8]
During the first week of practice, several drivers flirted with the elusive 200 mph barrier.Mario Andretti,A. J. Foyt, andJohnny Rutherford all ran unofficial practice laps over 200 mph. All three became immediate favorites for the pole position. Going into the month, the official one-lap track record was still 199.071 mph, set byJohnny Rutherford back in1973.
Pole day was sunny and warm, and an estimated 200,000 spectators arrived anticipating a record-setting day. No drivers broke the 200 mph barrier during practice on the morning of pole day, but participants and observers expected the record to fall during official time trials. At 11:00 a.m.,A. J. Foyt was the first driver to make an attempt. His four-lap speed of 193.465 mph was far short of the record. About a half hour later,Al Unser Sr. (195.950 mph) went faster and knocked Foyt off of the top spot.
At 11:51 a.m.,Tom Sneva took to the track. He set new all-time one-lap and four-lap track records. He became the first driver to break the 200 mph barrier at Indianapolis.
Though his last two laps dropped off, Sneva's four-lap average was fast enough to secure the pole position. Sneva was rewarded by having 200silver dollars poured into his helmet.[9] The symbolic gesture, performed by Phil Hedback of Bryant Heating and Cooling Company,[9] mimickedParnelli Jones, who broke the 150 mph barrier in1962, and was awarded with 150silver dollars poured into his helmet.[10]
About an hour later,USAC officials retractedA. J. Foyt's qualifying time. During post-inspection, they discovered that his pop-off valve was fractured and malfunctioned. Since the infraction was not Foyt's fault, he was allowed to re-qualify. Foyt's speed of 194.563 mph was faster than his previous attempt, and he would line up 4th.
Bobby Unser (197.618 mph) put himself in the middle of the front row, bumping his brotherAl to the outside.Johnny Rutherford, an early favorite for the front row, waved off his first run, then stalled on his second run. The day ended with the field filled to 16 cars, with Rutherford among those not qualified.Sneva was the only driver to run any laps over 200 mph all afternoon.
Johnny Rutherford (197.325 mph) put in the third-fastest speed in the field, but as a second day qualifier, he was forced to line up behind the first day qualifiers in 17th position.
Five cars completed runs, filling the field to 21 cars.Clay Regazzoni wrecked during his attempt, but was not seriously injured.Regazzoni was planning on running both Indy and theMonaco Grand Prix, but the crash complicated his travel schedule.
Clay Regazzoni started the day inMonte Carlo, but rain washed out his chance to qualify for theMonaco Grand Prix. Car owner Teddy Yip made plans to fly him back to Indy and attempt to qualify for the 500.Mario Andretti, who put in a safe qualifying time at Indy the weekend before, remained in Monaco to compete in the race, he would finish 5th.
Qualifying was sparse during the early parts of the day, with at least 12 cars taking to the track, but only two attempts run to completion. At the end of the day, the field was filled to 27 cars.Clay Regazzoni did not make it to the Speedway in enough time, and he would have to wait until Sunday.
The final day of time trials became a historic milestone in auto racing history.Janet Guthrie was the first car to take the track, and she became the first female driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Her four-lap average of 188.403 mph put her safely in the field, and she was the fastest car of the afternoon. Like he did forTom Sneva a week earlier, Phil Hedback poured 188 silver dollars in her helmet,[9] matching her qualifying speed, which was also a female closed-course speed record.[11]
After a hectic travel burden,Clay Regazzoni finally put a car in the field.
At about 3:30 p.m.,Salt Walther (184.549 mph) completed a run, followed later byBubby Jones (184.938 mph), and the field was filled to 33 cars with Walther on the bubble.Cliff Hucul (187.198 mph) bumped out Walther. With about an hour to go,Eldon Rasmussen bumped outVern Schuppan, andJohn Mahler bumped outJoe Saldana.
The final hour of qualifying saw several drivers try, but fail, to bump their way in. Young rookieRick Mears was too slow on his two attempts, and he failed to qualify.Jim Hurtubise once again was the center of attention for a few minutes, as he rolled out his Mallard/Offy to the qualifying line. After one slow lap he waved off, and it was the final qualifying attempt ever made by a front-engined car at Indy.
