Breaking the 200 mph barrier

On Saturday, May 14, 1977, Tom Sneva drove into history by becoming the first driver to officially clear the 200-mph barrier at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during a Pole Day qualification run.

Driving a McLaren Cosworth DFX owned by Roger Penske and prepared by chief mechanic Jim McGee, Sneva ripped a first lap of 200.401 mph that erased the previous single-lap mark of 199.071 set by Johnny Rutherford in 1973.

Sneva then broke his single-lap record on his next lap, with an average of 200.535 mph. The American’s four-lap record average of 198.884 mph (320.073 km/h) would not only win the pole for the 61st running of the Indy 500 but also break Rutherford’s 1973 mark of 198.413 mph.

The race was won by A.J Foyt (picture below) in his Coyote-Foyt V-8, who became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 four times. Tom Sneva finished in second, in his McLaren-Cosworth DFX.