Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[A.J. Foyt hospitalized]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/29/a-j-foyt-hospitalized/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/29/a-j-foyt-hospitalized/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/29/a-j-foyt-hospitalized/#commentsFiled under: , ,

AJ FoytLegendary driver A.J. Foyt has been hospitalized after suffering complications from knee surgery. The 77-year-old Foyt had the surgery two weeks ago and was slated to serve as the grand marshal for the 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Jackie Stewart stepped in to handle those duties in Foyt's place this weekend.

According to a spokeswoman, the driver had been up and walking around after the surgery, but had developed an infection this week. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Foyt expressed his remorse for missing the Rolex, saying, "I feel so bad that I let everyone down."

Meanwhile, Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said that the track and everyone involved with the race wishes Foyt a quick recovery.

Foyt is a towering figure in racing circles. He remains the only driver in history to win the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We wish him a speedy recovery. Click past the break for a quick statement regarding his hospitalization.

Continue reading A.J. Foyt hospitalized

A.J. Foyt hospitalized originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 hours of daytona24 hours of le mansajaj foytcomplicationsdaytonadaytona 500foytindianapolis 500knee surgeryrolex 24 at daytonasurgerySun, 29 Jan 2012 10:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20159339/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/29/a-j-foyt-hospitalized/20159339/article-detail.xml 20159339 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/aj-foyt-portrait-07-250_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/aj-foyt-portrait-07-250.jpg <![CDATA[Ryan Hunter-Reay replaces Bruno Junqueira for Indy 500 race in rare Foyt-Andretti deal]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/25/bruno-junqueira-replaced-in-indy-500-by-ryan-hunter-reay-in-land/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/25/bruno-junqueira-replaced-in-indy-500-by-ryan-hunter-reay-in-land/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/25/bruno-junqueira-replaced-in-indy-500-by-ryan-hunter-reay-in-land/#commentsFiled under: ,

Ryan Hunter-Reay

The Indy 500 has all sorts of unique rules. The qualifying format we recently reported on is one of them, and so is the driver replacement rule. The regulations state that a team may replace a driver who qualified for the race with one who didn't, resulting in the revised entry moving to the back of the grid. And that's exactly what's happened with AJ Foyt Enterprises driver Bruno Junqueira and Andretti Autosport's Ryan Hunter-Reay (pictured above practicing last weekend at Indy).

The winner of multiple Champ Car races during the series' split and a former International Formula 3000 champion, Junqueira qualified in 19th place on the grid for this year's landmark running of the Indianapolis 500. Hunter-Reay, however, did not. The American driver initially landed a place on the grid, only to be bumped off by his team-mates Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti as well as Paul Tracy, Ryan Briscoe and others. But an historic agreement between longtime rivals Foyt and Andretti will see Hunter-Reay take Junqueira's place on the grid in a joint entry between the two teams that will feature a combination of sponsors on the car's livery.

This isn't the first time Junqueira has been replaced after qualifying for the Indy 500. A similar move in 2009 at Conquest Racing saw the Brazilian driver step aside in favor of Alex Tagliani, the Canadian driver who this year took pole position.

Meanwhile, Hunter-Reay, if you can believe it, stands as the only American to win an IndyCar race since 2008. That year Graham Rahal won in St. Petersburg, Florida, Danica Patrick won at the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan and Hunter-Reay won at Watkins Glen. Since then it's been all foreigners - such as Britain's Dario Franchitti and Mike Conway, Australia's Will Power and Ryan Briscoe, and Brazil's Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan - with the exception of Hunter-Reay's win at Long Beach last year.

Ryan Hunter-Reay replaces Bruno Junqueira for Indy 500 race in rare Foyt-Andretti deal originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 indianapolis 500aj foytaj foyt enterprisesandrettiandretti autosportbruno junqueirafoythunter-reayindianapolis 500indyindy 500indycarindycar seriesjunqueiraryan hunter-reayWed, 25 May 2011 08:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19949655/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/05/25/bruno-junqueira-replaced-in-indy-500-by-ryan-hunter-reay-in-land/19949655/article-detail.xml 19949655 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/hunter-reay_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/hunter-reay.jpg <![CDATA[A.J. Foyt to replace Donald Trump as Scott Speed and Ho-Pin Tung debut at 100th Indy 500]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/12/a-j-foyt-to-replace-donald-trump-as-scott-speed-and-ho-pin-tung/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/12/a-j-foyt-to-replace-donald-trump-as-scott-speed-and-ho-pin-tung/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/12/a-j-foyt-to-replace-donald-trump-as-scott-speed-and-ho-pin-tung/#commentsFiled under: ,

Donald Trump in the Indy 500 pace car

It'll be a landmark running for the Indianapolis 500 later this month, as the event celebrates its 100th anniversary as the premier open-wheel racing event in America. All of which only gave some fans more reason to be ticked off when Donald Trump was announced as this year's pace car driver.

Annoyed by political implications detracting from the spirit of racing, many fans were up in arms when Trump was announced as the official pace car driver, evidently prompting the celebrity businessman and possible presidential candidate to change his plans. In his place, organizers at the Speedway have invited none other than A.J. Foyt to drive the Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible that will serve as the official pace car. As a four-time Indy 500 winner, Foyt is among the most decorated drivers ever to lap the Brickyard, and his nomination will surely come as more welcome news to the legions of open-wheel devotees.