As the 6 o'clock gun fired,James McElreath, Jr. was the final car on the track, but his speed was too slow to make the field.Jim and James, Jr. were trying to become the first father and son to qualify for the same Indy 500. James, Jr. fell short, however, and would die in a sprint car crash later in the year, never having a chance to race together.
The final practice session was scheduled for Thursday May 26. After qualifying closed, the team ofSalt Walther purchased the qualified car ofBill Puterbaugh from owner Lee Elkins. Salt's father George and brother Jeff were responsible for the purchase, and paid a reported $60,000 for the entry, and subsequently fired Puterbaugh from the ride.[12] Salt Walther was named the new driver for the car, and it was repainted in his livery. According to the rules, the car would have to move to the rear of the field on race day. Almost immediately, the situation received significant negative criticism. A day later, Puterbaugh was reinstated to the ride, therefore Puterbaugh was reinstated to his 28th starting position.[13]
The final practice day sawJohnny Rutherford (194.533 mph) set the fastest lap.Mike Mosley was the only incident of the day, suffering a broken piston.
The elimination rounds for the first annualMillerPit Stop Contest were held Thursday May 26. Qualifying heats were held May 16–17, and sixteen teams advanced to the elimination bracket.[14] Teams would compete head-to-head, in a layout that resembled a drag race. Cars would drive into the pit box, then crews were required to change two tires (right sides).[15] After they drop the jacks, the cars had to leave the pit box under power. Time penalties would be assessed for various violations. The top times registered during the qualifying heats belonged toPancho Carter (14.83 seconds),A. J. Foyt (14.84 seconds),Gordon Johncock (16.28 seconds) andWally Dallenbach (17.06 seconds).[16][17]
The finals pittedJim McElreath (Carillo) versusWally Dallenbach (Patrick Racing). The Carillo team, led by crew chief Dave Kylm won with a time of 15.09 seconds.[18]
| Finals | |||
| 73 | Jim McElreath (Carillo) | 15.09 | |
| 40 | Wally Dallenbach (Patrick Racing) | 15.82 | |
| Row | Inside | Middle | Outside | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 |  Tom SnevaNorton Spirit Penske Racing McLaren, Cosworth DFX 198.884 mph (320.073 km/h) | 6 | Bobby Unser W Cobre Tire/Clayton Fletcher Racing Lightning,Offenhauser 197.618 mph (318.035 km/h) | 21 | Al Unser W American Racing Wheels Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Parnelli, Cosworth DFX 195.950 mph (315.351 km/h) | |||
| 2 | 14 | A. J. Foyt W Gilmore Racing A. J. Foyt Enterprises Coyote, Foyt V-8 194.563 mph (313.119 km/h) | 20 | Gordon Johncock W STP Double Oil Filter Patrick Racing Wildcat,DGS 193.517 mph (311.435 km/h) | 9 | Mario Andretti W CAM2 Motor Oil Penske Racing McLaren, Cosworth DFX 193.353 mph (311.171 km/h) | |||
| 3 | 25 | Danny Ongais R Interscope Racing Interscope Racing Parnelli, Cosworth DFX 193.040 mph (310.668 km/h) | 48 | Pancho Carter Jorgensen Steel All American Racers Eagle,Offenhauser 192.452 mph (309.721 km/h) | 5 | Mike Mosley Sugaripe Prune Jerry O'Connell Lightning,Offenhauser 190.064 mph (305.878 km/h) | |||
| 4 | 40 | Wally Dallenbach Sr. STP Oil Treatment Patrick Racing Wildcat,DGS 189.563 mph (305.072 km/h) | 60 | Johnny Parsons STP/Goodyear Patrick Racing Wildcat,DGS 189.255 mph (304.576 km/h) | 97 | Sheldon Kinser Genesee Beer Grant King Dragon,Offenhauser 189.076 mph (304.288 km/h) | |||
