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Season Wrap-up
By A.J. Foyt
This column will probably be my last of the year as the Indy Racing
League and the Infinti Pro Series wrapped up their seasons this past
weekend at Texas Motor Speedway outside of Fort Worth.
My grandson A.J. Foyt IV won the final race and with it, the Infiniti
Pro Series championship in the Harrah's No. 14 car. For him to win the
title in Texas with all of his family, friends and our friends who are
like family here too, made it very special.
When I signed him up for this series last May, I figured he'd win a
race but I never expected him to do as well as he did. He surprised me
with how fast he adapted to the cars, the speeds, the big tracks and
the length of the races. He had to face a lot of challenges including
some very talented competition.
 I'll
say one thing, the kid has style -- he finished out the season the
same way he started it: winning the pole and then going on to win the
race. All in all, he won four poles and four races in seven starts.
That's a pretty good record.
I know it means a lot to him but I think it means even more to me. I'm
glad I was there to enjoy it and be a part of it.
A lot of people are assuming that he will just go into the IRL next
year but I haven't decided yet where he'll race. I'm not going to put
him into a series until I think he's ready for it. Or maybe I should
say until I'm ready for it!
We plan to test quite a bit this winter and based on what happens
there, I'll have a better idea of where he'll be racing next year. He
may do another year in the Infiniti Pro Series because there is still
a lot he has to learn. We'll see.
The final race of the Indy Racing League season lived up to its
advanced billing as it came down to a thrilling battle for the season
championship. Sam Hornish and Helio Castroneves went at it wheel to
wheel for the final 30 laps even touching wheels! Hornish edged out
Castroneves by inches to win the race and the championship. If he had
finished third and Castroneves won, the title would have gone to
Castroneves. Once again the fans who came to Texas got their money's
worth.
 My
own Indy car season finished up a lot more quietly. We qualified so-so
but I thought we had a good set-up for the Harrah's Dallaras. In fact,
Eliseo Salazar said his car was brilliant and he could put it anywhere
on the track he wanted. But it's not all about handling and the truth
was, we were down on power. Salazar was looking at a top-10 finish but
he dropped out 14 laps from the end because his motor dropped a valve.
 Airton
finished 12th in the race but he was never happy with the way it
handled. The handling got much worse after he ran over debris from an
accident on lap 87. The debris punched some holes in the undertray on
the bottom of the car. It's supposed to be smooth and slick but the
holes affected the handling. He did a good job to bring the Harrah's
No. 14 home in one piece.
Even though my Indy car season is over, NASCAR is still racing every
weekend through November. Now I can concentrate fully on my Conseco
Winston Cup team and work with my son Larry Foyt who drives the No. 14
Harrah's Chevrolet in the Busch Series. |
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