# 1977 USAC Mini-Indy Series season

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 | 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 | Tom Bagley | Tom Bagley | Lola | Volkswagen | |
| 66 | Tom Bagley | Eddie Wachs | Lola | Volkswagen | |
| 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 | Harry MacDonald | | Lola | Volkswagen | |
| 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) |
| Blank | Driver replacement (Rpl) |
| Blank | Injured (Inj) |
| Blank | 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 | | | 25 | 9 | 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 | | | 19 | 19 | |
| | 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 | | |