| 5 | 18 | George Snider Mel Simon Bobby Hillin Wildcat,DGS 188.976 mph (304.127 km/h) | 78 | Bobby Olivero R Alex Foods Alex Morales Lightning,Offenhauser 188.452 mph (303.284 km/h) | 86 | Al Loquasto Frostie Root Beer Al Loquasto McLaren,Offenhauser 187.647 mph (301.989 km/h) | |||
| 6 | 36 | Jerry Sneva R 21st Amendment Spirit of America Racers McLaren,Offenhauser 186.616 mph (300.329 km/h) | 2 | Johnny Rutherford W 1st National City Travelers Checks McLaren Racing McLaren, Cosworth DFX 197.325 mph (317.564 km/h) | 11 | Roger McCluskey 1st National City Travelers Checks Lindsey Hopkins Lightning,Offenhauser 190.992 mph (307.372 km/h) | |||
| 7 | 10 | Lloyd Ruby 1st National City Travelers Checks Lindsey Hopkins Lightning,Offenhauser 190.840 mph (307.127 km/h) | 73 | Jim McElreath Carillo Carrillo Industries Eagle, AMC 187.715 mph (302.098 km/h) | 98 | Gary Bettenhausen Agajanian-Knievel Grant King King,Offenhauser 186.596 mph (300.297 km/h) | |||
| 8 | 24 | Tom Bigelow Thermo King Ralph Wilke Eagle,Offenhauser 186.471 mph (300.096 km/h) | 84 | Bill Vukovich II Gilmore Racing A. J. Foyt Enterprises Coyote, Foyt V-8 186.393 mph (299.970 km/h) | 65 | Lee Kunzman City of Syracuse Patrick Santello Eagle,Offenhauser 186.384 mph (299.956 km/h) | |||
| 9 | 92 | Steve Krisiloff Dave McIntire Chevy Tassi Vatis Eagle,Offenhauser 184.691 mph (297.231 km/h) | 27 | Janet Guthrie R Bryant Air Conditioning Rolla Vollstedt Lightning,Offenhauser 188.403 mph (303.205 km/h) | 29 |  Cliff Hucul R Team Canada Hucul/Hunter/Arndt McLaren,Offenhauser 187.198 mph (301.266 km/h) | |||
| 10 | 16 | Bill Puterbaugh Dayton-Walther George Walther Eagle,Offenhauser 186.800 mph (300.625 km/h) | 38 |  Clay Regazzoni R Theodore Racing Teddy Yip McLaren,Offenhauser 186.047 mph (299.414 km/h) | 17 | Dick Simon Bryant Air Conditioning Rolla Vollstedt Vollstedt,Offenhauser 185.615 mph (298.718 km/h) | |||
| 11 | 42 | John Mahler 20th Century Don Mergard Eagle,Offenhauser 185.242 mph (298.118 km/h) | 58 | Eldon Rasmussen Rent-A-Racer Eldon Rasmussen Rascar, Foyt V-8 185.119 mph (297.920 km/h) | 72 | Bubby Jones R Bruce Cogle Ford Bobby Hillin Eagle,Offenhauser 184.938 mph (297.629 km/h) | |||
| Sources:[19][20][21] | |||||||||
R = Indianapolis 500 rookie
W = Former Indianapolis 500 winner
AfterJanet Guthrie became the first female driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, controversy began to surround the famous starting command, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" Speedway management did not want to alter the traditional phrase.[22] During the week before the race, the management announced that they would not change the wording of the command, but numerous suggestions were being offered by various promoters and members of the media around the country. Looking for an excuse, the management insisted that the cars were actually started by male crew members with anelectric hand-heldstarter from behind the car. Guthrie and her crew were quite displeased by the stubbornness of the Speedway management, considering her unprecedented accomplishment. The crew reacted by assigning Kay Bignotti[22] (wife ofGeorge Bignotti) as the crew member to operate the inertial starter at the back of Guthrie's car. The Speedway's argument fell apart, and they decided upon a special amended command for that year. They did not announce beforehand what the special command would be,[22] andHulman's highly anticipated phrase was the following:
"In company with the first lady ever to qualify at Indianapolis, gentlemen, start your engines!"
