A. J. Foyt

Foyt and his wife Lucy have four children– Tony (A.J. III), Terry, Jerry, and Larry. Jerry is involved in stock car racing, Larry in go-karts racing and Tony and his son, in racing junior dragsters.

He was born as Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr. in Houston, Texas. His father (Tony) ran a shop that specialized in race cars. Young Anthony went to Pershing and Hamilton middle schools.

He attended Lamar and San Jacinto high schools, but decided that he wanted to take up racing and left high school to become a mechanic. By 18, he was racing his father’s midget cars.

He began his racing career in a midget car. His first USAC midget car win was at a 100 lap event at Kansas City in 1957, and he stood seventh in the season points table.

Though he switched to sprint and championship cars after 1957, he was able to win two consecutive Turkey Night Grand Prix titles, an Astro Grand Prix, a Hut Hundred subsequently.

In 1956, he won his first sprint car race at Salem, Indiana. He switched from IMCA to USAC, and ended winner in 28 USAC National sprint car feature races, and an Eastern Championship title.

In the 1964 season, he progressed to a fourth national Indy car title. He won his second Indy 500, after the cars driven by Jim Clark, Bobby Marshman, and Parnelli Jones developed mechanical snags.

He was thrice champion in USAC's stock car racing – at the Billy Vukovich Memorial 200 at Hanford Speedway in California in 1964, Milwaukee, Texas World Speedway, and Michigan International Speedway.

In 1961, Foyt defended his points championship and won the Indy 500, the first driver to do so. A record speed of 139.13 mph ensured that he could win over Eddie Sachs who was forced to pit due to a blistered tire.

He won the 1977 Indianapolis 500, despite running out of fuel. He switched on turbo boost to compensate for lost time risking engine damage. Luck favored him as Johncock’s engine shut down.