Wheel-Nut
06-08-05, 02:58 PM
Straight from the horses mouth!
LINK (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/car/3215987)
In a perfect world, A.J. Foyt IV, the grandson of A.J., would drive No. 14 to victory in Saturday's Bombardier Learjet 500K at Texas Motor Speedway. The Foyts would celebrate in their home state, and their legend would grow.
It won't happen. Period. End of pipe dream.
And despite what you might read in certain racing publications, Foyt insists it has nothing to with his ability as an owner or the ability of Anthony — as A.J. IV is known — to drive a race car.
The car A.J. owns and Anthony drives makes it impossible for him to compete, Foyt says. Under a contract that ends at the end of this season, the Foyts have a car with a Toyota engine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with driving a Camry around town, but the Toyota engines in the Indy Racing League are, quite simply, dogs.
Foyt also bristles when he reads that his lack of knowledge and confidence in computers that design modern engines has held back his team. Not so, he says.
"People say we don't have the computer stuff everybody else has," Foyt said. "That's all bull. I've got the same computers as everybody else has. Most of these engineers I know. I can get help from any of them I want.
"I've had a couple of them come over and say, 'Hell, A.J., you forgot more than we'll ever know.' It's just what people want to write. I laugh about it."
There aren't many laughs in the Foyt camp these days. Anthony, who turned 21 this year, feels pressure on both ends. His grandfather is a great teacher, but he also is demanding. Anthony goes into each race hoping for the best but understanding it likely won't happen.
"It is tough when you go out and you want to run with everybody and your car is handling well, and you're still 3 or 4 mph off the pace," Anthony said. "Toyota says they're working hard, but we also heard that last year and at the beginning of this year.
"Hopefully they'll find something to get us up there where we need to be. I know they know we're down, but it doesn't make it any easier on us. What we need to do is get on equal footing."
:gomer:
LINK (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/car/3215987)
In a perfect world, A.J. Foyt IV, the grandson of A.J., would drive No. 14 to victory in Saturday's Bombardier Learjet 500K at Texas Motor Speedway. The Foyts would celebrate in their home state, and their legend would grow.
It won't happen. Period. End of pipe dream.
And despite what you might read in certain racing publications, Foyt insists it has nothing to with his ability as an owner or the ability of Anthony — as A.J. IV is known — to drive a race car.
The car A.J. owns and Anthony drives makes it impossible for him to compete, Foyt says. Under a contract that ends at the end of this season, the Foyts have a car with a Toyota engine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with driving a Camry around town, but the Toyota engines in the Indy Racing League are, quite simply, dogs.
Foyt also bristles when he reads that his lack of knowledge and confidence in computers that design modern engines has held back his team. Not so, he says.
"People say we don't have the computer stuff everybody else has," Foyt said. "That's all bull. I've got the same computers as everybody else has. Most of these engineers I know. I can get help from any of them I want.
"I've had a couple of them come over and say, 'Hell, A.J., you forgot more than we'll ever know.' It's just what people want to write. I laugh about it."
There aren't many laughs in the Foyt camp these days. Anthony, who turned 21 this year, feels pressure on both ends. His grandfather is a great teacher, but he also is demanding. Anthony goes into each race hoping for the best but understanding it likely won't happen.
"It is tough when you go out and you want to run with everybody and your car is handling well, and you're still 3 or 4 mph off the pace," Anthony said. "Toyota says they're working hard, but we also heard that last year and at the beginning of this year.
"Hopefully they'll find something to get us up there where we need to be. I know they know we're down, but it doesn't make it any easier on us. What we need to do is get on equal footing."
:gomer: