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Larry Foyt’s transition from race driver to Team Director began with a bang
when A.J. Foyt announced his youngest son’s appointment at Michigan Speedway in
the summer of 2006—unbeknownst to his son. While they had discussed the
possibility, Larry had thought he was still a few years away from the role as
second-in-command at A.J. Foyt Enterprises.
He handled the news with aplomb, accepting the challenge but also standing his
ground on being able to pursue driving opportunities in NASCAR. The change was
gradual at first, but now he is less concerned about driving and more focused on
running the Indy car team. He watched and learned his father’s team at work,
noting their strengths and weaknesses before devising a plan to bring about the
changes he saw necessary.
It hasn’t been without struggle as the father sought to teach his son about the
economic realities of operating an Indy car team and the son introduced programs
that affected the team’s bottom line. Larry has continued to emphasize the
engineering department which in turn has resulted in more efficient testing and
more useful data.
“It’s a work in progress,” said Foyt, who turned 32 in February.
In 2009, the team is working with a new driver –Vitor Meira and a new chief
engineer, Adam Schaechter. Usually one of those changes has a major impact on a
team, two at the same time is risky. And the team is working hard to gain its
footing.
“We’re improving as a whole, even if the results don’t show it yet,” said Foyt.
“When we looked at making some personnel changes, we thought it important to get
an in-house engineer who would live in Texas and be with the team on a daily
basis. Adam made that commitment and I can see the difference in our
competitiveness. The team is more focused on the details and those details will
add up to improved performance.”
Foyt admires his driver’s work ethic as well, saying, “Vitor epitomizes the
professional race driver, he is very focused and very driven. He wants to win as
badly as we do. He moved to Florida so he can train outdoors all year long.
Obviously his passion fits in well with or team. I don’t think anyone has been
passionate about racing than my dad and he still is after 50-plus years in Indy
cars!”
In addition to increasing the funding in the shock development program, getting
the tools and equipment in the best shape it’s been in years, Foyt has focused
on the race fundamentals too, instituting a workout program for the team at a
local gym and mandating daily pit stop practice.
The pit stops have been mistake-free and consistent. Now they have become an
opportunity to gain positions on track instead of a risk to lose them.
“The best part of it all is that A.J. has supported me all the way,” said Foyt.
“He is enjoying working with the engineer and they have earned each other’s
respect which probably came as a surprise to both of them. I’m really excited
about our team and or chances to win races this season.”
Foyt reflected on his past several seasons.
“The last two years I spent learning, watching a lot and listening too,” said
Foyt. “At the time I came on board in an official capacity with the Indy car
team at the end of 2006, I’d spent the last seven years in the stock cars. I
always felt comfortable around Indy car racing because I grew up with it, but I
had to get back into the Indy car mentality. They do some things differently
from NASCAR and the cars are more technologically advanced.
“I’m not the type of person who will come in and start making a lot of changes
straightaway,” he said. “It was important see how things were done, analyze and
see where we could improve and work to make changes in those areas.
“I think you can easily get lost in racing if you’re not careful. By making
small changes, they can add up to big results on the track. I also try to get
the best out of our guys. Sometimes you may have to shift things around a bit to
put them in areas where they can thrive. We’ve done that with a couple guys and
I’ve been impressed how they’ve responded.”
With his increasing responsibilities, Foyt has put his driving career on the
back burner, making the Indy car team his number one priority.
“It’s tough because I’m not quite ready to hang up my helmet,” he explains. “I
still enjoy driving a lot, and I can do it in the IndyCar’s off-season. I’ve had
to turn down a ride here and there which was hard but I know if I’m going to
make this team mine someday, I have to make some sacrifices.”
Foyt spent four years competing in the NASCAR Busch and Nextel Cup Series before
moving back to Texas in October, 2005. He was also a test driver for Evernham
Motorsports for several years. In February 2006, he proved he hadn’t lost his
touch behind the wheel with a strong debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
race at Daytona in February. He was running as high as fifth when a multi-car
crash sidelined him early.
Foyt competed in three Indianapolis 500s (2004 – 2006) but handling problems
resulted in disappointing finishes for the second generation driver.
