Anthony Joseph Foyt III Edward Norton 0 1,323 AJ Foyt Net Worth Anthony Joseph "A. J." Foyt was born on the 16th January 1935, in Houston, Texas USA, and is a retired automobile auto racing driver who participated in numerous genres of Read More All Rights Reserved. I'm telling you, A.J., this story would make you famous. His team has won the national Indy car title five times between 1967 and 1998. They keep about 20 2-year-olds in training at their Hockley, Texas ranch, a 1,000-acre spread 35 miles from Houston that Foyt built himself. ", This is the veteran Foyt assessing a rookie sensation: "I warned him four times about chopping me off in the corners. A.J. www.allmusic.com/artist/aj-foyt-mn0001012115. Foyt sighs, remembering it. A few minutes later A.J. Eddie Sachs, unaware that Foyt's now-quicker car was light on fuel, pushed hard to keep upand Sachs had to pit from the lead with just three laps remaining to replace a shredded right rear tire. And in the countdown to the 65th Indy 500 two weeks ago, Foyt continued unwaveringly to add to his own legend. Foyt keeps zapping the engine; with each zap the car shudders, gathering itself up to explode forward. One of the more bizarre scenes in racing came at the 1964 Indy 500, after an early-lap smashup sent a ball of fire exploding into the sky in Turn Four. His helmet is bobbing up and down as he yells choice yells; he slams his palms on the steering wheel, and then he draws down his chin and bends his head forward. The folks in thoroughbred racing couldn't care less about a man's piston-driven ways; Foyt could arrive fresh from winning the 500, with goggle marks still outlined on his face in grease, and the people at the barns would say, "Ah, yes. So that's about the way racing's going these days, and I'm kind of losing interest." 's new car was built in the company of many of its predecessors at his Houston race shop but came to life at Indy with a 196.078-mph run. J. Foyt was born on the 16th January 1935, best known for being the most successful driver in the American Championship Racing with 67 wins, Co-Driver of the Century (by the Associated Press), International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2000), Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1989), National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1988), National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (U.S.) (1990). We got a lot just like it back in Texas. That's like Reggie Jackson living on the royalties from his candy bar and socking away everything else. Thus, he achieved the Triple Crown of endurance racing. Now, then. when things is going bad is about like trying to dance with a chain saw. ", The race car flickers through the back straightaway at 170-plus mph when suddenly something snaps. As Foyt moved through turn four on the 200th lap, he had a premonition of trouble and slowed down. While many athletes have become modishly laid-back, blow-drying their psyches to match the times, Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. remains a constant, if being unstintingly mercurial can be said to be a constant. There was a special reason for starting with the anecdotes, all of which date back a few years, as we are about to see. Patriarch of the Foyt racing family. "[7] Also, he reportedly only got 10 laps of pre-race practice. Foyt's smile doesn't spread across his face; he grins in a quick burst, all at once, flashing strong and white teeth. He is an actor, known for Daytona 500 (1979), Jim McKay: My World in My Words (2003) and ABC's Wide World of Sports 30th Anniversary Special (1991). ", A.J. Foyt's success has led to induction in numerous motorsports halls of fame. The track doctor at Riverside International Raceway pronounced Foyt dead at the scene of the severe crash, but fellow driver Parnelli Jones revived him after seeing movement. You come up with, "well, something like a Secretariat, see? Foyt 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results", "A.J. If you can do it at Indy, you can do it anyplace. Well, here's what has gradually happened: I've always been outspoken, but I've got a commitment to racing, by God, and I'm going to keep that commitment. Parnelli retired with mechanical issues, leaving Gurney and Foyt to contest the lead. Or they do worse. Back around that time racing sponsor J.C. Agajanian once pleaded with Foyt to grant SPORTS ILLUSTRATED an interview. He is the first driver to have done so. [4] A. J. attended Pershing and Hamilton middle schools and Lamar, San Jacinto and St. Thomas Catholic high schools,[5] but he dropped out to become a mechanic and spend more time concentrating on racing. He'll demand that the car is perfector he'll park it and not race at all.". He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. Like that. In 1956, he won his first sprint car race at Salem, Indiana. His open wheel racing includes United States Automobile Club Champ cars, sprint cars, and midget cars. In January 1965, Foyt qualified and ran in the front of the pack most of the day with Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones in the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside. The Foyts are also, via marriage, part of the ownership group of the Indianapolis Colts. Here's how he has done it: No man has ever driven race cars better or more consistently; no one now driving has ever risked more in as impressive a variety of cars and perilous situations, taking himself to the far edge time after time. The roar rises to a painful scream of metal. It's tugging and pulling. Actually, he has been in horse racing for a few years, but quietlymaking his move slowly, sneaking up from the back of the pack, but more and more now, he's getting set to stand on it. Foyt and his wife Lucy have four children Tony (A.J. Thanks to his driving skills, A.J. His open-wheel racing experience includes US Automobile Club Champ cars, sprint cars, and midget cars. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Of course. A.J. However, his fine was raised to $7,500. J. Foyt Wiki Biography, Anthony Joseph A. In the 1977 Indianapolis 500, Foyt ran out of fuel, and had to make a pit stop. I've been busted up and burned and twisted all around, and somehow I can take it. He was still in his driving coveralls. IROC III and IV in 1976 and 1977 14 major driving championships Seven NASCAR Grand National victories (now Winston Cup); nine pole positions . "And he said something to me about how he didn't like my horses, and I sort of shrugged. Foyt qualified for the Indy 500 an amazing 35 times consecutively. Seven cars were involved in the incident including Foyt and Mario Andretti, who was unable to continue. Have you ever wondered how rich A.J. One of the greatest racing drivers ever, he is the only one to win the Indianapolis 500 four times, the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It's dirty purism: The racers build, repair, race and trailer their own cars from country track to country track, and most of them drink a lot of beer and do a little bare-knuckle fighting on the side. was running full bore, barreling along, belly to the ground, when the brakes went blooey. FOYT Team Owner. Foyt has come to be America's, and perhaps the world's, greatest race driver ever. finished 16th at the Indy 500 in 1965 is now a dusty relic in his garage. He won his first NASCAR race in July 1964 at Daytona Beach, after taking the lead from Bobby Isaac, during the final 50 laps at the Daytona International Speedway. The world, as he says, will have to take him as he is. If a car don't run, you can fix it. Certainly he's the only one who has one of Foyt's Indy Coyote race cars, parked in his den, doing duty as a piece of pop-art sculpture. Foyt won the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1960 and 1961 and also the Hut Hundred in 1961 despite starting last, which only increased his status and net worth. NASCAR Driver's Career Statistics. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Foyt did not learn of the fate of his two friends until he reached victory lane, and was handed a newspaper with a headline announcing the tragedy. Late in the 500, Foyt made a pit stop for fuel, but a refueling malfunction meant that he returned to the race without enough fuel to finish. Foyt 1995 NASCAR SuperTruck Series by Craftsman Results", "A.J. Now that's more like it. ", It remains for Foyt to wind down one activity while cranking up the other. "I swear," says A.J. Foyt won the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1960 and 1961 and also the Hut Hundred in 1961 despite starting last, which only increased his status and net worth. Other names always arise: five-time world driving champion Juan Manuel Fangio, Jimmy Clark, Stirling Moss, Richard Petty, but the inescapable fact remains that, while they were stunning in their talents, they were specialists. And typically, though he's the owner, he has never cashed a salary check from the place. Foyt 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results", "A.J. Well then. His first win came in 1957 at a 100-lap event at Kansas City, and was impressive enough to move up from midget cars to compete in sprint cars and Championship Cars. He is a retired American car racing driver who competed in a variety of motorsports. It's at this juncture that you get to snap and growl and bite off a head now and then. is 66 years old and was born on 03/07/1956. "You pay $50,000 or more for a horseand you don't even know if it can run. In 1961, Foyt defended his points championship and won the Indy 500, the first driver to do so. His career started in 1957 and ended in 1993. ), This article is about the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner. Daytona 500 (1979)as Himself - Driver, #51 Oldsmobile, Jim McKay: My World in My Words (2003)as Himself, ABC's Wide World of Sports 30th Anniversary Special (1991)as Himself, Your email address will not be published. McCluskey testifies earnestly that "A.J. tony foyt iii. He didn't. He was sweet and sour, fiercely competitive and sometimes ornery then, and he's sweet and sour, fiercely competitive and sometimes ornery now. Foyt is famous for winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race in his first and only attempt, in 1967; Foyt drove a Ford GT40 Mk IV, partnered with Dan Gurney and entered by Carroll Shelby's team. Foyt later competed in Championship car, Sports car, Stock car and NASCAR championships, collecting numerous wins and awards. "My insides is bent out of shape," he said, "with pieces all here and there. In the 1967 Indianapolis 500, he beat favorite Parnelli Jones in a STP-Paxton Turbocar, when Carl Williams lost control to set off a five-car accident ahead of him. He is the only individual to win the "Triple Crown" of professional racing the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, and the 24 Hour Le Mans. Foyt faces a possible USAC fine and suspension, and at the hearing held by USAC he conducts his own defense. (2004), ABC's Wide World of Sports (1964-1976), Daytona 500 (1979), Jim McKay: My World in My Words (2003), ABC's Wide World of Sports 30th Anniversary Special (1991), 1966 Indianapolis 500 (1966). Foyt remains true unto himself. Its driver is yelling angrily even before he tugs off his crash helmet and yanks away the red bandanna covering his nose and mouth. Not bad for a kid who dropped out in the 11th grade. Foyt has grown bulky and bull-like. Foyt's chief character witness is Roger McCluskey, a fellow-driver (who has since become the USAC official in charge of screening new drivers). Foyt began racing midgets in 1953 at age 18 in a car owned and maintained by his father. That happened on Jan. 17, 1965 at the Riverside (Calif.) 500. The orange Olds comes yowling in and slams to a stop. The 1972 race was his last NASCAR points win; his final win in a NASCAR race was in the first of Daytona's 125-mile qualifying heats in 1978, driving a self-fielded superspeedway Buick. "Jump in the car and run that sumbitch, and do it better'n anybody else. In fact, until three years ago, he confesses, he lived solely on his income from stock-car and midget racing and invested all the rest. In 1995, his attempt was stymied when rain washed out second round time trials. I'm not driven by no obsession; any driving to be done around here, ol' A.J. Only the costumes and the setting had changed, but here was a familiar scene being replayed. He has been bestowed with many awards and honors in racing, and was declared the "Best Driver of the Century" (with Mario Andretti) by the Associated Press. But Foyt's smile is more disarming than dangerous: It is June 1967, and on the sun-dappled terrace of the Hotel Ricordeau, a Michelin two-star restaurant just outside Le Mans, Foyt is staring in shock at trout meunire, served in the traditional French manner. He had entered the track ahead of the pace car and had begun gaining on the field under the yellow light. He was born as Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr. in Houston, Texas. You can't never tell. He also won the International Race of Champions series in 1976 and 1977 and was a USAC National Champion in 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968 and 1977, and clinched the IROC Championship in 1978 and 1979 increasing further his net worth. I've been busted up and burned and twisted all around, and somehow I can take it. He also has 41 USAC Stock Car wins and 50 Sprint Car, Midget, and Dirt Champ Car wins. Attended Hamilton Junior High School in Houston, Texas. Uh, Barbizon's Flower: She run second in the '79 Debutante Stakes for 2-year-olds. Shooooomm! For his grandson, see, Complete Formula One World Championship results, "A.J. Call it immediate news or whatever, up close and personal, something. Jones lapped the field, but his car expired with three laps remaining, and Foyt inherited the lead. Listen. He earned numerous awards and recognitions, including being the only driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500 the same year (1967), and the only racer ever to win the Indy 500 with both rear and front-engined vehicles. They've had shows on TV that are supposed to take place inside a man's head. "You want to know what will make me famous?" A. J. Foyt. He emerged with a grin, popped open a can of Pepsi, slid behind the wheel of Gilmore's grape-colored Cadillac sedan and allowed that, well, possibly the penalty had caused the valve stem to go bad. Foyt carries his racing senior citizenship well. In the movie, Cannonball, the name of the government official who tries to stop the Cannonball race is a take on this legendary racer's name. J. Foyt was born on the 16th January 1935, in Houston, Texas USA, and is a retired automobile auto racing driver who participated in numerous genres of motorsports, but best known for being the most successful driver in the American Championship Racing with 67 wins, and USAC with 159 victories. is still quick, all right. "Once," he says, "all I lived for was racing. He finished second in 1963 and 1969, and third in 1970. Foyt 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results", "A.J. It took a gritty, forceful personality to stand up to all of that, but when Indy is run this weekend, there will be Foyt, unswerving as ever. They feature black blocks on white. I'm drawn back to racing by the competition and because I enjoy it.". Foyt drove in the Indianapolis 500 for 35 consecutive years, winning it four times (the first of only four to have done so). "All that circulation," Agajanian said, "all those readers. Racing just ain't the same anymore. The race is remembered for the fiery second-lap crash that claimed the lives of Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I have while owning them. Foyt 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results", "A.J. (2004) Houston in Houston including the 1972 Daytona 500 International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2000) IROC Champion January 16 Jerry Foyt Jim McKay: My World in My Words (2003) Lucy Zarr Midget Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1989) NASCARs 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1988) National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (U.S.) (1990) Racing driver Terry Foyt Texas Texas USA United States USAC Gold Crown Champion USAC National Champion USAC Silver Crown Series Champion USAC Stock Car Champion Winner of total of 7 NASCAR races Winner of: 50 Sprint Car, Anthony Joseph A. Unhappily, it went up and over. Have you ever wondered how rich A.J. Directly in front of him were Marvin Panch and Junior Johnson, and to avoid wiping them out, Foyt made the heroic move that sooner or later all drivers face. He's a real racer. Anthony Joseph A. Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr., the man called "Super Tex" - Driver of the Century, master of front-engine cars, rear-engine cars, midget cars, sprint cars, oval racing, road racing, dirt racing . I may not have that race helmet under my arm, but I'm still the same A.J. Career Foyt began his racing career in 1953 when he was 18 years old. And over. Required fields are marked *. In a 1990 CART race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin Foyt's car left the track and plowed straight through a dirt embankment, severely injuring his legs and feet.