Prestigious row 2

Prestigious second row of the starting grid for the 1977 Indianapolis 500, photo above: on the inside, we recognize AJ Foyt and his Coyote-Foyt V8 No. 14, in the middle is Gordon Johncock on the Patrick Racing Wildcat in STP colors, small front wing for better stability, and finally Mario Andretti on a McLaren-Cosworth DFX entered by Penske Racing.

Despite a record pole position by Tom Sneva (Penske McLaren-Cosworth DFX) at over 200 mph, it was AJ Foyt who won for the fourth time, the first driver in history to achieve this feat, moreover at the wheel of a car designed in his workshops.

Bad luck once again for Mario Andretti, who was forced to retire after only 47 laps. Also of note was the presence on the grid of Clay Regazzoni (who therefore missed the Monaco F1 Grand Prix) in a McLaren-Offenhauser (photo below), but the affable Swiss driver was quickly forced to retire as well.