Most of Foyt’s driving career has been focused on NASCAR. At Daytona in
February, 2005 Foyt put together a deal to run the ARCA race there. He qualified
12th and was running as high as third when officials penalized him one lap for a
crew member over the wall without a helmet. Foyt regained the lap on a restart,
went to the back of the pack and was threading his way from 32nd to sixth when
he was a victim of a 13-car crash with two to go. He was credited with 12th
place at the finish.
In 2004, Foyt experienced both the highs and lows inherent in motorsports at the
top levels of competition. He competed in the two most prestigious races in
America, the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. However, because the NASCAR
team was unable to secure sponsorship, he spent most of the season out of the
cockpit.
In his first Daytona 500, Larry finished in 28th place despite suffering
mechanical problems which forced him to the pits for over 20 laps. He competed
in two more events in the spring, the Subway 400 in Rockingham, N.C. where he
finished 32nd and the Samsung 500 in Ft Worth, Texas where finished 30th.
Without sponsorship, the team did not compete in any more races.
However, Larry accepted an invitation to drive for his father in the
Indianapolis 500. He qualified in 22nd place for the internationally famed
event. A.J.’s grandson, A.J. IV, qualified in 21st place in his second Indy
500-Mile race. Unfortunately, both Foyts were eliminated early due to accidents.
Despite the outcome, the experience ranks as one of Larry’s most memorable ever
in his career.
Larry made his debut in NASCAR’s premier series in 2003 driving for his father’s
Cup team. He competed in 20 races with a career best performance coming in the
final race of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He started 12th and finished
16th, proving that with the right support, he could be competitive.
In 2001 and 2002, he was the only driver-owner in the NASCAR Busch Series. His
two years in that series as an owner-driver were impressive given his lack of
stock car racing experience.
“It was a sink or swim experience for me,” Larry said, “and at times, I had some
doubts about keeping my head above water. But I got through it and I’m stronger
and smarter for it, as a driver and as a businessman.”
In 2002, Foyt qualified in the top-10 three times, with two starts in the
top-five. He finished in the top-10 twice with a best finish of eighth at
Talladega Superspeedway in the spring. Overall he posted five top-15 finishes
and nine top-20s.
In his rookie Busch season, his best start was fifth at Michigan and his best
finish was 12th at Talladega. He posted five top-20 finishes.
Making the jump from open-wheel racing to stock cars in 2000, Foyt spent a
season in the American Speed Association (ASA) -- leading laps in numerous
events, while earning one pole and posting 10 top-10 starts and four top-10
finishes.
Foyt never thought there was an opportunity to pursue motor sports as a career
because A.J. was always against his children racing. Larry grew up playing
sports like basketball, baseball and soccer. In fact, the only race he attended
regularly was the Indianapolis 500 to support his father. It wasn’t until he was
a freshman in high school that he became interested in driving race cars.
“It’s easy for my kids to look at the success I’ve had and think, yeah I’d like
to do that,” said A.J., Indy’s first four-time winner. “But I look back at some
of the accidents I’ve had, the scars I have now and the friends I’ve lost over
the years, and I think, who would want that for their kids? I had to do it
because I didn’t know anything else. My success gave my kids choices -- like a
college education. That’s what I wanted for my kids and I tried to insist on
it.”
In 1993, with his mother Lucy’s help, Larry was given permission to purchase his
first go-kart, an Emmick chassis with a 100cc-engine. He won the second race he
entered at Gulf Coast Kartway near Houston in 1995. A year later, he advanced to
the 125cc-shifter karts, and won the Texas State Championship.
Since racing was contingent upon completion of a college education, Foyt
graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Fort Worth’s Texas
Christian University in 2000. A.J.’s vigilance could not compare to his youngest
son’s desire and talent in the sport.
Foyt raced a limited schedule in the USAC Formula 2000 Series, competing on the
oval tracks where his father’s Indy car team was racing the same weekend. The
brief schedule made it tough to be competitive with teams who ran nearly 20
times a year; however Foyt recorded his best finish of fourth place at Phoenix
International Raceway.
Some of his best performances in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Formula
2000 road racing events came in 1999, where he consistently won or finished
second. He also earned his Indy car license after several test sessions with his
father’s IRL team, turning a best lap at more than 211 mph.
Foyt knows the challenges ahead of him. However, like his dad, meeting
challenges head on is what he does best.
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