AJ Foyt Racing To Honor Marlyne Sexton with Tribute Livery

INDIANAPOLIS (June 17, 2025) -- With a heavy heart, AJ Foyt Racing is saddened to share that Marlyne Sexton passed away June 11th. The team will honor Mrs. Sexton with a special tribute livery on the No. 14 Chevrolet this weekend at the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

A very successful businesswoman and generous philanthropist who lived in Indianapolis, Mrs. Sexton was a longtime friend of A.J. Foyt, who originally met her through her husband Joe Sexton.

"I met Marlyne's husband Joe Sexton years ago," Foyt explained. "We were talking about garden apartments and how many they had in Houston. He flew down to see them, came back and built some on Tenth Street. I was one of the first customers, and from then on, we were just great friends."

Marlyne and A.J. at the IMS Museum exhibit honoring A.J. in 2017. They are standing next to one of A.J.'s NASCAR stock cars that Marlyne donated to the exhibit from her private collection started by her husband Joe.

"I loved Marlyne very much," Foyt continued. "She was a beautiful woman and a wonderful sponsor. She wasn't very critical, like a lot of sponsors can be. She was just a wonderful lady and a really loyal friend. I will really miss her."

Sexton Properties first became part of the AJ Foyt Racing organization in 2015 as an associate sponsor of the Alfe Heat Treating entry driven by Alex Tagliani in the Indianapolis 500. Sexton Properties' association with the team grew with each succeeding year to eventually become a primary marketing partner.

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of Marlyne Sexton. It can't be overstated the positive effects she has had on not only our team but on me personally as well," revealed Larry Foyt, team president of AJ Foyt Racing. "Her strength and positive influence are a huge piece of our recent successes. I will forever be grateful for the life lessons she taught me and the confidence she instilled in all aspects of my life. Marlyne loved watching IndyCar and cheering for AJ Foyt Racing. I will miss our talks about the races and the team, but her teachings and impact will be remembered for the rest of my life."

Last year Larry and A.J. presented Marlyne with a framed uniform in appreciation for her continued support throughout the years. The inscription reads: "To Marlyne, A most loyal and generous friend whose concern and support is deeply appreciated by our race team, our family and most of all, me. Always, A.J. Foyt."

Mrs. Sexton was an ardent supporter of driver Santino Ferrucci and started attending races outside of the Indy 500 despite her busy travel schedule which often took her to New York, Washington, D.C., and Florida.

"Marlyne was an incredible woman," said Ferrucci. "She really believed in me, the team and what we could do. I'm very thankful for her and her daughters, Tracy and Nicole. Marlyne really cared a lot about our team. She treated me like family during the three years I got to know her."

Santino, Marlyne and A.J. chat inside the A-1 garage at Indy in 2024.

Mrs. Sexton and her late husband Joe Sexton, whom Foyt had known since the early 60's, were owners of Sexton Properties, a real estate development company that built garden apartment complexes throughout Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana and Texas. Mrs. Sexton was the driving force behind the company's expansion into multiple states, and she continued to run the company after her husband passed away in 2002.

Mrs. Sexton's philanthropy was extensive within Indiana, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a Festival Foundation Board Director and her endowment of the Festival Princess Program scholarships. She is a major sponsor of the IMS Museum, the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library Foundation and the Children's Museum.

“Marlyne’s passion for the Indianapolis community as a whole and the INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a bright light for so many," said Doug Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NTT INDYCAR Series. "She led with her heart, a heart that was committed to making a difference and using her influence to make Indianapolis a better place to live and work. The legacy that Marlyne and her late husband Joe have left will benefit generations to come. She will be missed in and around the community for that leadership – and we will certainly miss her passion and enthusiasm for our sport of Indy car racing trackside.”

Marlyne was given a seat on the No. 14 timing stand during the Indy 500 and was privvy to the internal communication within the team which sometimes resulted in raised eyebrows due to the colorful language she heard!

However, her generosity extended well beyond Indiana and the USA. She was a lifetime member and on the board of the White House Historical Association, a generous supporter of the Alzheimer's Association and the King Charles III Foundation in the United Kingdom. A former Broadway producer, she established several musical theater programs and contributed generously to enhance facilities for the visual arts at Southern Methodist University. 

Marlyne Sexton's positive impact on AJ Foyt Racing, the Indianapolis 500 and the community at large, was immense and longstanding. She will be deeply missed.