INDYCAR NEWS AND NOTES – Sept. 25, 2013

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

 1.      If you missed it: INDYCAR Conference Call with A.J. Foyt

 2.      Sato piling up the miles

 3.      Strike to support Newgarden’s car at Houston

1. If you missed it: INDYCAR Conference Call with A.J. Foyt: Earlier today, racing legend and IZOD IndyCar Series team owner A.J. Foyt participated in an INDYCAR Conference Call to discuss the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston. Selected quotes from the call are below.

Q: What was it like to be back at the racetrack yesterday at Fontana?  

A.J. FOYT:  Well, it was a lot better than being in a hospital bed, I’ll assure you that. I really enjoyed getting back there with the group and the crew and all that and really enjoyed it.  It was a long day because I flew out there that morning and flew back last night.  I’m kind of tired today a little bit, but we’ll bounce back pretty strong. 

Q: I know that Takuma Sato is one of the 10 drivers who have won a race this season, and he led the point standings going into Indianapolis this year.  With the team at the shop and watching the races at home, how would you judge the job the team has done so far in 2013?  

A.J. FOYT:  We’ve really started off good and run into kind of a bad luck streak, and that’s racing.  It’s not going to be rosy all the time, and you’ve got to accept that.  I think he’s done a great job for us.  It’s just a couple mistakes that were made that really hurt us, and then we had a couple of other problems that weren’t the crew’s fault or his fault.  But you’re going to have that in today’s racing or any racing.  As long as the good offsets the bad, that is the biggest thing. 

Q: The next stop for the series is the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston, which will mark the first time that your team has actually raced in your back yard of Houston, Texas. Talk a little about INDYCAR coming to Houston and the show cast for your hometown? 

A.J. FOYT:  You always like to run in your hometown.  I wish I was still young and still driving, because before we came back here I was fortunate enough to win right here in my hometown.  But I’m not driving anymore.  I think he’ll run good, and they’ll have to beat him because he’s very fast on street courses.  You know, if we don’t get penalized on something, we’ll be in good shape. 

Q: Could you have imagined that it would be 50 years later before you got back even though you’re not driving, at least got back to run a race here?  

A.J. FOYT:  Well, everybody said when I started I was never going to live to be 22, so I don’t know if that’s good or bad.  I wasn’t even supposed to be around this long.  They showed me pictures of my earlier days up on two wheels and one wheel.  That’s when you didn’t have all of the roll cages.  I guess I’m lucky to still be here.  It’s been a good life.  It’s been a fun life.  Life is very short.  People don’t realize if you cannot do what you want to do in life, you have a miserable life.  So far I’ve been able to do what I want to do and had a lot of fun.  I’ve been able to feed my wife and the children.  I’m no big, big, multi-, multi-millionaire, but at least I know where my next meal’s coming from now. It’s been a good life and I’ve had a lot of fun.  So what else can you ask about life?  

Q: How special would it be to race in your hometown again?  

A.J. FOYT:  Well, I’m thrilled to run here.  I wish I wasn’t so damn old that I could run myself.  But time passes on.  There comes a time when you have to quit.  I felt like it was there the day I quit it at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  That was it.  I crawled out and I haven’t crawled back in one since. Even though we go testing, a lot of people say why don’t you get in one, and that would be like an alcoholic.  You take to hearing all that and have a beer or something like that, and then you’re right back on it.  I know I’m too old to even try, but I fight.  But there is no way you could hog tie me in one anymore. 

Q: Where do we stand with team growth?  You’ve toyed around with one or two cars, and where to go with two cars.  I know Larry takes care of a lot of that.  But is there any hope for a second car?  

A.J. FOYT:  The way I look at that, I would like to run two cars again, but getting a proper sponsor and doing it 100 percent, I’m not doing it until we can do it right.  It only takes one car to win the race, and I know it makes it easier when you’ve got a team with two or three cars, because if something happens to one, you’ve got a good back up on the next one.  But I’d like to go back to a two car team, but at the same time, it takes a lot of money now.  If you can’t do it right, there is no sense in trying to do it. 

2. Sato piling up the miles: Takuma Sato flew from Tokyo to Los Angeles for the Honda manufacturer test at Auto Club Speedway and returned to Tokyo after completing the sessions in the No. 14 ABC Supply car for A.J. Foyt Racing.

He’s competing in Round 6 of the Super Formula Series in Sugo, Japan, this weekend. Others in the race include former IZOD IndyCar Series driver Hideki Mutoh and Ryo Hirakawa, who tested a Dale Coyne Racing car at Sonoma Raceway in August.

Sato competed in the season opener in April at the Suzuka circuit.

3. Strike to support Newgarden’s car at Houston: The No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing car driven by Josef Newgarden will carry primary sponsorship for the Houston doubleheader from Strike, an energy services provider based in The Woodlands, Texas. 

“To bring on a partner such as Strike will put forth a fantastic commercial effort as we work through our first race weekend in Houston,” said team co-owner Sarah Fisher. “Everyone at Strike has been truly engaged in the process and I greatly look forward to working with them throughout the weekend and beyond. We are certain the livery will grab a lot of attention and hopefully showcase Strike in the best possible arena.”

Founded in 2003, Strike’s efforts have expanded across the United States, providing 13 different service locations. Many of Strike’s employees and clients are looking forward to joining SFHR’s family in Houston.

“We are excited to partner with a world class racing team like Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing,” Steve Pate, Chairman and CEO of Strike, LLC said. “We cannot wait to see Josef Newgarden drive the Strike car to victory.”

 ***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston presented by the Greater Houston Honda Dealers doubleheader on Oct. 5 and 6 at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Speedway at Reliant Park. Both races will be televised live by NBC Sports Network (3 p.m. ET on Oct. 5 and 1 p.m. ET on Oct. 6) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network, including on Sirius and XM Channels 211, www.indycar.com and the INDYCAR 13 App for most smartphones and tablets. The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Grand Prix of Houston on Oct. 5 at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Speedway at Reliant Park. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 4 p.m. (ET) on Oct. 6.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

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