The issues with the starting command were not Guthrie's only troubles. On the morning of the race, an official inspecting the pit area discovered that Guthrie's pit side fuel tank hose was leaking. Dripping methanol fuel was observed under the tank, and officials threatened to disqualify the team if they could not contain the leak. A hasty repair was made by wrapping a plastic bag around the hose, and the officials were satisfied.[23]
At the start,Al Unser swept from the outside of the front row, and led into turn one. PolesitterTom Sneva grabbed second.Bobby Unser settled into third.Johnny Rutherford over-revved the engine, and dropped out with gearbox failure.Janet Guthrie was in the pits early with engine trouble. She would suffer a long day of numerous frustrating pits stops.
Gordon Johncock took the lead for the first time on lap 18. After Johncock pitted,A. J. Foyt led laps 27–51.
Lloyd Ruby crashed in turn two and brought out the yellow on lap 49. It would be Ruby's final Indy 500. During the sequence of pit stops, Gordon Johncock came to the lead, and led most of the laps to the midpoint.
Eldon Rasmussen brought out the yellow for a spin on lap 69. He was able to continue. It was only the second, and would be the last, on-track incident of the race. At the halfway point, attrition had taken its toll during the hot day. Only 17 cars were still running.
Gordon Johncock was the dominating leader in the second half. He took the lead again on lap 97, and led through lap 179.A. J. Foyt,Tom Sneva, andAl Unser were the closest pursuers.
A long stretch of green flag racing continued until lap 159, whenGeorge Snider andPancho Carter stalled on the track.
After numerous attempts to re-join the race, Janet Guthrie finally dropped out on the leader's lap 149, having completed only 27 laps. On one of the many pit stops, fuel from the overflow hose leaked out and spilled into the cockpit. Guthrie's crew had to escort her back to the garage area and find a place for her to shower off in private (there were no women's restrooms in the garage area at the time) to clean off the spilled fuel prior to addressing the media.[23]
Two cycles of pit stops remained for the leaders.Gordon Johncock continued to leadA. J. Foyt.Tom Sneva was also still on the lead lap. The three leaders made the next-to-last pits stops within one lap of each other. Johncock was beginning to complain ofdehydration andheat exhaustion, and the crew doused him with water. Johncock, however, managed to return to the track with a lead of about 15–20 seconds.
With 20 laps to go, Gordon Johncock led A. J. Foyt by 10 seconds. Tom Sneva was lurking in third place. With Johncock physically ailing, Foyt began to narrow the margin. Johncock made his final pit stop on lap 181. He took on fuel only, and the crew again doused him with water. He pulled away after a 14.7-second stop. Two laps later, Foyt made his final stop on lap 183. Foyt took on right side tires and fuel, and was away in only 12.9 seconds. Johncock re-emerged as the leader, but his lead was down to only 7 seconds.
As Johncock hit the mainstretch the next time around to complete lap 184, a huge cloud of smoke suddenly billowed from his car. He veered to the inside and parked the car in turn one with a brokencrankshaft. Foyt inherited the lead with only 16 laps to go. Johncock climbed from his car, and hopped into the infieldcreek to splash some water on himself to cool off. Foyt now held a nearly 30-second lead over second placeTom Sneva. Foyt was able to cruise comfortably over the final 15 laps and became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 four times.
On Foyt's cool down lap, many fans began tostorm the track in celebration,[24] similar to what had happened in1974.[25] Chief stewardTom Binford had announced before the race that the customary five minutes of "extra time" was going to be allowed for the other drivers to finish the race, a rule that dated back to 1964 (before 1964, the extra time allowed was even longer). However, he immediately red flagged the race, and all of the other cars were instead "Flagged" off the track. Third placeAl Unser ran out of fuel on the backstretch, about a half lap from the finish line, and within seconds his car was surrounded by a group of fans. It was estimated that fourth placeWally Dallenbach would have been able to pass Unser and finish third if not for the incursion.[24] This prompted the officials to change the rules in subsequent years to eliminate the "extra time." Once the winner crossed the finish line, the race ends, and all others on the track would be allowed only to finish the current lap they were running.
The historic accomplishment was highly celebrated, and Foyt invited track ownerTony Hulman to ride with him in the pace car to salute the fans. It was one of the few times that Hulman rode with the winner of the race, and his last, as he died the following October.
