1977 Indianapolis 500 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 1977 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....

on Sunday, May 29, 1977.

Gordon Johncock

Gordon Johncock

Gordon Johncock is a former racing driver, best known as a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the 1976 USAC Marlboro Championship Trail champion. Johncock was most often simply referred to as "Gordy."...

led 129 laps and had a 16 second lead on A.J. Foyt one lap after final pit stops when his crankshaft broke. Foyt became the first driver to win four times. Tom Sneva

Tom Sneva

Tom Sneva is a former Indy Car driver who was named to the prestigious Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005. Sneva is best remembered for winning the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Nicknamed "The Gas Man," Sneva was an outstanding qualifier, winning the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 three...

broke the 200 mi/h barrier in qualifying, and Janet Guthrie

Janet Guthrie

Janet Guthrie is a retired professional race car driver and the first woman to qualify and compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500....

became the first female to drive in the race. It was the last Indy 500 race for Texan Lloyd Ruby

Lloyd Ruby

Lloyd Ruby was an American racecar driver.Ruby raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1958-1977 seasons, with 177 career starts, including every Indianapolis 500 race during 1960-1977. He finished in the top ten 88 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was 3rd in 1964...

. On the radio, Paul Page

Paul Page

Paul Page is an American motorsports broadcaster who was the lead announcer for ABC Sports' coverage of CART and the IRL from 1988 to 2004. He currently is the lead announcer for NHRA.-Early life and career:...

became the new Voice of the 500. This also marked Tony Hulman's

Tony Hulman

Anton "Tony" Hulman, Jr. was a businessman from Terre Haute, Indiana who rescued the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1945 and made the Indianapolis 500 popular....

final Indianapolis 500 appearance; the man who resurrected the Speedway after World War II died in October at the age of 76.

Race schedule

EWLINE

Race schedule — May, 1977
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
1	2	3	4	5	6	7 Opening Day
8 Practice	9 Practice	10 Practice	11 Practice	12 Practice	13 Practice	14 Pole Day
15 Time Trials	16 Practice	17 Practice	18 Practice	19 Practice	20 Practice	21 Time Trials
22 Time Trials	23	24	25	26 Carb Day	27	28 Parade
29 Indy 500	30 Memorial Day	31

EWLINE

Color	Notes
Green	Practice
Dark Blue	Time trials
Silver	Race day
Red	Rained out*
Blank	No track activity

