|| *Comments on the 1976 Indianapolis 500:* View the most recent comment <#30> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. RaceFanX posted: 08.20.2010 - 1:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) For the second year in a row, and third time in four years, the 500 is shortened by rain. At just 255 miles, this was the shortest "500" in history. Johnny Rutherford started the Month of May by shattering A.J. Foyt's hopes of a third-straight Indy pole. The two Texans had a bit of a shutout in the early laps before the papaya orange #2 pulled ahead and stayed there for the remainder of the abbreviated event. With the Hy-Gain car still on pit road, Rutherford celebrated his second Indy win by being the first driver to walk into the 500's victory lane. The big news leading up to this race was sports car racer Janet Guthrie attempting to become the first woman to make the 500. Even with some help from A.J. Foyt, she DNQed. NASCAR promoters quickly jumped on the opportunity, she ran in the World 600 at Charlotee instead. The Indianapolis 500 Museum on the speedway's grounds opened up during this year. 2. Matthew posted: 09.04.2010 - 8:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Eddie miller had a big crash in a test session for this race. his car ended up flipping over,ending up near a spectator bleacher. 3. cjs3872 posted: 07.16.2011 - 7:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Then you talk about the 2003 Daytona 500, whith Michael Waltrip winning his second Daytona 500 after rain shortened the event to just 109 of 200 laps. A lot of people complained after the race that NASCAR should have tried to finish the race the following day, but I disagree, pointing to this very race, which went just one lap past the mimimum distance required to make it an official event. Ironically, as was the case with Waltrip's 2003 Daytona 500 victory, this race marked Rutherford's second Indianapolis 500 victory. It was also the second win for those drivers in their respective 500-mile races in three years. (Rutherford's only prior win at Indy had been in 1974, while Waltrip's prior win to his 2003 Daytona 500 win had also been two years earlir, in 2001.) Also, had things been a little different in 1975 regarding the finish, Rutherford, with this win, might very well have become the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500 three consecutive years. 4. cjs3872 posted: 07.22.2011 - 8:52 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) And by the way, RaceFanX, Guthrie drove in the 1976 World 600 in Hoss Ellington's #28 car, the same team that Foyt drove for in a number of races, including the 1976 Daytona 500, in which, despite starting 31st, he had the fastest car, and led the most laps before his engine failed. It's quite possible that Foyt convinced Wheeler and Ellington to put her in the car for the 600 that year. Also, on a sadder note, on the same day this race was held, Elmer George, a three-time Indy 500 starter (two if you factor in that he crashed before the start in 1957) and the father of Tony George, was killed in a dispute, I believe in a bar, though I can't confirm that. 5. Pacer posted: 07.26.2011 - 12:12 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The pace car for this race was a Buick Century V-6 Turbo, the second year in a row a Century was the pace car. 6. cjs3872 posted: 08.17.2011 - 7:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Not to mention Pacer, that it was driven by country music legend and part-time NASCAR driver Marty Robbins, who was also a commentator on the radio broadcast for the Daytona 500 that year. 7. cjs3872 posted: 08.20.2011 - 10:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The comment in post #4 about Janet Guthrie being in Hoss Ellington's car for the 600 was incorrect, as she drove Lynda Fererri's car in that race with a sponsor that Harry Ranier and Buddy Baker later made famous. After failing to get Foyt's car up to speed quick enough for him to allow her to make a qualifying attempt, Guthrie went to Charlotte, and did reasonably well, qualifying 27th and finishing 15th, 21 laps behind David Pearson. Of course, Guthrie would not run in that race again, since she would qualify for each of the next three Indianaoplis 500s, with 1978 being the only year she finished, doing so in ninth place, 10 laps behind Al Unser, despite driving in the race with a broken wrist, saying afterward that driving in NASCAR's longer races helped her with the 500-mile distance at Indy because the NASCAR races were more difficult than IndyCar races were, as were driving the heavier stock cars. 8. NazRacePhan posted: 05.26.2013 - 4:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 1976 passed the mark of 500 different drivers to ever start the Indy 500 (502 total to this point) 9. Schroeder51 posted: 10.04.2013 - 4:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A more complete list of drivers who DNQed for this race: #67 Ed Crombie #65 Larry Dickson #44 Billy Engelhart #1, #17, #27 Janet Guthrie #56 Jim Hurtubise #11 Mike Hiss #8 Jerry Karl #65 Lee Kunzman #46 Ed Miller #65, #76 Jim McElreath #19, #91, #92 John Mahler #99 Rick Muther #78 Bobby Olivero #58 Eldon Rasmussen #38 Bill Simpson #52 Woody Fisher #75 Gary Allbritain (note: Entry was declined due to lack of experience) 10. Schroeder51 posted: 10.04.2013 - 4:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Forgot one: #61 Mel Kenyon. 