1977 Indianapolis 500 Profile and Photo Gallery – Page Two
A chassis is rolled back into one of the old Indy garages for an engine installation.
Formula 1 veteran Clay Regazzoni was making his first trip to Indianapolis in 1977 and fellow F1 driver Mario Andretti spent time helping Regazzoni adapt to the unique characteristics of oval racing. Andretti and Regazzoni both were running the full F1 schedule, juggling trans-Atlantic flights to fit their "500" rides around the Monaco GP which was run on the second weekend of Indy qualifying.
Teddy Yip, owner of the Formula 1 and Indy 500 cars driven by Clay Regazzoni.
Clay Regazzoni crashed his McLaren M16C trying to qualify on the first weekend at Indy, forcing him to run on the second weekend if he was going to make the race. Saturday morning of that next weekend saw Regazzoni in Monaco for F1 qualifying but, when foul weather washed out his chances to make the Grand Prix, car owner Teddy Yip hustled him onto a plane back to Indy where he qualified for the "500" on the final day. Unfortunately, an oil leak sidelined the team just 25 laps into the race.
Roger McCluskey was nearing the end of his driving career in 1977, but managed to complete 191 laps and finish 8th that year.
Al Unser speaks with a crew member during practice in 1977. Unser qualified and finished third in the Vel Miletich Parnelli VPJ6B.
Rick Mears, making his rookie appearance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, drives his Eagle 7225/Offenhauser TC on a warmup lap during practice for the 1977 "500." Mears failed to qualify for the '77 race, but returned the next year with Roger Penske and went on to win four races in the next 15 years.
Al Unser walks through the pit lane before practice in 1977.
About Bob Harmeyer
The article is flawed from its onset. In 1977, Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose & A.J. were the only 3-time winners, with A.J. being the ONLY CURRENT / ACTIVE driver at the time poised to win a 4th. Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser had 2 Indy 500 wins apiece at the time. Rutherford’s third came in 1980 and Bobby Unser’s third came in 1982. Al Unser, Sr. would become the 2nd 4-time winner (’70, ’71′ 78, & ’87) and Rick Mears joined the list with wins in ’79, ’84, ’88 & ’91.
Today, Helio Castroneves & Dario Franchitti (as of 2012) are the only current / active drivers with 3 wins.
Also note: Tom Sneva broke the 200-mph SINGLE-LAP qualifying record in 1977 AND broke the 200-mph AVERAGE (for 4-laps) qualifying record in 1978. And ALSO broke 210-mph in 1984 !
Yes you are correct about your corrections,save but one.Gordon Johncock won the 82 race.Bobby Unser was declared the winner of the 81 race(his 3rd) in COURT in Oct/81.We all know that Mario was declared the winner the day after the race in a passing under caution dispute that rages to this day.It was proven that they both passed illegally under caution under the blend line
,Mario passed fewer cars than Bobby,so how on earth did anybody with a smattering of rule knowledge not believe the true winner IS 3rd place;Vern Shuppan!
Well, one problem there is that Shuppan didn’t complete 200 laps.
Yes,but they would have had to amend the 200 lap rule like Nascar does all the time.Another solution is they could have run a one lap shootout w/o Mario and Bobby the next day.Either way Shuppan deserves the win. The same goes for the 2007 Daytona 500,Mark Martin was cheated out of that win because Nascar did’nt freeze the field on that last lap wreck as is the rule! I will never forgive them for either race.
A great era. Nice to see Indy without boring spec racing — different cars and motors (what a concept!).
So TRUE, Fred !! Today, even Formula-1 is more interesting that aspect.
’77 was my 2nd attended race (age 13) and our 1st to be seated on the front stretch (Paddock seats). What a sight around Foyt’s pit when Johncock coasted passed the start/finish line with no power ! I don’t think a single spectator was seated for those last 10 laps !
Hey Glenn; I was sitting in turn 1 when Johncock’s crankshaft broke and i then STOOD there and watched him get out and jump in that creek.Never will i forget that sound of the spectators as Foyt roared past to take the lead to make history(4th win) with 16 to go! The only other time i heard racing fans scream like that was when Richard Petty led the first 6 laps of the 1992 Firecracker 400(his final Daytona race in his retirement year) My eardrums are still numb.He had not won in 8 years and when he faded,and was later relieved(Humidity that would kill a horse) i swear 10,000 people got up and left. 2 hours after the race,he was still signing autographs in bare feet on a bench in the garage area!
Sorry,i meant to say 5 laps,hit the key wrong!
Other ear-splitting screams in auto racing is when F1 Drivers lead or Win their Home Grand Prix.Damon Hill led the British Gran Prix in 98 or 99 at the end of his career and i watched on television,it looked insane.