A. J. Foyt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids A. J. Foyt
Foyt in 2015
Born	Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. (1935-01-16) January 16, 1935 (age 90) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Championship titles
USAC Eastern Sprint Car (1960) USAC Championship Car (1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1975, 1979) USAC Stock Car (1968, 1978, 1979) USAC Silver Crown (1972) Major victories Indianapolis 500 (1961, 1964, 1967, 1977) 24 Hours of Le Mans (1967) Daytona 500 (1972) Pocono 500 (1973, 1975, 1979, 1981) California 500 (1975) 24 Hours of Daytona (1983, 1985) 12 Hours of Sebring (1985)
Champ Car career
369 races run over 36 years
Best finish	1st (1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1975, 1979 (USAC))
First race	1957 Springfield 100 (Springfield)
Last race	1992 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First win	1960 Ted Horn Memorial (DuQuoin)
Last win	1981 Pocono 500 (Pocono)
Wins Podiums Poles 67 120 53
NASCAR Cup Series career
128 races run over 33 years
Best finish	40th (1989)
First race	1963 Riverside 500 (Riverside)
Last race	1994 Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis)
First win	1964 Firecracker 400 (Daytona)
Last win	1972 Miller High Life 500 (Ontario)
Wins Top tens Poles 7 36 9
Formula One World Championship career
Active years	1958 – 1960
Teams	Kuzma, Kurtis Kraft
Entries	3
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1958 Indianapolis 500
Last entry	1960 Indianapolis 500
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	1967
Teams	Shelby-Ford
Best finish	1st (1967)
Class wins	1 (1967)

Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. (born January 16, 1935) is a famous American former racing driver. He competed in many different types of motorsport. He is most known for his amazing career in open wheel racing. He was the first person to win the Indianapolis 500 four times! He also holds the record for the most American National Championship titles, with seven wins.

Foyt raced in United States Automobile Club (USAC) Championship cars, sprint cars, and midget cars. He also drove stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won many big sports car racing events too. He has the most USAC career wins with 159 victories. He also holds the record for Indy car racing wins with 67.

A. J. Foyt is the only driver to have won the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Daytona 500, and the 24 Hours of Daytona. In NASCAR, he won seven times, including the 1964 Firecracker 400 and the 1972 Daytona 500. He survived several serious crashes during his career. Foyt's success has earned him a spot in many motorsports halls of fame.

In the mid-1960s, Foyt started his own racing team. He raced for his team and also had other drivers. After he stopped driving, he continued to own A. J. Foyt Enterprises. This team has competed in different racing series like CART, the IndyCar Series, and NASCAR.

Early Life and First Races

A. J. Foyt was born in Houston, Texas. His dad, Tony Foyt Sr., was a mechanic who raced midget cars as a hobby. When A. J. was five, his dad built him a toy racer with a lawnmower engine.

One time, when A. J. was eleven, his parents left him home to go to a race. They came back to find he had driven their other race car in the yard! He even caused the engine to catch fire. Even though his dad was mad, he realized A. J. was meant to be a driver.

Foyt went to several middle and high schools. But he decided to leave school to become a mechanic and focus on racing. When he got his driver's license, he bought an old Oldsmobile. He used his mechanical skills to work on it. He even started street racing until his dad found out!

A Champion Driver's Career

Midget Car Racing

Foyt started racing midget cars in 1953 when he was 18. His dad owned and took care of the car. His first USAC midget car race was in 1956. He won his first midget car race in 1957 in Kansas City.

He mostly stopped racing midget cars after 1957 to focus on sprint and championship cars. But he still raced midgets sometimes. He won the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1960 and 1961. He also won the 1961 Hut Hundred even though he started last! He finished his midget car career with 20 wins.

Sprint Car Racing

Foyt began his sprint car career in 1956 at age 21. He won his first sprint car race in Fargo, North Dakota. He quickly became known to USAC car owners. He then switched to racing with USAC.

