1976 Indianapolis 500
Row Inside Middle Outside
1 Johnny Rutherford ( W ) Gordon Johncock ( W ) Tom Sneva
2 Al Unser ( W ) A. J. Foyt ( W ) Pancho Carter
3 Wally Dallenbach Sr Gary Bettenhausen Bill Vukovich II
4 Larry Cannon Mike Mosley Bobby Unser ( W )
5 Roger McCluskey Johnny Parsons John Martin
6 Dick Simon Vern Schuppan ( R ) Bill Puterbaugh
7 Mario Andretti ( W ) Jerry Grant Billy Scott ( R )
8 Salt Walther Steve Krisiloff Al Loquasto ( R )
9 Spike Gehlhausen ( R ) Larry McCoy George Snider
10 Bob Harkey Sheldon Kinser Lloyd Ruby
11 David Hobbs Tom Bigelow Jan Opperman
Starting grid
The 60th 500 Mile International Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 30, 1976. Polesitter Johnny Rutherford took the lead on lap 80, and was leading when rain halted the race on lap 103. Two hours later, the race was about to be resumed, but rain fell again. USAC officials called the race at that point, reverted the scoring back to the completion of lap 102, and Johnny Rutherford was declared the winner. Rutherford famously walked to Victory Lane, his second career Indy 500 triumph, having completed only 255 miles (410 km), the shortest official race on record. Janet Guthrie became the first female driver to enter the Indianapolis 500. However, her team was underfunded, and she experienced numerous mechanical and engine problems during the month. While she managed to pass her rookie test, and ran numerous practice laps in multiple cars, she was unable to make an attempt to qualify. She would return with a successful effort a year later in 1977. Hours after the race, IMS Vice President in charge of the IMS Radio Network and former driver Elmer George (husband of Mari Hulman George) was shot and killed during a confrontation. The confrontation was unrelated to the running of the race. In addition, 1976 would be the final Indy 500 for longtime radio anchor Sid Collins.