View AJ Foyt Memories
Wind Tunnel: Favorite A. J. Foyt Moments.
Category:Auto Racing
Compiled by Gregg Leary
My favorite A.J. moment has to be when he got out of his car at Indy during the 500, after being frustrated by his mechanics’ lack of ability to repair the car quickly, and proceeded to “fix” the car with a hammer!
Mike Scully
My favorite A.J. moment is when he threw his lap top computer when his car ran out of fuel at the Indy 500. I don’t think A.J. was too impressed with new math.
Lyle Vogt
My favorite A.J. Foyt moment would have to be the 1982 Indianapolis 500 when after getting almost taken out of the race by Kevin Cogan, A.J. takes off into the lead. During a pit stop the car won’t come out of 3rd gear, so A.J. hops out of the car, throws his gloves and helmet into the cockpit, takes off some of the rear bodywork, and proceeds to try and fix the car with a screwdriver and a large hammer. Vintage A.J.!
Joel Harleman
Avon, IN
My favorite A.J. moment was in 1966 when he climbed over the fence after the first lap crash at Indy. He got up there a lot faster than Helio does.
Chuck
Hands down - when AJ slapped Arie Luyendyk in the back of the head. HILARIOUS!!!
Bob & Ann Marie Kleiber
Middlesex, NJ
Favorite AJ Foyt moment:
At Indy a few years back AJ’s car ran out of fuel towards the end of the race. The pit lane camera man chronicled the “discussion” between AJ and his race engineer/crew chief. It was obvious what was being said. The team member was showing the data on his laptop and AJ was having none of it. AJ was saying something along the lines of “I don’t care what the data says, the car ran out.” AJ finishes his point about the new fangled technology by smashing the laptop on the pit wall.
Martyn Harding
A.J. is just a pussycat. He proved it by helping our fellow Long Island, NY’s South Shore Sports Car & Beer Drinking Society member Janet Guthrie. After competing fiercely with us in gymkhanas in the early 60’s Janet started racing. During her first trip to Indianapolis her racing gear went astray. A.J. stepped in with replacements - not ridicule. Since then we have respected him as a real human being, not just a driver.
Roy and Pat Corrall
Banning, CA
One of my favorite memories of AJ was the ‘83 24 hours of Daytona. I think AJ’s car broke early and so he was invited to drive for another team. AJ goes out and sets fastest lap in the rain and wins the race.
A.J. Rolfe
While visiting Indianapolis for an Indy 500, I decided to go over to have a look at the Indy Motel. While standing at the counter having a chat with the duty person, I could feel someone elbowing me...for more room!
I looked over...to tell him to cool it and wait your turn. We both laughed and ended up in a nice conversation about Vancouver Island.
Hey A. J. ...still waiting for you to show up for that Golf game.
Bryce
Qualicum Beach, B.C.
My favorite A.J. moment would be the Milwaukee race in which A.J. drove the dirt champ against the rear engine cars, sat on the pole, and would have won the race if is fuel tank had been as big as the rear engine cars.
Greg Hartman
A.J. should have your vote as Best American all around race car driver.
Reasons why?
Remember the 82 Indianapolis 500. After losing a front wheel before the start, his team replaced the front end, and lined it up with a string. When the green flag flew, A.J went for the lead. He had no idea what the front end would do. Not many racecar drivers would have taken that chance.
How about the 1983 24 Hours of Daytona? When Bob Wollek turn the car over to A.J and said “Who is this A.J Foyt”? He felt this guy A.J wasn’t up to the task until Foyt set the fastest lap of the race.
A.J is the only driver to win Indy in a front and rear engine car, twice.
He won Indy and Le Mans in the same year. He won the Daytona 500. He co-drove with Dan Gurney, the smartest American driver at Le Mans in 1967.
Gurney was the first driver to ever spray the champagne on the podium. A.J Foyt won IROC series in 1976 & 1977, he had 50 sprint and midget dirt car wins.
Sure, A.J is a little rough, famous for getting the hammer out on pitlane to fix a gearbox. In order to understand A.J, you had to know his father.
A.J always tried to live up to his father’s expectations, which was hard to do. To know him is to love him. He is the best. When A.J is on the show, show the audience the X-ray of his leg and count the pins from his 1990 Elkhart Lake accident. A.J was always there for the fans. He never ran and hid like most of the drivers today.
Gary