Tom Sneva bettered his 6th-place finish from the previous year to a solid 2nd place. It was his first of three runner-up finishes prior to his1983 victory. He would ride this momentum by winning thePocono 500later in the season, and won the1977 USAC National Championship. His brotherJerry Sneva came home 10th, and wonrookie of the year honors. With only a handful of laps remaining,Larry "Boom Boom" Cannon climbed into the car ofJohn Mahler, who was exhausted from the heat. Cannon was the first relief driver since 1973, and would stand as the last relief driver until2004. Cannon managed to complete only 8 laps before the checkered flag flew, but he prided himself as being one of only a handful of drivers on the track at the moment A. J. Foyt won his record fourth Indy 500.[26]
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses[28]
W Former Indianapolis 500 winner
R Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All cars utilizedGoodyear tires.
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| Rank | Driver | Points | Difference | Position Change |
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| 1 | A. J. Foyt | 1640 | Leader | +2 |
| 2 | Al Unser | 1400 | -240 | 0 |
| 3 | Wally Dallenbach | 1325 | -315 | -2 |
| 4 | Tom Sneva | 1260 | -380 | +3 |
| 5 | Tom Bigelow | 840 | -800 | +3 |
| 6 | Gordon Johncock | 715 | -925 | -1 |
| 7 | Roger McCluskey | 660 | -980 | +2 |
| 8 | Johnny Rutherford | 640 | -1000 | -5 |
| 9 | Mike Mosley | 600 | -1040 | -3 |
| 10 | Johnny Parsons | 500 | -1140 | Unranked |
The race was carried live on theIMS Radio Network. Following the unexpected death of chief announcerSid Collins on May 2,Paul Page was elevated to the anchor position and became the new "Voice of the 500."Lou Palmer reported from victory lane.Fred Agabashian returned for his 12th and final year as the "driver expert." At the opening of the broadcast, veteran Jim Shelton reported on the death of Collins to the worldwide listening audience, then introduced Page as the new anchor.
Paul Page had been groomed bySid Collins to be his eventual replacement. Despite the bereavement of the crew regarding Collins’ death, the broadcast was a flawless affair, and ushered in a new era for the network. In the coming years, Page would upgrade the workings of the broadcast, including enhanced communication with the reporters, and new talent at the positions.
This would be the 30th year for Jim Shelton on the crew, reporting from his familiar fourth turn position. Darl Wible debuted on the crew in 1977, reporting from the backstretch location. Bob Forbes served as the wireless roving reporter in the garages. Among the celebrities interviewed in the pits wereEvel Knievel (who was a sponsor on Gary Bettenhausens entry),1957 500 winnerSam Hanks, and Formula One commentator Anthony Marsh.
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth Announcers | Turn Reporters | Pit/garage reporters |
Chief Announcer:Paul Page | Turn 1: Ron Carrell | Jerry Baker (north pits) Chuck Marlowe (north-center pits) Luke Walton (south-center pits) Lou Palmer (south pits) Bob Forbes (garages) |
The race was carried in the United States onABC Sports on asame-day tape delay basis. "Heavy Action" was used in an "Indianapolis 500" opening credits for the second time asMonday Night Football ProducersRoone Arledge andChuck Howard along with DirectorsChet Forte and Larry Kamm also did work on this broadcast.[31]Jim McKay anchored the broadcast. The broadcast took place in the midst of theNational Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians strike at ABC. Unlike previous years during this era, ABC-TV got the first interview with the race winner, as Bill Flemming spoke with A. J. Foyt prior to Lou Palmer.
The broadcast has re-aired in partiality onESPN Classic since May 2011.
The broadcast is also available for free via the official IndyCar Series[32] and official Indianapolis Motor Speedway[33] YouTube channels.
| ABCTelevision | |
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| Booth Announcers | Pit/garage reporters |
| Chris Economaki Bill Flemming | |
| 1976 Indianapolis 500 Johnny Rutherford | 1977 Indianapolis 500 A. J. Foyt | 1978 Indianapolis 500 Al Unser |