| A.J. Foyt is one of the stellar names in the history of | | | | features, and accidents often caused severe injury |
| motorsports. This Texan started his racing career on | | | | to the drivers. In 1965, an accident in Riverside, |
| a small dirt track in the town of Springfield, Illinois in | | | | California left him with a broken ankle, a broken back, |
| 1957. Though his career had him traveling over a large | | | | and severe chest injuries. A doctor pronounced Foyt |
| part of the world, the most exciting races were | | | | dead at the scene, but driver Parnelli Jones say some |
| those in America. He became the first four time | | | | movement and revived him. Only ten weeks later, |
| winner of the Indianapolis 500, on that famous motor | | | | Foyt was back behind the wheel, winning five races |
| speedway. He has competed in 35 Indy 500s as a | | | | that season. |
| driver, which is a record that probably will stay | | | | The next year his car hit the wall in Wisconsin, |
| unchallenged. | | | | causing the fuel tank to rupture, and burning A.J.'s |
| A.J. has driven in a number of different venues: | | | | hands and face. The rest of that season was a |
| NASCAR, midgets, sprints, and even Le Mans. He | | | | difficult one to finish, and his point ranking put him |
| won over 150 major races during his driving career, | | | | 13th in the list. Other people began talking about his |
| which has been over more than four decades. Not | | | | retiring from the track. This caused A.J. to make 1967 |
| only is this man talented and versatile, but his long | | | | a banner year, and he won the national title for the |
| career has showed off two of his major character | | | | fifth time. This included his third win at Indianapolis. |
| qualities: perseverance and toughness. | | | | The Indy 500 that year had a remarkable finish. A.J. |
| Not only has A.J. instilled a love of cars and racing to | | | | was in front by nearly one lap, and as he was making |
| his children, he himself received it from his father. His | | | | the last lap, there was a large group of cars in front |
| father was an auto mechanic that loved racing, and | | | | of him. All of a sudden, a number of cars were |
| would tell A.J. stories of the auto racing of years | | | | spinning, and bouncing off the walls. A.J. dropped his |
| gone by. They worked on cars together, as his | | | | car into second gear, deciding he was going to win |
| father had them as a hobby as well as a business. | | | | even if he had to push a few cars ahead of him |
| He took one of the cars from his father and started | | | | across the finish line. |
| out on the racing circuit in the years 1953 through | | | | Many more notable successes came, along with a |
| 1957. Though he persevered, driving the tow vehicle | | | | number of other injuries, through the 1970s and |
| to get the racer to the various tracks, success did | | | | 1980s. One of the worst happened in 1990, when his |
| not happen often. However, other race car owners | | | | brakes failed and the car sailed off of the track at |
| noticed the young man, and made him offers to be a | | | | 190 mph and landed in a dirt wall. Though the injuries |
| driver for more established teams. | | | | were not life threatening, both of his legs were |
| The year 1958 was his first year driving in the Indy | | | | shattered. The pain was intense, and required several |
| 500. He got past the rookie weedout, and finished | | | | surgeries. After another six months of therapy, he |
| 16th in the race, actually earning several thousand | | | | limped to his car to qualify second for the Indy 500. |
| dollars for the effort. This was a great | | | | Though he did not complete this race due to a |
| encouragement for someone used to sleeping in the | | | | mechanical malfunction, the heart and determination |
| towing vehicle, or on an extra cot in someone's | | | | of this great racer is exemplified by this victory over |
| house. | | | | circumstance. |
| The cars of that era did not have many safety | | | | |