* Includes days where track activity
was significantly limited due to rain

Race results

Finish	Start	No	Name	Qual	Rank	Laps	Led	Status
1	4	14	United States A.J. Foyt	194.563	5	200	46	Running
2	1	8	United States Tom Sneva Tom Sneva Tom Sneva is a former Indy Car driver who was named to the prestigious Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005. Sneva is best remembered for winning the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Nicknamed "The Gas Man," Sneva was an outstanding qualifier, winning the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 three...	198.886	1	200	3	Running
3	3	21	United States Al Unser Al Unser Alfred "Al" Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....	195.950	4	199	17	Flagged
4	10	40	United States Wally Dallenbach, Sr. Wally Dallenbach, Sr. Wally Dallenbach, Sr. is a former long-time open-wheeled race car driver in CART from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey. He drove in 180 Indy Car races between 1965 and 1979, winning five times. He is the father of NASCAR driver and commentator, Wally Dallenbach, Jr.-Biography:Dallenbach nearly...	189.563	13	199	0	Flagged
5	11	60	United States Johnny Parsons Johnny Parsons Johnny Parsons is an American racecar driver.-Racing family:Parsons is the son of Arza and 1950 Indianapolis 500 winner Johnnie Parsons. His parents divorced, and Johnny was raised with half-brothers Dana and Pancho Carter, the product of Arza'a marriage with Duane Carter. The Carters grew up...	189.255	14	193	0	Flagged
6	22	24	United States Tom Bigelow Tom Bigelow Tom Bigelow , USA, is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.-Midget car racing:...	186.470	25	192	0	Flagged
7	24	65	United States Lee Kunzman Lee Kunzman Lee Kunzman , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1969, 1972–1973 and 1975-1980 seasons, with 48 combined career starts, including the 1971-1972, 1977, and 1979 Indianapolis 500...	186.384	27	191	0	Flagged
8	18	11	United States Roger McCluskey Roger McCluskey Roger McCluskey was an American race car driver. He was from Tucson, Arizona.He won championship titles in three divisions of USAC -Sprints, Stocks, and Champ Cars. He won the USAC Sprint Car title in 1963 and 1966, the USAC Stock car title in 1969 and 1970. The Champ Car title in 1973...	190.992	10	191	0	Flagged
9	25	92	United States Steve Krisiloff Steve Krisiloff Steve Krisiloff , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1969–1979, 1981 and 1983 seasons, with 111 combined career starts, and started in the Indianapolis 500 all but 1969–1970...	184.691	33	191	0	Flagged
10	16	36	United States Jerry Sneva Jerry Sneva Jerry Sneva , is a former off-road driver who also drove in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1982 seasons, with 26 combined career starts, including the 1977-1980 and 1982 Indianapolis 500 and was named 1977 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year...	186.616	23	187	0	Flagged
11	5	20	United States Gordon Johncock Gordon Johncock Gordon Johncock is a former racing driver, best known as a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the 1976 USAC Marlboro Championship Trail champion. Johncock was most often simply referred to as "Gordy."...	193.516	6	184	129	Crankshaft
12	28	16	United States Bill Puterbaugh Bill Puterbaugh Bill Puterbaugh , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1967-1971 and 1975–1977, and 1979 seasons, with 31 career starts, including the 1975-1977 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 6th position in 1968 at Springfield...	186.799	22	170	0	Valve
13	32	58	Canada Eldon Rasmussen Eldon Rasmussen Eldon Rasmussen , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1971 and 1973-1979 seasons, with 23 career starts, including the 1975, 1977, and 1979 Indianapolis 500...	185.119	31	168	0	Flagged
14	31	42	United States John Mahler John Mahler John Mahler , is a former open wheel race car driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1970-1973 and 1976-1981 seasons, with 39 combined career starts, including the 1972 and 1977-1979 Indianapolis 500...	185.242	30	157	0	Flagged
15	8	48	United States Pancho Carter Pancho Carter Duane "Pancho" Carter, Jr. is a retired American race car driver. He is most famous for his participation in CART races.-Background:...	192.452	9	156	0	Engine
16	21	98	United States Gary Bettenhausen Gary Bettenhausen Gary Bettenhausen is a retired American auto racing driver. He was born in Blue Island, Illinois, raised in Tinley Park, Illinois, and currently resides in Monrovia, Indiana.-Racing family:...	186.596	24	138	0	Clutch
17	23	84	United States Bill Vukovich II Bill Vukovich II William John Vukovich, Jr. , better known as Bill Vukovich II is a former driver in the championship car division of USAC and CART series....	186.393	26	110	1	Wing Strut
18	2	6	United States Bobby Unser Bobby Unser Robert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser...	197.618	2	94	2	Oil Leak
19	9	5	United States Mike Mosley Mike Mosley Mike Mosley , was an American racecar driver.Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Mosley died in an off-road vehicle accident near Riverside, California. His young son, Michael, was also riding in the van Mosley was driving, but was uninjured. He was a driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series...	190.064	12	91	0	Timing Gear
20	7	25	United States Danny Ongais Danny Ongais Danny Ongais is a former racecar driver from the United States.He is the only native Hawaiian to compete at the Indianapolis 500...	193.040	8	90	0	Header
21	33	72	United States Bubby Jones Bubby Jones Norman "Bubby" Jones , is a former driver in the USAC Sprint Car series, with 22 victories, and a member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, inducted in 1998. He also raced in the USAC Championship Car series, in the 1977-1978 seasons, with 2 career starts, including the 1977 Indianapolis 500...	184.938	32	78	0	Valve
22	27	29	Canada Cliff Hucul Cliff Hucul Cliff Hucul , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1981 seasons, with 24 combined career starts, including the 1977-1979 Indianapolis 500...	187.198	21	72	0	Gearbox
23	20	73	United States Jim McElreath Jim McElreath Jim McElreath , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.-Racing career:He raced in the 1961-1983 seasons, with 178 combined career starts, including 15 in the Indianapolis 500 in 1962-1970, 1973–1974, and 1977-1980. He finished in the top ten 101 times, with five victories...	187.715	19	71	0	Turbocharger
24	13	18	United States George Snider George Snider George "Ziggy" Snider is a retired American race car driver. A longtime driver in the United States Automobile Club Silver Crown series, Snider is also a 22-time starter of the Indianapolis 500, the most starts without winning the race. His best finish was eighth in the 1975 Indianapolis 500...	188.977	16	65	2	Valve
25	14	78	United States Bobby Olivero Bobby Olivero Bobby Olivero , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1976-1978 seasons, with 17 career starts, including the 1977 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 5th position in 1977 at Ontario.In 1979, Olivero was the USAC Silver...	188.452	17	57	0	Piston
26	6	9	United States Mario Andretti Mario Andretti Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...	193.351	7	47	0	Header
27	19	10	United States Lloyd Ruby Lloyd Ruby Lloyd Ruby was an American racecar driver.Ruby raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1958-1977 seasons, with 177 career starts, including every Indianapolis 500 race during 1960-1977. He finished in the top ten 88 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was 3rd in 1964...	190.840	11	34	0	Crash T2
28	15	86	United States Al Loquasto Al Loquasto Albert John Loquasto , was a Sicilian-Italian-American racecar driver, a descendant of Libertino lo Guasto of Serradifalco, Caltanissetta, Sicily. Surviving spouse Sandra Loquasto and son A.J. Loquasto....	187.647	20	28	0	Magneto
29	26	27	United States Janet Guthrie Janet Guthrie Janet Guthrie is a retired professional race car driver and the first woman to qualify and compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500....	188.403	18	27	0	Timing Gear
30	29	38	Switzerland Clay Regazzoni Clay Regazzoni Gianclaudio Giuseppe "Clay" Regazzoni was a Swiss racing car driver. He competed in Formula One races from 1970 to 1980, winning five Grands Prix. His first win was the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in his debut season, driving for Ferrari. He remained with the Italian team until...	186.047	28	25	0	Fuel Cell
31	30	17	United States Dick Simon Dick Simon Dick Simon is one of the oldest men to ever have raced in the Indianapolis 500. He was 55 years old during his final Indy 500 start in 1988. A multiple starter and top-ten finisher in the race, he also became a car owner, founding Dick Simon Racing helping to begin the IndyCar careers of Stéphan...	185.615	29	24	0	Overheating
32	12	97	United States Sheldon Kinser Sheldon Kinser Sheldon Kinser , was an American race-car driver.Kinser, a Bloomington, Indiana native, died of cancer. He was a three-time USAC Sprint Car Series Champion . He also drove in the USAC and CART Championship Car series...	189.076	15	14	0	Piston
33	17	2	United States Johnny Rutherford Johnny Rutherford For the Major League Baseball pitcher, see Johnny Rutherford . For other people with a similar name, see John RutherfordJohn Sherman Rutherford III , better known as Johnny Rutherford, and also known as "Lone Star JR" is a former U.S...	197.325	3	12	0	Gearbox