In related news, two drivers better known for their formula racing activities overseas will make their Indy debuts at the 500 this year. One of them is Scott Speed, the last American to race in Formula One. Speed shifted over the NASCAR after things didn't pan out in F1, until Red Bull dropped his sponsorship last year. Given his experience in open wheels and oval tracks, Speed may find a new home at Indy.

Also making his Indy debut will be Ho-Pin Tung, who will become the first Chinese driver to contest the Indianapolis 500. Tung is a reserve/test driver for Renault F1 this season and has contested such feeder series as GP2, A1GP and Superleague Formula. Both he and Speed will be driving for Jay Penske's Dragon Racing team and will be eligible for the $5 million bonus available to drivers from outside the series should they overcome the insurmountable odds to claim the checkered flag and drink milk in victory lane.

A.J. Foyt to replace Donald Trump as Scott Speed and Ho-Pin Tung debut at 100th Indy 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 May 2011 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a.j. foytaj foytdonald trumpdragon racingfoytho-pin tungindianapolis 500indy 500jay penskepace carscott speedspeedtrumptungThu, 12 May 2011 18:42:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19937728/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/05/12/a-j-foyt-to-replace-donald-trump-as-scott-speed-and-ho-pin-tung/19937728/article-detail.xml 19937728 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/trump-indypace_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/trump-indypace.jpg <![CDATA[IndyCar no longer content with crowning single champion, moving to three?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/28/indycar-no-longer-content-with-crowning-single-champion-moves-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/28/indycar-no-longer-content-with-crowning-single-champion-moves-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/28/indycar-no-longer-content-with-crowning-single-champion-moves-t/#commentsFiled under:



What, Danica Patrick's inclusion in the sport isn't enough to generate sufficient interest? Guess not. Seemingly in an attempt to generate some additional excitement in the 17-race 2010 IndyCar Series schedule, Randy Bernard, first-year chief executive of the Indy Racing League, has announced that there will be three different winners after the season is done and over with. Why? We'll let Bernard explain:
After my first six weeks, I kept saying to myself we need to be able to deliver a consistent message about our sport that separates us from other forms of auto racing... What hit me is that we have the fastest and most versatile drivers and racecars in the world - and no one can deny that - and now we have to show why we're the fastest and most versatile. We have 17 events, but how do we create better story lines?
Apparently, that "consistent message" necessitates awarding a winner for both oval racing (to attract NASCAR fans?) and road racing (to attract F1 or Le Mans series fans?) in addition to the normal overall series champion.

Does this three-tiered championship earn your interest? If so, you'll be pleased to hear that a contest coming in late May will allow fans to help choose the names for the oval and road racing trophies. So far, it seems that Foyt (oval) and Andretti (road) are the leading candidates.

[Source: The New York Times | Image: Darrell Ingham/Getty]

IndyCar no longer content with crowning single champion, moving to three? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 indycar2010 indycar champion2010 indycar championship2010Indycar2010IndycarChampion2010IndycarChampionshipaj foytAjFoytandrettiIndianapolis 500Indianapolis500indyIndy 500Indy Racing LeagueIndy500indycarindycar championindycar championshipindycar seriesIndycarChampionIndycarChampionshipIndycarSeriesIndyRacingLeaguemario andrettiMarioAndrettiRandy BernardRandyBernardWed, 28 Apr 2010 16:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19457663/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/04/28/indycar-no-longer-content-with-crowning-single-champion-moves-t/19457663/article-detail.xml 19457663 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/dario-irl-champ-cup-kiss-getty-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/dario-irl-champ-cup-kiss-getty-630.jpg <![CDATA[Five inducted into Automotive Hall of Fame]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/18/five-inducted-into-automotive-hall-of-fame/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/18/five-inducted-into-automotive-hall-of-fame/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/18/five-inducted-into-automotive-hall-of-fame/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Automotive Hall of Fame has added five new inductees to its ranks. A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Charles B. King, Sergio Pininfarina, and Shoichiro Toyoda were honored with a formal induction ceremony on Tuesday, October 16th, having been named as inductees back in March at the New York International Auto Show. Foyt and Gurney are honored for their racing endeavors as teammates and owners. Charles B. King may be an obscure name to most, but he was a renaissance man who designed, built, and drove the first car Detroit's streets ever saw. Sergio Pininfarina's work speaks for itself; over fifty years of automotive haute couture. Pininfarina's son Paolo, vice chairman of the firm, accepted on his father's behalf, Sergio having a case of the flu. Toyoda, who has built an automotive giant, joked that halls of fame typically honor individuals in their twilight as he accepted the award. Toyoda, Pininfarina, Gurney, and Foyt are arguably not yet watching the sun set on their accomplishments yet.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Five inducted into Automotive Hall of Fame originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aj foytAjFoytautomotive hall of fameAutomotiveHallOfFamecharles b kingCharlesBKingdan gurneyDanGurneyinducteesinductioninduction ceremonyInductionCeremonypininfarinasergio pininfarinaSergioPininfarinashoichiro toyodaShoichiroToyodatoyodatoyotaThu, 18 Oct 2007 18:26:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1015560/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/10/18/five-inducted-into-automotive-hall-of-fame/1015560/article-detail.xml 1015560 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/10/toyoda_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/10/toyoda.jpg -1 2