Foyt won 28 USAC National sprint car races. He also won the USAC Eastern Championship in 1960. He kept racing sprint cars even after he became a top driver in the Indy 500.

Championship Car Success

The car Foyt drove to Indy victory in 1977

Foyt racing at Pocono Raceway in 1984

The Lola-Chevrolet that Foyt crashed in 1990

In 1958, Foyt raced in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time. In 1961, he won the Indy 500 and also defended his championship title. During the 1961 Indy 500, Foyt had a problem with refueling. His car was light on fuel, but his competitor, Eddie Sachs, didn't know this. Sachs pushed his car hard and had to pit for a flat tire. Foyt then took the lead and won by a very small margin.

In 1964, Foyt won 10 out of 14 races, including his second Indy 500. Other top cars had mechanical problems or crashes. This left Foyt alone in the lead to win. This race is also remembered for a fiery crash that took the lives of two drivers. Foyt only learned about this sad news after he won.

In 1965, Foyt showed his amazing skill. His usual car wasn't ready for a race in Milwaukee. So, he used a dirt track car he had raced the day before. He quickly cleaned it, put on new tires, and set it up for the oval track. He qualified for the pole position and finished second in the race!

In the 1967 Indianapolis 500, a special turbine car was expected to win easily. But it broke down with only three laps left. Foyt took the lead. As he crossed the finish line, another crash happened right in front of him. But Foyt was able to drive safely through the wreckage to win his third Indy 500.

In the 1977 Indianapolis 500, Foyt ran out of fuel and had to make an extra pit stop. He was far behind Gordon Johncock. Foyt pushed his car incredibly hard, risking engine damage, to catch up. Johncock's engine then failed, and Foyt passed him to win his fourth Indy 500.

In 1981, Foyt had a bad crash at the 1981 Michigan 500. He was seriously injured, almost losing an arm. After many surgeries and physical therapy, he came back strong. The next year, he qualified third for the Indy 500.

Foyt won the Indianapolis 500 four times: in 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1977. He was the first driver to achieve this. He also won the Indycar Series seven times, which is still a record. Foyt raced in the Indy 500 for 35 years in a row!

In 1990, Foyt had another severe crash at Road America. He badly injured his legs and feet. After more surgeries and therapy, he returned for the 1991 Indianapolis 500. He even qualified second! He raced one more time in the 1992 Indianapolis 500, finishing ninth.

Sports Car Racing Achievements

Foyt won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France on his first try in 1967. He drove a Ford GT40 Mk IV with Dan Gurney. He angered some French fans by calling the track "nothin' but a little old country road." He also had very little practice time. But when his co-driver overslept, Foyt had to drive for almost 18 hours of the 24-hour race!

Foyt also won the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1985. This made him one of only a few drivers to win the "triple crown" of endurance racing.

Stock Car Racing in NASCAR

Foyt in a midget car in 1961

Foyt was a champion in USAC's stock car series in 1968, 1978, and 1979. He won many races at tracks like Milwaukee and Michigan.

Foyt was already a racing veteran when he started NASCAR. He won his first NASCAR race in just his tenth try! In the 1964 Firecracker 400, he battled Bobby Isaac and passed him on the very last lap to win.

In 1965, Foyt had a very bad crash at Riverside. His car went off the track at high speed and tumbled many times. The track doctor thought he had died. But another driver, Parnelli Jones, saw him move and helped revive him. Foyt suffered serious injuries to his chest, back, and ankle.

Foyt almost won the 1971 Daytona 500, but he ran out of gas near the end. Richard Petty passed him for the win. But Foyt came back to dominate and win the 1972 Daytona 500. In the 1979 Daytona 500, he finished third after the two leaders crashed on the final lap.

Foyt won races at the Ontario Motor Speedway in 1971 and 1972. This track was similar to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His last NASCAR points win was in 1972. He also won a qualifying race at Daytona in 1978.

In 1988, Foyt faced a temporary ban and a fine from NASCAR due to some issues during a race. However, the ban was later lifted, though his fine was increased.

