Front rows of the 1970s: 1978

 

Penske Entertainment/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Penske PC-6/Cosworths of pole-sitter Tom Sneva and rookie

Rick Mears bracket the Parnelli/Cosworth of Danny Ongais
on the front row of the 1978 Indianapolis 500.

In addition to the usual Month of May countdown, we’re also looking back at the front rows of the 1970s, which included some of the most accomplished drivers in the history of the Indianapolis 500.

Faithful readers of this space know that this decade is part of my personal golden age at the Speedway. I’m grateful I got to witness much of it first-hand as a boy.

Here’s a statistical look at the front-row drivers of the 1970s:

 

Driver	Indianapolis 500 poles (career)	Indianapolis 500 wins (career)
Al Unser	1	4
Johnny Rutherford	3	3
A.J. Foyt	4	4
Peter Revson	1	0
Mark Donohue	0	1
Bobby Unser	2	3
Wally Dallenbach	0	0
Mike Hiss	0	0
Gordon Johncock	0	2
Tom Sneva	3	1
Danny Ongais	0	0
Rick Mears	6	4
Totals	20	22

 

For each year, we’ll have the front row, how many Indianapolis 500 wins were represented on the front row at the start of the race, the number of Indianapolis 500 wins in the drivers’ respective careers, and a brief recap of practice, qualifying and the race.

1978 front row: Tom Sneva (pole), Danny Ongais, Rick Mears

How it started: 0 Indianapolis 500 victories (the only front row in the 1970s without a win when the green flag dropped)

How it ended: 5 Indianapolis 500 victories (Tom Sneva 1983; Rick Mears 1979, 1984, 1988, 1991)

About the 1978 race: As he did in 1977, Tom Sneva let others grab the headlines in practice, then again was the only driver to set a “New Track Record” with a lap of 203.620 mph leading to a four-lap average of 202.156 mph in the Norton Spirit Penske/Cosworth. Two new faces joined Sneva on the front row: second-year charger Danny Ongais and rookie Rick Mears.

Roger Penske brought in Mears to sub for Mario Andretti when Andretti had other commitments and also as a third entry at selected events – like the 500. He wound up 23^rd after going out with an engine problem after 103 laps in his CAM2 Penske/Cosworth. Despite the poor finish, Mears’ front-row efforts helped him earn Rookie of the Year honors with Larry Rice, who was 11^th.

Ongais was definitely on the gas, leading a total of 71 laps before the engine blew in his Interscope Racing Parnelli/Cosworth. Al Unser, something of an afterthought in pre-race prognostications, turned in a quietly dominating performance in his First National City Travelers Checks Lola/Cosworth by leading for 121 laps, including all but 1 of the last 90, to finish ahead of Sneva.

 

 

Majeske collection

IMS put out some nice trading cards for a couple of years.

#Indy500 #ThisIsMay @Team_Penske @IMS @IndyCar @IMSMuseum

 

30 Days in May: No. 21, Al Unser, 1977 American Racing Parnelli/Cosworth

 

Penske Entertainment/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The future of design is seen in Al Unser's car for the 1977
Indianapolis 500.

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!

1977 was Al Unser’s last year with the Vel’s Parnelli Jones team, an association that dated back to 1969. (Unser missed Indianapolis that year after breaking a leg in a motorcycle mishap in the Speedway infield, then returned to win the next two 500s.)

As the 1970s went on, the team wasn't as dominant, then began a renaissance as development on the then-new Cosworth engine started to pay off.

In 1975, Unser and teammate Mario Andretti practiced in a new chassis built for the Cosworth before opting for the proven Eagle/Offy combination. In 1976, Unser put the first Cosworth in the 500, starting fourth and ending up seventh in the rain-shortened race.

In 1977, Unser did a little better, starting third and finishing third. For many drivers, such a result would be a career highlight, but for Unser at Indianapolis, it was just another day at the track. In addition to his record-tying four victories, Big Al had an additional SEVEN top-three finishes in 27 Indianapolis 500 starts!

Unser retired as the all-time lap leader in the 500 at 644, which has been surpassed by Scott Dixon.

 

#ThisIsMay #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

Front rows of the 1970s: 1977

 

Penske Entertainment/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Tom Sneva was the first to officially exceed 200 mph during qualifying
for the 1977 Indianapolis 500. He was joined on the front row
by the Unser brothers, with Bobby in the middle and Al on the outside. 

