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A.J. Foyt to Miss Rolex 24 At Daytona Due to Illness
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Jan. 27, 2012 – Daytona International Speedway officials today announced that 50th Rolex 24 At Daytona Grand Marshal A.J. Foyt has been forced to cancel his trip due to illness.
Foyt issued the following statement: “I am really sorry that I can’t be there this weekend for the Rolex 24. I was really looking forward to it because I thought it was a great honor to be asked to be the Grand Marshal of the 50th Anniversary of that race and considered it to be one of the great highlights of my career. I feel so bad that I let everyone down. I was also looking forward to seeing some of my old friends and the race cars that I drove in that race. It was going to be a really fun weekend for me but I guess I’ll be watching the race from my hospital room—yep the doctors pulled rank on me. And I hate to admit, but I think they’re right—this time. I’d like to wish everyone a safe race and I’ll be with you in spirit.”
Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said, “We wish A.J. a speedy recovery and hope he’s back on his feet soon.”
Foyt sustained some complications from his recent knee surgery but he is expected to make a full recovery.
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Don Halliday Joins AJ Foyt Racing as Chief Engineer
HOUSTON January 27, 2012—Don Halliday, one of the most respected engineers in open wheel racing, has signed with AJ Foyt Racing as chief engineer of the No. 14 ABC Supply Dallara powered by Honda and driven by Mike Conway.
Halliday’s connection with Foyt can be traced to one of Foyt’s former drivers, Kenny Brack, who won the IndyCar championship in 1998 and followed that up by winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1999.
“Kenny and I were talking about A.J.’s situation,” Halliday explained. “Kenny and A.J. have remained in touch ever since Kenny drove for him, and Kenny is a very good friend of mine, so there was a connection,” said Halliday.
Contact was made with Larry Foyt, team director of AJ Foyt Racing, who has been working the phones since October interviewing several drivers and engineers as he began reshaping the team in preparation for the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series season.
“It’s really exciting to have Don on board with us,” said Foyt. “The chief engineer is obviously a very important piece of the puzzle when you talk about building a race team, so getting to know him and watching him interact with our group as we started to work together makes me very optimistic. I really enjoy his approach to engineering a race car and his methodology, and I think it’s going to fit in really well with our team. So far everyone has jelled very quickly and we’re all really looking forward to getting on the race track and going racing.”
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AJ Foyt Racing Hires Mike Conway To Drive the No. 14 ABC Supply Indy Car
HOUSTON December 20, 2011—AJ Foyt Racing has hired Long Beach Grand Prix winner Mike Conway to drive the No. 14 ABC Supply Honda in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series.
Conway, who won the Long Beach Grand Prix in his 26th IndyCar start, brings strength on the road courses to the team. In 2011, he qualified in the top-10 six times on the road and street circuits, which is also where his four top-10 finishes came.
“With the Series having twice as many road courses as ovals, we looked for a driver who is fast on those tracks and Mike has certainly proved himself in that area,” said A.J. Foyt. “I’m looking forward to working with him,” adding with a chuckle, “I may even be able to give him a little advice when it comes to the ovals.”
“First of all I’d like to thank 2MB Sports Management and AJ Foyt Racing for making this deal come together. I can't wait to start work with the AJ Foyt Racing team and to drive the No. 14 ABC Supply Car. It's going to be an exciting season with the new cars and multiple engine manufacturers. Hopefully we can hit the ground running with off season developments and be quick out the box. I’m counting the days until the first test and the start of the season,” commented Mike Conway.
Conway made his first start in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2009 driving for Dreyer-Reinbold. Towards mid-season he began capitalizing on his brilliant potential with several top-10 finishes before scoring his first podium –a third place finish at California’s challenging Infineon Raceway.
In 2010, he was in position to post his fourth top-10 finish in six starts but on the final lap of the Indianapolis 500, he collided with a suddenly slowing Ryan Hunter-Reay, launching Conway into the catchfence resulting in season-ending injuries to his leg and back.
Signing with Andretti Autosport in 2011, Conway dispelled all doubts about his return to the cockpit with a strong fourth place qualifying run in the season opener in St. Petersburg and an incredible drive in the Long Beach Grand Prix. In that race, he qualified third but dropped to 21st after a problem on the first pit stop. Conway fought his way back to lead the final 14 laps after executing a couple of textbook passes on frontrunners Ryan Briscoe and Dario Franchitti, who finished second and third.
The British Racing Drivers Club recently awarded the Innes Ireland Award to Conway in recognition of his inspiring comeback from his 2010 Indy 500 accident. The award is given to the driver who best displayed the qualities of courage and sportsmanship epitomized by the late Innes Ireland, a British Formula 1 driver who was badly injured in the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix. He recovered to win three Grands Prix the same season including the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.
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