My Favorite Car: A.J. Foyt
April 06, 2020 | By Paul Kelly, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Note: This continues a series of interviews with Indianapolis 500 legends about the favorite car they drove in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” and why, in their words. “My Favorite Car” interviews will appear at IMS.com on Mondays through the spring. Read other installments of "My Favorite Car" here.
Q: What was your favorite car you drove in the Indianapolis 500?
A.J. Foyt: I’d say my ’77 car was probably my favorite car, knowing we built it in Houston, Texas. We built the motor, the Foyt engine, in Houston, and I drove it and I’m from Houston, Texas, so I’d have to say that was my favorite car.
Q: What made that ’77 car so special?
AJF: I think it was a very good-looking car. It was fast, and it handled very well at Indianapolis. I ran the car in ’75, ’76 and ’77; it was basically the same car all three years. In ’75, I ran out of fuel at Indy (finished third). Then in ’76, I came in to get fuel while leading, and it rained and they stopped the race and I finished second. I said, ‘Man, y’all stopped it because of rain, and it quit raining.’ And they said, ‘Well, we can’t finish the race.’ And I said, ‘Well, all I need is one lap, and I’ll win it.’ But I had to wait another year to be the first four-time winner with it.
Q: Any other highlights to mention?
AJF: My major highlight of my career was in 1958 when I qualified for the Indy 500, and the second highlight of my whole career was to be the first four-time winner and having Mr. Hulman ride around next to me on the victory lap. I think that was the first time he did that (being seated next to the driver on the rear deck), and I was proud to have him ride with me.
Facts about A.J. Foyt’s 1977 Indianapolis 500 car:
Car name: Gilmore Racing Team Coyote/Foyt
Car number: 14
Team: A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Qualified: Fourth
Finished: First
Laps Completed: 200
Laps Led: 46
Status: Running
A.J. Foyt career ‘500” starts: 35 (1958-92)
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