"He was intense" - When Larry Foyt reflected on A.J. Foyt's rise in a deadly era of auto racing

Former seven-time IndyCar champion A.J. Foyt is one of the greatest racing icons to many. The 89-year-old became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 race four times in his career, transcending all racing barriers of the time to etch his name in the history books. In 2023, Larry Foyt spoke about A.J. Foyt's mentality, in a video feature looking back at the former's career.

Foyt's legendary racing resume boasts a record of 159 USAC victories, including 67 in IndyCar. He also holds 12 major driving championships, including a record seven IndyCar titles, and was the first driver to win the prestigious Indianapolis 500 four times.

What sets Foyt’s career apart, however, is the era in which he raced. Foyt drove at a time when auto racing was a life-threatening pursuit. Safety standards were almost non-existent, and fatal accidents claimed the lives of many drivers regularly. Drivers such as Al Keller, Hugh Randall, Chuck Rodee, and Mike Spence, are just some of those who died while racing in the 1960s.

Foyt himself was not left unscathed by the circumstances in which he raced, as he survived three major crashes that left him with severe injuries, and narrowly escaped a fourth.

A.J. Foyt's biological grandson and adopted son Larry Foyt once reflected on the risks his grandfather faced and his unparalleled intensity. Speaking to The Associated Press in 2023, Larry said:

"The driver, especially coming up in that age when guys were dying literally, probably every month. To live through those days of auto racing, he is as intense. I mean, you just know. Everybody knows that with AJ, that's why he was so successful, it was a win, or second place was just a loss." (1:34)

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When A.J. Foyt reminisced his Indianapolis legacy

A.J. Foyt’s accomplishments at the Indianapolis 500 are central to his legacy. He was the first driver to claim four victories in the race, with wins spanning different eras of the sport. He won there twice in roadsters and twice in rear-engine cars. He won the race in 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1977.

His fourth and final win in 1977 holds special significance, as it came in a car he built himself, powered by an engine of his design.

In an interview with Autoweek in May 2023, Foyt described that victory as the "best race." He said,

"I would say the best race that I won was the fourth time I won it. I had my own race car, we built it, I drove it, it was my own motor, and nobody’s going to ever break that record."

For A.J. Foyt, the Indianapolis 500 is more than just a race. He added:

"I’ve won a lot of major races all over the world, but everybody knows me for Indianapolis. So that’s what it means to me.

"The fans, I love ‘em and they’ve supported me all these years. Even when I’ve been down, they’ve still been with me, so that’s why I’ve fought so hard to come back (every year)."

The revered racing figure still remains active in the racing world, now operating his IndyCar and NASCAR team A.J. Foyt Racing.