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IRL/CART: Foyt happy to welcome CART teams back home to Indiana

10 December 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

INDIANAPOLIS - Auto racing legend A.J. Foyt is looking forward to the challenge that the return of a number of CART teams to the Indianapolis 500 will bring next May.

"Im glad to have them back," Foyt said.

Foyt, the first four-time winner of the worlds most famous race, is not concerned about the CART teams taking spots away from Indy Racing League teams. He noted that before the formation of the Indy Racing League, 1986 Indianapolis 500 champion Bobby Rahal missed the race in 1993 and then in 1995 both Roger Penske drivers, two-time winners Emerson Fittipaldi and Al Unser Jr., failed to qualify.

"I would have bet my life Roger would never have missed the race," Foyt said. "You could have busted me at Vegas. I dont think none of the IRL teams are nervous about them coming. All youve got to do is have a good team, car and driver. I cant see a problem."

Foyt will turn 65 on Jan. 16, but he still has that competitive zest. As a car owner in the Indy Racing League, Foyt landed the 1998 league championship and the 1999 Indianapolis 500 with Kenny Brack behind the wheel. Brack finished second to Greg Ray in the 1999 title chase.

Brack now has moved on to Rahals CART team, and Foyt kicks off the new millennium with Jeff Ward as his new driver. Still, Foyt hopes Brack returns to the Speedway next May. Despite their continued friendship, Foyt wants to beat Brack.

Foyt says nothing will be different in May, because he has raced against the best all of his life. And thats what the Indianapolis 500 is all about, starting the fastest cars and drivers.

Unlike NASCAR, there are no provisional starters.

"Theyre going to start the fastest 33 cars," Foyt said. "It dont matter whether if its CART, IRL or NASCAR. I was fortunate, I never missed a race."

Foyt qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 in 1958 and his string reached an incredible 35 in a row, a record. Twice he had to overcome debilitating injuries and, in the early 1980s, the death of his parents in separate Mays to get into the field.

What finally sidelined Foyt as a driver was the crash of his driver, rookie Robby Gordon, during practice on the morning of Pole Day qualifications in 1993. It put him in a bind as far as car availability and time to prepare his machine, so he abruptly decided to retire.

Ironically, last May Foyt visited Victory Lane for the fifth time - and first time solely as a car owner - because the same Robby Gordon ran out of fuel while leading with less than two laps to go.

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