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| {{InfoboxLost
| | #REDIRECT [[1977 USAC Championship Car Season (lost footage of IndyCar races; 1977)]] |
| |title=<center>1977 Texas Grand Prix</center>
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| |image=1977texasgrandprix1.jpg
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| |imagecaption=Program for the race.
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| |status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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| }}
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| The '''''1977 Texas Grand Prix''''' (also known as the '''''1977 Texas 200''''') was the third race of the 1977 USAC Championship Car Season. Occurring on 2nd April at the Texas World Speedway, the race would ultimately be won by Tom Sneva in a McLaren-Cosworth, following a late duel with Parnelli-Cosworth's Al Unser.
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| ==Background==
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| The ''1977 Texas Grand Prix'' was the third running of the event, with the race lasting 200 miles.<ref name="results">[https://racing-reference.info/race-results/1977_Texas_Grand_Prix/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the qualifying and race results of the event.] Retrieved 26th Jun '22</ref> It was one of two 1977 USAC Championship Car Season races to commence at Texas World Speedway, the other being the American Parts 200,<ref>[https://racing-reference.info/season-stats/1977/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the 1977 USAC Championship Car Season schedule.] Retrieved 26th Jun '22</ref> which commenced on 31st July and was won by Johnny Rutherford in a McLaren-Cosworth.<ref>[https://racing-reference.info/race-results/1977_American_Parts_200/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the results of the 1977 American Parts 200.] Retrieved 26th Jun '22</ref> USAC races would continue to commence at the speedway before it was completely removed from the IndyCar schedule when the 1980 race was cancelled following the USAC-CART conflict.<ref name="racing">[https://racingcircuits.info/north-america/usa/texas-world-speedway.html ''Racing Circuits'' detailing the history of the Texas World Speedway.] Retrieved 26th Jun '22</ref>
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| No time trials were conducted to decide the starting order for the race.<ref name="results"/> Instead, the order was decided by lots, with Rutherford lining up in the pole position, Wildcat-DGS' Gordon Johncock taking second, and Unser starting third.<ref name="results"/> Tom Sneva would line up eighth out of 19 competitors.<ref name="nyt">[https://nytimes.com/1977/04/03/archives/sneva-tops-unser-to-win-texas-200.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on Sneva winning the race.] Retrieved 26th Jun '22</ref><ref name="results"/>
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| ==The Race==
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| With the starting order decided, the 1977 Texas Grand Prix commenced on 2nd April.<ref name="results"/> Johncock shot into the lead on the opening lap, but lost it to Coyote-Foyt's A.J. Foyt on lap 2.<ref name="results"/> Aside from briefly losing the lead to Wildcat-DGS' Wally Dallenbach during a pit stop under caution, Foyt would control proceedings until he was passed by Eagle-Offenhauser's Pancho Carter on lap 45.<ref name="results"/> He would regain it a lap later, only for Carter to again move back into the first position on lap 50.<ref name="results"/> Carter held the lead until lap 60, with Foyt retiring after 58 laps because of a broken radiator.<ref name="nyt"/> A long caution period occurred from laps 60-73, and when the race finally resumed, Johncock emerged in front, with him controlling the next 18 laps.<ref name="results"/>
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| On lap 89, Unser passed Johncock, with the latter retiring two laps later following a radiator failure.<ref name="results"/> Unser would lead the next four laps, but following another caution period, Sneva would emerge in front.<ref name="results"/> They would engage in a late duel, with Unser quickly passing Sneva once the race resumed on lap 96.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> However, on lap 98, Sneva pulled off what was ultimately the final lead change of the event on Turn 2.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> Despite intense pressure from Unser, Sneva remained in front for the final three laps to claim victory and $13,179 in prize money.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> Unser finished second, and while despite facing a black flag on lap 73 for overtaking under yellow flags, Dallenbach took third.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/>
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| ==Availability==
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| According to ''IndyCar on TV'', 45 minutes was televised live by CBS as part of its ''CBS Sports Spectacular'', alongside a retrospective of the Masters Golf Tournament.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/indycarontv/home/the-races/usac/1977/1977-texas-200 ''IndyCar on TV'' detailing the CBS broadcast of the race.] Retrieved 26th Jun '22</ref> The broadcast has yet to resurface however, and no footage of the race is currently publicly available. Nevertheless, photos of the event can be found online.
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| ==Gallery==
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| ===Image===
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| <gallery mode=packed heights=300px>
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| 1977texasgrandprix2.jpg|Rutherford (2) leading the pack.
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| </gallery>
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| ==See Also==
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| *[[1962 Trenton 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1962)]]
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| *[[1962 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1962)]]
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| *[[1963 Trenton 100 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1963)]]
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| *[[1963 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1963)]]
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| *[[1964 Golden State 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1964)]]
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| *[[1964 Trenton 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1964)]]
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| *[[1965 Golden State 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1965)]]
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| *[[1965 Jimmy Bryan Memorial (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1965)]]
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| *[[1966 Jimmy Bryan Memorial (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1966)]]
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| *[[1966 Trenton 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1966)]]
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| *[[1967 Trenton 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1967)]]
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| *[[1968 Tony Bettenhausen 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1968)]]
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| *[[1968 Trenton 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1968)]]
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| *[[1969 Langhorne 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
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| *[[1969 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
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| *[[1969 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
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| *[[1970 Bobby Ball 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Langhorne 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Rocky Mountain 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1971 Bobby Ball 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Marlboro 300 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Michigan 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Schaefer 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1972 Best Western Motels 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Indianapolis 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Phoenix 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Trenton Times 300 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1973 Schaefer 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1973)]]
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| *[[1973 Texas 200 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1973)]]
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| *[[1974 Phoenix 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
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| *[[1974 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
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| *[[1974 Trentonian 200 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
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| *[[1975 Bricklin 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 Michigan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1976 Indianapolis 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Jimmy Bryan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Michigan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Trenton Times Auto Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1977 American Parts 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Jimmy Bryan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Michigan Grand Prix (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1978 Coors 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1978 Daily Express Indy Silverstone (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1978 Daily Mail Indy Trophy (partially found CBS and BBC One footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1978 Norton Twin 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1979 Arizona Republic / Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially found footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; 1979)]]
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| *[[1979 California 500 (lost footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1979)]]
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| *[[1979 Gould Grand Prix (lost footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; 1979)]]
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| *[[1980 Miller High Life 150 (partially found footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
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| *[[1980 Norton Twin 200 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
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| *[[1980 Primera Copa Mexico 150 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
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| *[[1980 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
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| *[[1981 Kraco Car Stereo 150 (lost CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1981)]]
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| *[[1981 Pocono 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1981)]]
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| *[[1996 Las Vegas 500K (partially lost footage of IRL Season race; 1996)]]
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| *[[Indianapolis 500 WFBM-TV Broadcasts (lost racing footage; 1949-1950)]]
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| *[[Indianapolis 500 MCA closed-circuit broadcasts (partially lost racing footage; 1964-1970)]]
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| [[Category:Lost recordings of sports events]]
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| [[Category:Completely lost media]]
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