NASCAR BGN: Larry Foyt looks forward to racing at Gateway International

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

July 20, 2001

On Gateway International Speedway: "I'm looking forward to going back to Gateway. I had my best finish in the ASA Series at that track [5th]. It's a little bigger than a mile. It's got a long front straightaway so you're going to need to use your brakes going into turn one. We'll be running under the lights and I enjoy that so I think we'll have a good run there."

On Testing at IRP: "Our testing went okay but we were off the time we were looking for really. I think the track was slower for everyone because they were also running late models and sprint cars there. They run the Hoosier tire, which is a different compound from our Goodyear rubber. It just makes the track a little slipperier. I ran at IRP in the ASA last year. I had a good qualifying run [3rd] but we had a fuel line problem in the race. We were pretty slow on the straightaways but the car was awesome in the corners. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the end because I got crashed. I think we were running about 10th when it happened.

On Chicagoland Speedway: Foyt started 33rd and finished 22nd; his finish moved him to 22nd in the NASCAR Busch Series points, the highest his Harrah's team has been since early March. Foyt had gotten as high as 15th in the race but an engine problem, suspected to be a broken valve spring, left him with only seven cylinders for much of the race.

"I was really frustrated because we had an awesome car," said Foyt of the No. 14 Harrah's Monte Carlo. "Jon and the Harrah's crew gave me great pitstops and the car was handling so well but it just didn't have the power coming off the turns. Handling-wise, that's the best the car has been in a long time but because of the motor problem, we couldn't capitalize on it. At the end of the race I was just riding around hoping to finish."

Points standing: Foyt is 22nd in the driver's points; he has earned $241,367.

Best Busch Series Start: 14th at Nashville Superspeedway on April 14
Best Busch Series Finish: 12th at Talladega Superspeedway on April 21

Text provided by Anne Fornoro

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