In addition to the usual Month of May countdown, we’re also looking back at the front rows of the 1970s, which included some of the most accomplished drivers in the history of the Indianapolis 500.

 

Faithful readers of this space know that this decade is part of my personal golden age at the Speedway. I’m grateful I got to witness much of it first-hand as a boy.

 

Here’s a statistical look at the front-row drivers of the 1970s:

 

Driver	Indianapolis 500 poles (career)	Indianapolis 500 wins (career)
Al Unser	1	4
Johnny Rutherford	3	3
A.J. Foyt	4	4
Peter Revson	1	0
Mark Donohue	0	1
Bobby Unser	2	3
Wally Dallenbach	0	0
Mike Hiss	0	0
Gordon Johncock	0	2
Tom Sneva	3	1
Danny Ongais	0	0
Rick Mears	6	4
Totals	20	22

 

For each year, we’ll have the front row, how many Indianapolis 500 wins were represented on the front row at the start of the race, the number of Indianapolis 500 wins in the drivers’ respective careers, and a brief recap of practice, qualifying and the race.

1977 front row: Tom Sneva (pole), Bobby Unser, Al Unser

How it started: 4 Indianapolis 500 victories (Bobby Unser 1968, 1975; Al Unser 1970, 1971)

How it ended: 8 Indianapolis 500 victories (Tom Sneva 1983; Bobby Unser 1968, 1975, 1981; Al Unser 1970, 1971, 1978, 1987)

About the 1977 race: With boost limits raised and the eight-cylinder Cosworth now the powerplant of choice among many of the big-name teams, the magic, but still elusive, 200-mph mark was ready to fall. Mario Andretti was the first to unofficially break the barrier in practice, but on Pole Day Tom Sneva was the only one to exceed 200 mph in qualifying. His “New Track Record” for one lap was 200.535 mph in the Norton Spirit McLaren/Cosworth. Sneva dropped down to an average of 198.884 mph for his four laps, which topped Johnny Rutherford’s record from 1973.

Bobby Unser, in the Cobre Tire/Clayton Dyno-Tune Lightning/Offy, started next to Sneva. Brother Al Unser was on the outside in the American Racing Parnelli/Cosworth. This was the only time the Unser brothers were on the front row together at Indianapolis.

A.J. Foyt led a star-studded second row joined by Gordon Johncock and Mario Andretti. Career-wise, the top six starters in the 1977 Indianapolis 500 accounted for 15 500 victories. I haven’t done all the research, but I think that’s the most Indianapolis 500 wins over the first two rows ever.

Johncock took control of the second half of the race and seemingly had victory in his grasp when he suffered a broken crankshaft – a comparatively rare failure – after 184 laps. Foyt took it from there and finally had his cherished fourth Indianapolis 500 victory.

 

Penske Entertainment/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Just to give you an idea of how competitive it was in the 1970s, the second row
of the 1977 Indianapolis 500 had A.J. Foyt, Gordon Johncock and Mario Andretti.

#Indy500 #ThisIsMay #UncleBobby @Team_Penske @IMS @IndyCar @IMSMuseum @AJFoytRacing

 

30 Days in May: No. 20, Gordon Johncock, 1975 Sinmast Wildcat/DGS

 

Majeske collection

Gordon Johncock started second and finished 31st in the 1975
Indianapolis 500.

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!

Starting in 1973 and for the next 10-plus years, Gordon Johncock was synonymous with the number 20 and Patrick Racing. For 1975, he had a new sponsor, a new chassis and a new engine. It all added up to a fast combination, as Johncock was among the leaders every day in practice and held the pole for a while before A.J. Foyt nudged him aside with a run late in the day. Johncock jumped to the lead at the start of the race, but fell out after just 11 laps and finished 31^st. DGS stood for Drake, Goosen and Sparks, the last names of engine pioneers Dale Drake, Leo Goosen and Art Sparks. The name was something of a tribute by George Bignotti, who helped modify an Offy engine to create the DGS.

 

Penske Entertainment/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Here's Gordon Johncock getting instructions from Harlan Fengler and his hat
before qualifying in 1973. 

#ThisIsMay #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 86, Al Loquasto, 1976 Frostie Root Beer McLaren/Offy

 

Penske Entertainment/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Al Loquasto was bumped in the final minutes of qualifying for the
1975 Indianapolis 500, but made it the next year.