Foyt at the 1996 Indianapolis 500

Foyt's last NASCAR Winston Cup Series race was the first-ever 1994 Brickyard 400. He finished 30th. He tried to race in it again in 1995 and 1996 but didn't qualify.

Career Highlights

• Foyt raced in the Indianapolis 500 for 35 years in a row. He won it four times, being the first to do so.
• He is the only driver to win the Indy 500 in both front-engined and rear-engined cars.
• Foyt is the only driver to win both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year (1967).
• He is the only person to win the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 (stock car), the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
• He is one of only 12 drivers to complete the "Triple Crown" of endurance racing.
• He has 41 USAC Stock Car wins and 50 Sprint Car, Midget, and Dirt Champ Car wins.
• He won the Australian Speedcar Grand Prix in 1975 and 1976.
• He has won 12 major driving championships in different racing types.
• His 138 USAC wins are a record.
• Foyt won the IROC championships in 1976 and 1977.
• Foyt and Mario Andretti are the only drivers to win both the Indianapolis and Daytona 500s.
• Foyt holds the closed course speed record. He drove the Oldsmobile Aerotech at an average speed of 257.123 miles per hour in 1987.
• Despite winning many USAC races, Foyt never won a CART-sanctioned event.

Indianapolis 500 Records

Foyt holds many records at the Indianapolis 500:

• First of four drivers to win four times.
• Most consecutive and career starts (35).
• Most races led (13).
• Most times leading during his career (39).
• Most competitive laps and miles during a career (4,909 laps, 12,272.5 miles).

In the 1961 Indianapolis 500, Foyt won by only 8.28 seconds. This was the second-closest finish at the time. Foyt is currently the oldest living winner of the Indianapolis 500. He is also the oldest with the earliest win (1961).

Team Owner Role

A. J. Foyt (right) and former driver Darren Manning (left) at the 2007 Indianapolis 500.

While still driving, Foyt partnered with Jim Gilmore. They raced under the Gilmore-Foyt Racing name. His team even built its own Coyote race cars for many years.

After retiring as a driver, Foyt continued to own A. J. Foyt Enterprises. His team raced in the CART series. He often talked about how expensive it was to develop new car parts.

Foyt was very loyal to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He was one of the few CART team owners to support the new Indy Racing League (IRL) when it started in 1996. His driver, Scott Sharp, shared the 1996 IRL title. Kenny Bräck won the 1998 IRL title and the 1999 Indianapolis 500 for Foyt's team. This was Foyt's fifth win at Indy as an owner. Today, his IndyCar team drivers are Santino Ferrucci and Sting Ray Robb.

In 1997, Foyt was involved in a disagreement after an IRL race at Texas Motor Speedway. His driver, Billy Boat, was first declared the winner. But another driver, Arie Luyendyk, said there was a scoring error. When Luyendyk went to complain, Foyt got upset and pushed him. After a review, Luyendyk was declared the winner. After this, the IRL changed how it scored races.

Foyt also had teams that raced in NASCAR.

Personal Life

In 1955, Foyt married Lucy Zarr. They were married for over 68 years until Lucy passed away in 2023.

A. J. Foyt has a son named Jerry Foyt. He is also the grandfather of A. J. Foyt IV. Foyt is the grandfather and adoptive father of Larry Foyt. He is also the godfather of driver John Andretti. When he's not busy with racing, A. J. Foyt enjoys spending time at his family's ranches in Texas.

The Foyt family is also connected to the Indianapolis Colts football team through marriage. A. J. Foyt IV is married to the daughter of Colts owner Jim Irsay.

Awards and Honors

Foyt has been recognized in many halls of fame:

• Texas Sports Hall of Fame (1967)
• Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1978)
• National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1988)
• Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1989)
• National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1990)
• International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2000)
• Automotive Hall of Fame (2007)
• USAC Hall of Fame (2012)
• Sebring Hall of Fame (2018)
• Houston Sports Hall of Fame (2019)

See also

In Spanish: A. J. Foyt para niños