Foyt, Winner of the 45th, 48th, 51st and 61st Indy 500s, Back in Familiar Home for the 100th

A.J. Foyt reaches down to his left hand and twists the gold Indianapolis 500 checkered flag winner’s ring to its side to show the engraved years he won the most important and defining race of his life: “61, 64, 67, 77.”

The first four-time winner in race history was in an undeniably upbeat mood last week on the first day of track activity. He’s happy to be back in his second home, the familiar Gasoline Alley A-1 garage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

When asked about the significance of the upcoming 100th Running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the 81-year-old legend eventually reminds what his ring has already shown, that he won the 51st Indy 500.

That was in 1967. Back then, Foyt didn’t think about being a Speedway mainstay a half-century later. Back then, in more treacherous times, Foyt didn’t think beyond the next race.

“That’s quite true, because so many people after they won this race, within a month or two they got killed racing,” he said. “That’s one thing about racing today. They’re about 1,000 percent safer than they used to be. That’s the biggest change I see in the racing world today.”

After surviving the crashes and surgeries to become a living legend in the most dangerous of sports, “Super Tex” has had to overcome even more scares in his advancing years. He was attacked by a swarm of killer bees and stung dozens of times in 2005. A year later, he had his left knee replaced. A year after that, he almost drowned after his enclosed bulldozer overturned into a lake on his ranch.

At 77, he contracted a near fatal staph infection after surgery to remove bone spurs around his artificial left knee. A year later, he underwent back surgery that April, left hip replacement in July and right knee replacement in December.

In 2014, he underwent triple bypass surgery and nearly died from post-operation complications. Then last year, he survived another staph infection, this time in his right knee, which was replaced again.

So, yeah, happy to be back is an understatement. And so far this year, Foyt has been just fine.

“I probably feel better this year than I did last year, a lot better,” he said. “I went to the Kentucky Derby (last week) and got a cold, but other than that, I’m feeling good.”

His son, Larry, manages the day-to-day operations of AJ Foyt Enterprises, which has entered drivers Takuma Sato, Alex Tagliani and Jack Hawksworth in the May 29 Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. Larry’s job enables the elder Foyt to oversee anything and everything. One minute, he’s giving his two cents to a mechanic on a car setup. The next, he’s on his cellular for business. A few minutes later, he’s dutifully smiling for a camera as five visitors connected to a sponsor stop by for the honor of meeting him. 

“I ain’t got nothing else to do, so you’ve got to do something in life and have fun,” Foyt said. “This has been my whole life. I still enjoy it. It’s great to be here. I have a lot of fans here. Indiana has been really good to me. I feel it’s part of my home, even though I’m from Houston, Texas.”

Now about that 1967 race, Foyt thinks about it for a moment, about how much time has passed, then admits again he never expected to be around 50 Indy 500s later.

“I didn’t think I would be,” he said, “but I’m still here.”

He shares his memory of that third 500 triumph, which didn’t seem possible as Parnelli Jones dominated much of the race.

“Andy Granatelli had the turbine,” Foyt said of the car owner who put together a unique engine based on a small aircraft and hired Jones, the 1963 Indy 500 winner, as his driver.

In a pre-race interview, Foyt said he didn’t expect the turbine to last 500 miles. It almost did, leading Foyt by almost a full lap before failing just four laps from the end.

“I chased ‘em all day and won it by a lap,” Foyt said. “I remember the last turn, coming off four, they had that big wreck. I didn’t know if I’d get through it or not. I know I slowed down, I put it in second gear and said, ‘Whoever I hit, I’m going to try to carry ’em past the finish line.’”

Truth be told, the years run together after a while. 

“I’ve had so many great years here and so much fun,” he said. “I’m just glad to be back. That’s the biggest thing. I’ve enjoyed it every time I’ve been here. One year ain’t no different from the other to me.”

Except for those years engraved on the side of his ring, which are special, and easy to remember. He mentions his final Indy 500 win in 1977, when he became the first four-time winner.

“What made that kind of special to me, my own car, my own motor and I drove it,” he said. “What else can you ask for?”

He signs one of his team-produced pictures for a fan. There’s not always enough time to oblige autograph seekers, but he tries.

Foyt reminds, “I’m not just here to be in the audience. I’m here to try to get my team to win.”

It’s at that moment when A.J.’s bottom-line demeanor reiterates he can still be that no-nonsense guy. Lest anyone forget, he didn’t mess around when racing. Remember how Foyt grabbed a wrench and started banging away on a car part during the 1982 Indy 500?

“I haven’t done that in the last 10 years,” he said of taking matters into his own hands, “but I still can.”

He’s classic old school, here endeth the lesson. Well, not necessarily. Don’t bring up the “living legend” stuff.

“I’m A.J., and I’ll be A.J. until I die,” he said. “A lot of people say, ‘You’re a legend.’ No, I’m just A.J.”

It’s helpful to get that straight. And just know, as long as humanly possible, A.J. doesn’t plan on being anywhere else but Indianapolis in May.

“It’s nice to be back. You just kind of wonder how long you can keep coming back,” he said. “As long as I’m kicking, I’ll be here.”