Failed to qualify: Larry Cannon (#67), Larry Dickson

Larry Dickson

Larry Dickson , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1965-1981 seasons, with 105 combined career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1966-1969, 1971, 1978–1979, and 1981. He finished in the top ten 44 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in...

(#80), Tom Frantz

Tom Frantz

Tom Frantz is an American former racing driver from Denver, Colorado. He made his USAC Championship Car debut in 1975 and made 6 starts with 2 11th place finish and competitive drives in every event...

(#88), Spike Gehlhausen

Spike Gehlhausen

Daniel William "Spike" Gehlhausen , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in 11 seasons , with 79 combined career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1976, 1978-1980, and 1984...

(#19), Todd Gibson

Todd Gibson

Todd Gibson is an American former racing driver from Morral, Ohio.An accomplished Modified stock car racer, Gibson made his USAC Championship Car debut on in 1969 at the Milwaukee Mile. He competed in one other race that year and failed to qualify for two more...

(#22, #96), Jerry Grant

Jerry Grant

Jerry Grant , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1965-1977 seasons, with 54 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1965-1968, 1970 and 1972-1976...

(#69, #75), Bob Harkey

Bob Harkey

Bob Harkey , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1963-1979 seasons, with 85 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1964, 1971 and 1973-1976...

(#88), Jim Hurtubise

Jim Hurtubise

In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.-Award:...

(#56), Gary Irvin (#23), Jerry Karl

Jerry Karl

Jerry Karl , was a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series...

(#37, #57, #88), Mel Kenyon

Mel Kenyon

Mel Kenyon is a former midget car driver. He is known as the "King of the Midgets", "Miraculous Mel", and "Champion of Midget Auto Racing." The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America says "Many consider him to be midget car racing's greatest driver ever." -Racing career:He attended his first auto...

(#88), John Martin

John Martin (driver)

John Martin , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1970-1977 and 1979-1980 seasons, with 52 career starts, including the 1972-1976 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 17 times, with his best finish in 5th position at Ontario Motor...

(#28), Larry McCoy

Larry McCoy (driver)

Larry McCoy III , was an American race car driver in open wheel racing.Born in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, McCoy graduated from Bristol High School in Bristol, Pennsylvania, and then entered law school at the University of Miami but did not graduate.He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing...

(#63), Graham McRae

Graham McRae

Graham McRae is a former racing driver from New Zealand.McRae's single outing in the Formula One World Championship was at the 1973 British Grand Prix on 14 July 1973, where he retired in the first lap...

(#33), Rick Mears

Rick Mears

Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...

(#90), Teddy Pilette

Teddy Pilette

Theodore "Teddy" Pilette is a former racing driver from Belgium. He participated in 4 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, the first on 12 May 1974 with Bernie Ecclestone's Brabham team....

(#91), Joe Saldana

Joe Saldana

Joe Saldana , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1980 seasons, with 31 combined career starts, including the 1978-1979 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 10 times, with a best finish of 6th position in 1979 at Atlanta...

(#64), Vern Schuppan

Vern Schuppan

Vernon "Vern" Schuppan is a racing driver from Whyalla, South Australia. Schuppan drove in various categories, participating in Formula One, the Indianapolis 500 and most successfully in sports car racing.-Formula One:...

(#15, #85), Bill Simpson

Bill Simpson

Bill Simpson , is a retired American racecar driver, but is best known as a pioneer in the racing safety business with his company Simpson Performance Products. He left Simpson Performance in a controversy surrounding Dale Earnhardt's death and started Impact! Racing...

(#38), Salt Walther

Salt Walther

David "Salt" Walther , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He also drove NASCAR stock cars, unlimited hydroplane boats, and was a car owner in USAC....

(#33, #77)

Race schedule

Race results

See also