11. Schroeder51 posted: 10.05.2013 - 1:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) And some more teams that failed to make this race... #1 A. J. Foyt #8 Steve Krisiloff #25 Al Unser #15 Johnny Rutherford #27, #44 Dick Simon #48 Vern Schuppan 12. RaceFanX posted: 08.29.2014 - 9:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Elmer George, Mari's husband, was killed confronting another man. On May 3 Mari filed for divorce and alledgedly began going out with Guy Trolinger, a horse trainer at the family farm in Terre Haute. George called and argued with Trolinger on the day of the race then drove out to the farm to confront him after the race. At 1 a.m. gunfire broke out and George was shot multiple times and killed. A jury later ruled Trolinger shot and killed George in self defense. 13. Schroeder51 posted: 03.14.2015 - 4:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First Indy 500 starts for Vern Schuppan, Al Loquasto, and Spike Gehlhausen. Only Indy 500 start for Billy Scott. Last Indy 500 starts for Jan Opperman, Bob Harkey, John Martin, Larry McCoy, Jerry Grant, and David Hobbs. 14. Schroeder51 posted: 03.15.2015 - 2:31 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Add to DNQs: A. J. Foyt, #1 Gilmore Racing (Did not qualify) Janet Guthrie, #1 Gilmore Racing (Did not qualify) Jerry Karl, #8 Routh Meat (Did not qualify) Steve Krisiloff, #8 Routh Meat (Did not qualify) Johnny Rutherford, #15 McLaren/Goodyear (Did not qualify) Janet Guthrie, #17 Bryant Heating (Did not qualify) John Mahler, #19 Spirit of Indiana (Did not qualify) Al Unser, #25 American Racing Wheels (Did not qualify) Janet Guthrie, #27 Bryant Heating & Cooling (Did not qualify) Dick Simon, #27 Bryant Heating & Cooling (Did not qualify) Dick Simon, #44 Lan Hairpiece (Did not qualify) Vern Schuppan, #48 Jorgensen Steel (Did not qualify) Woody Fisher, #52 Schlitz (Did not qualify) Gary Allbritain, #75 Routh Meat (Entry declined) John Mahler, #92 1st National City Travelers Checks (Did not qualify) 15. indycar1 posted: 05.08.2015 - 10:32 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This race had 1 caution for 14 minutes. 16. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 01.30.2016 - 10:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Qualifying results: 1. Mario Andretti-189.404 MPH 2. Johnny Rutherford-188.957 MPH 3. Gordon Johncock-188.531 MPH 4. Mike Mosley-187.588 MPH 5. Bobby Unser-187.520 MPH 6. Roger McCluskey-186.499 MPH 7. Lloyd Ruby-186.480 MPH 8. Tom Sneva-186.355 MPH 9. Al Unser-186.258 MPH 10. A. J. Foyt-185.262 MPH 11. Pancho Carter-184.824 MPH 12. Wally Dallenbach-184.445 MPH 13. Jerry Grant-183.617 MPH 14. David Hobbs-183.580 MPH 15. Billy Scott-183.383 MPH 16. Johnny Parsons-182.843 MPH 17. Salt Walther-182.796 MPH 18. John Martin-182.417 MPH 19. Dick Simon-182.342 MPH 20. Steve Krisiloff-182.131 MPH 21. Vern Schuppan-182.011 MPH 22. Bill Puterbaugh-182.002 MPH 23. Al Loquasto-182.002 MPH 24. Tom Bigelow-181.965 MPH 25. Gary Bettenhausen-181.791 MPH 26. Spike Gehlhausen-181.717 MPH 27. Jan Opperman-181.717 MPH 28. Billy Vukovich, Jr.-181.433 MPH 29. Larry Cannon-181.388 MPH 30. Larry McCoy-181.387 MPH 31. George Snider-181.141 MPH 32. Bob Harkey-181.141 MPH 33. Sheldon Kinser-181.114 MPH 17. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 05.19.2016 - 5:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew: Gary Allbritain, #75 Routh Meat Allbritain filed an entry for this race, but was declined due to his lack of experience. He had entered a couple of Champ Car races earlier in the year but failed to qualify for both of them due to crashes-probably not surprising he was turned away. 18. Anonymous posted: 06.29.2016 - 3:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cautions: 6 for 21 laps according to Wikipedia. Not sure where the original information came from but there's no way the average speed would be so low if there was only one yellow flag. 19. Cornys posted: 07.05.2016 - 9:58 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yellows: 6 for 21 laps 4â?"6 Dick Simon stalled (turn 3) 10â?"13 Roger McCluskey crash (turn 3) 14â?"16 Debris (adjuster wrench from Foyt's car) 60â?"64 Johnny Parsons lost wheel (backstretch) 91â?"94 Grant stalled; out of fuel (backstretch) 101â?"102 Rain 103 Red flag for rain This should be accurate. It was compiled by a poster on another site from the IMS radio broadcast of the race. He is the one who posted it on Wikipedia. 20. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 03.22.2017 - 12:10 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) First alternate: Eldon Rasmussen Rasmussen was bumped out of the field at the very last minute; Jan Opperman managed to get out on track a mere one minute before last day qualifying ended (as long as you could get on track before the 6:00 P. M. deadline came, they would let you complete your run), and was able to knock him out of the field. 21. RaceFanX posted: 11.24.2017 - 10:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) David Hobbs' final Indianapolis 500, and USAC Champ Car race in general, sees the field's lone European racer sidelined early on when his McLaren suffered a mechanical problem. 22. RaceFanX posted: 04.10.2018 - 9:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Add to DNQs: Janet Guthrie- three DNQs #27 Bryant Air Conditioning #17 Bryant Air Conditioning #1 Gilmore Racing (She didn't make the field with any of the cars she practiced) 23. RaceFanX posted: 04.10.2018 - 9:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was Rutherford's second USAC Champ Car win in a row, he previously won at Trenton earlier in the month of May. 24. RaceFanX posted: 10.04.2018 - 10:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Al Loquasto finally qualifies for the Indy 500, making his first start after failing to qualify six times including being the last car bumped in 1975. His #86 Frostie Root Beer McLaren finished seven laps down but it would be his best result in two starts at the 500. 25. RaceFanX posted: 05.23.2019 - 1:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Johnny Rutherford's win here was the 27th and last at Indianapolis for an Offenhauser-powered car. It was also the third and final win, to date anyway, for McLaren at Indianapolis. The British manufacturer continued to field a factory team with Lone Star JR at the wheel through 1979 before leaving IndyCar racing. 26. MSportRev posted: 03.05.2020 - 4:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) DNQ updates: 34. Bobby Olivero was in an Eagle/Offy owned by Alex Morales. 35. Eldon Rasmussen was in a Rascar 73/Foyt he owned. 36. Bill Simpson was in an Eagle/Offy he owned. 37. Jan Opperman was in an Eagle/Offy owned by Donald Mergard. 38. Tom Bigelow was in an Eagle/Offy owned by Ralph Wilke. 39. Jim McElreath (#76) was in an Eagle/Offy owned by Webster Racing. Janet Guthrie was in a Coyote/Foyt owned by AJ Foyt, and a Vollstedt 72/Offy owned by Rolla Vollstedt. Mike Hiss was in a Riley/Offy owned by Lindsey Hopkins. Jim Hurtubise was in a Mallard/Offy he owned. Larry Dickson and Lee Kunzman were in an Eagle/Offy owned by Patrick Santello. Rick Muther was in an Eagle/Offy owned by Joe Hunt. Billy Engelhart was in an Eagle/Foyt owned by Dick Simon. Mel Kenyon was in a Coyote/Foyt owned by Lindsey Hopkins. John Mahler was in a King 72/Offy owned by Carl Gehlhausen. Ed Crombie was in a Vollstedt/Foyt owned by the Crombie Brothers. Ed Miller was in an Eagle/Offy. Jerry Karl (DNQ) was in the #8 Eagle/DGS for Gibson Racing. Source: Ultimate Racing History 27. RaceFanX posted: 03.05.2020 - 4:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor: #7 Roger McCluskey- Lindsey Hopkins (Hopkins was the car owner and it looks like he wasn't able to land a outside sponsorship for this one so he put his own name on the sides and the wing of McCluskey's white-and-blue #7) 28. SweetRich posted: 03.07.2020 - 10:00 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The commentators for the race were Jim McKay and Sam Posey with Chris Economaki and Bill Flemming on pit road. 29. Rich posted: 12.25.2020 - 6:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Chris Schenkel was the studio host. 30. RaceFanX posted: 03.12.2021 - 2:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) After no women having previously attempted the Indy 500 the 1976 running of the race almost saw two. Janet Guthrie became the first woman to attempt to qualify while Arlene Hiss' bid came up short. Hiss, the ex-wife of DNQ driver Mike Hiss, ran the season opener at Phoenix but finished 22 laps down due to a lack of speed. Owner Mike Devin initially planned to have Arlene Hiss run here but opted instead to enter 500 fan favorite Lloyd Ruby in his #51 instead. Ruby came home 11th in his penultimate Brickyard start. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: