The 1977 USAC Mini Indy Series season was the first season of the USAC sanctioned Formula Super Vee championship which would later be called Indy Lights. The season contested of four races which was held from the 30 April to the 29 October with all of them being support races for the 1977 USAC Championship Car season.
The season would be won by two drivers, Tom Bagley who won the races in Trenton and Bowmanville. Herm Johnson was the other driver who got on the podium three times including a victory in the final round at Avondale.
Race calendar and results
Round Circuit Location Date Pole position Fastest lap Winner 1 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey 30 April Tom Bagley Tom Bagley 2 The Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin 12 June Herm Johnson Noel Bennett 3 Mosport International Raceway Bowmanville, Ontario 2 July Herm Johnson Tom Bagley 4 Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona 29 October Fred Phillips Herm Johnson
Teams and drivers
No. Driver Owner Car Engine Note 1 Tom Bagley Tom Bagley Zink Volkswagen 90 Lola 66 Eddie Wachs 2 Bob Cicconi Dick O'Dea Racing Lola Volkswagen 3 Howdy Holmes Wilbur Bunce Racing Lola Volkswagen 3 Vern Schuppan Wilbur Bunce Racing Volkswagen Qualified car 6 Michael Yoder David Yoder Lola Volkswagen 7 Tommy Thompson Volkswagen 8 Charles Montague Race Research Inc. Volkswagen 8 Pete Halsmer Race Research Inc. Volkswagen 10 Noel Bennett Noel Bennett Lola Volkswagen 12 Lou Gigliotti Zink Volkswagen 16 Billy McConnell WMR Enterprises Volkswagen 21 Harry MacDonald Lola Volkswagen 13 19 John Kalagian Beth Ardisana Volkswagen 20 Bill Follmer Volkswagen 21 James George Volkswagen 22 Jerry Peterson Volkswagen 33 Roger McCluskey Volkswagen Qualified car 34 Howard Kelly Volkswagen 36 Fred Phillips Steve Lathrop Zink Volkswagen 37 Gary Bettenhausen Volkswagen 38 Phil Caliva Volkswagen 39 Richard Tallon Richard Tallon Lola Volkswagen 41 Bill Alsup Bill Alsup Lola Volkswagen 44 Bill Scott Bill Scott Lola Volkswagen 45 Phil Krueger Eric Lee Drange Lola Volkswagen 46 Stuart Moore Janet Moore Volkswagen 47 Eddie Miller Carl Haas Lola Volkswagen 47 George Batchelor Carl Haas Volkswagen 48 Dan Park Lola Volkswagen 55 John Teas Volkswagen 60 Gary Passon Sharon Passon Lola Volkswagen 61 Herm Johnson Austin Johnson Lola Volkswagen 63 G. Scott Ovel G. Scott Ovel Lola Volkswagen 68 Dominick Billera Lexa Billera Modus Volkswagen 73 Hardie Beloff Lola Volkswagen 77 John Barringer John Barringer Lola Volkswagen 80 Gary Mesnick Volkswagen 86 Rick Villate Modus Volkswagen 87 Johnny Kastner Wilbur Bunce Racing Volkswagen 89 William Henderson Fox Racing Enterprises Lola Volkswagen
Final standings Color Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green 4th & 5th place Light Blue 6th–10th place Dark Blue 11th place or lower Purple Did not finish Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Brown Withdrawn (Wth) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Blank Did not participate (DNP) Driver replacement (Rpl) Injured (Inj) No race held (NH) Pos. Driver TRE MIL MOS PIR Points 1. Tom Bagley 1 5 1 17 500 1. Herm Johnson 16 2 3 1 500 3. Howdy Holmes 2 3 9 23 340 4. Noel Bennett 4 1 12 330 5. Bill Alsup 7 14 7 2 280 6. Eddie Miller 3 18 4 260 7. Phil Krueger 6 17 4 200 8. Gary Passon 4 8 170 9. William Henderson 17 19 2 160 9. Michael Yoder 5 7 16 160 11. Billy McConnell 8 5 150 12. Pete Halsmer 3 140 13. Richard Tallon 16 22 5 100 14. Fred Phillips 9 8 13 90 15. Bob Cicconi 6 21 80 15. Johnny Kastner 6 80 15. Stuart Moore 6 80 15. John Barringer 15 8 10 20 80 19. Bob Lazier 7 60 20. Phil Caliva 259 40 20. Chris Gleason 9 40 20. Domenick Billera 13 11 11 40 23. Ted Field 10 30 23. Steve Lathrop 10 30 23. Bill Scott 10 30 26. John Kalagian 12 14 12 20 26. Gary Bettenhausen 11 21 20 26. Chip Mead 11 20 29. G. Scott Ovel 12 10 Harry MacDonald 19 17 13 14 Bill Follmer 13 21 Lou Gigliotti 15 Jerry Peterson 15 Bill Thelander 15 Rich Ferguson 16 Rich Amick 18 Hardi Beloff 13 George Batchelor 18 Howard Kelly 18 Tom D'Eath 1919 Peter Lissiuk 20 Charles Montague 20 Dan Park 20 Tommy Thompson 21 James George 22 DNS Richard Simis 22 Rick Villate 22 Gary Mesnick 23 Nancy James 24 John Teas 24 Roger McCluskey DNS Johnny Parsons DNS Vern Schuppan DNS
References