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!

After several years of trying, Al Loquasto finally qualified for the Indianapolis 500 in 1976, earning the 24^th starting spot. He was still running when the race was red-flagged because of rain and considered complete after 102 laps. The year before, I got a sticker of his car from his team as I roamed the fence by the pits, seeking autographs.

Unfortunately, Loquasto suffered a sort of dubious distinction that year. He was the first qualifier for 1975, then began to be pushed down the order as faster cars qualified. Eventually, Loquasto was bumped all the way out, so it was nice that he finally got in the field the next year. He also drove in the 1977 race and finished 28^th. Helping Loquasto’s effort was legendary mechanic Clint Brawner, the wrench on Mario Andretti’s 1969 winner.

I had a sticker like this. 

#ThisIsMay #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 19, Spike Gehlhausen, 1976 Spirit of Indiana McLaren/Offy

 

Penske Entertainment/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Spike Gehlhausen's Spirit of Indiana unfortunately dropped out
before the green flag for the 1976 Indianapolis 500.

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!

The Spirit of Indiana entries appeared in the Indianapolis 500 in 1975 and 1976, each with a rookie driver from Indiana and each with No. 19 because Indiana is the 19^th state.

In 1975, short-track star Sheldon Kinser (Bloomington) finished 12^th. For 1976, Spike Gehlhausen (Jasper) got the assignment. Spike’s dad, Carl Gehlhausen, was a longtime owner in USAC in the Midget, Sprint, Championship Dirt and Championship divisions. In 1973, an up-and-coming Tom Sneva won several features in the family’s soon-to-be-banned rear-engine sprint car.

Race Day was a tough one as the Offy lost oil pressure before the green flag. Spike (given first name Daniel) competed in four more Indianapolis 500s, with a best finish of 10^th in 1979.

 

#ThisIsMay #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 93, Johnny Parsons, 1975 Ayr-Way WNAP “Buzzard”

 

Penske Entertainment/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Johnny Parsons started 12th and finished 19th in the 1975 Indianapolis 500.

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!

Cars entered in the Indianapolis 500 certainly have had interesting, colorful names. One of my favorites was the Ayr-Way WNAP “Buzzard” from 1975. This name may not make sense today – especially if you’re not from Indianapolis – but it was definitely a product of the times.

Ayr-Way was spun off L.S. Ayres, one of the top fashion stores in Indianapolis. Ayr-Way was a department store similar to Target – in fact, many of the Indianapolis locations became Target stores after Ayr-Way folded in the late 1970s. (Squint hard enough and maybe you can see the old Ayr-Way flower where the Target bull’s eye is now at some stores.)

We often went to the Ayr-Way on Lafayette Road because it had just about everything – even a garden center. WNAP was a hard-rock station teeming with many interesting personalities; the buzzard was the station mascot. It was at 93.1 on the FM dial, so that’s why it was Car 93.

Because I was only 7 years old, I didn’t listen to WNAP. My parents were strictly WIBC (1070 AM), which was fine because WIBC covered qualifications and had updates from the track that I would listen to when I got home from school while allegedly doing my homework.

This was very much an Indianapolis-centric team. In addition to the two local sponsors, driver Johnny Parsons lived in central Indiana for many years. He’s the son of 1950 winner Johnnie Parsons (note the different spellings). Johnny was from California but moved to Indiana to jump-start his racing career.

The chief mechanic (remember those?) was Bill Finley, who basically built race cars out of his garage in Eagledale, a subdivision within earshot of the track. (My first house was in Eagledale: 3031 Fuller Drive. Carl Wilde School 79 represent!)

The team also had a second entry: Car 94, driven by Mike Hiss.

Race day wasn’t the greatest for either driver. Hiss spun out on Lap 39 and finished 29th. Parsons ran as high as fifth before transmission woes sidelined him after 140 laps. He finished 19th.

Ayr-Way heavily promoted its involvement in the 500 with buttons,  glasses, posters, large ads in the Indianapolis papers (there were two of them back then) and even a timing and scoring chart with Parsons’ likeness.

Today, WNAP’s old FM spot is occupied by WIBC.

 

Majeske collection

Ayr-Way and WNAP did a great job promoting their car for the 1975 Indianapolis 500.

#ThisIsMay #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar