Foyt, Nearly 50, Has No Plans to Quit Driving Racing Cars

A.J. Foyt, who will be 50 years old on Jan. 16, says he’s not even thinking about retiring from auto racing, yet.

Foyt, who earlier said he would be back at Indianapolis in May to try for an unprecedented fifth victory in the Indy 500, has also entered the SunBank 24-Hour sports car endurance race and the Daytona 500 Grand National stock car race, both at Daytona International Speedway in February.

Asked if he had considered retiring in 1985, Foyt replied: “This seems to come up every year, and every year I tell people I’ll let them know, but not to expect me to retire any time soon.

“I’ll just keep entering races. That should be a good enough answer.”

As for the 24-hour race, which he won in 1983 while codriving with Frenchmen Bob Wollek and Claude Ballot-Lena, and the 500-mile race, which he won in 1972, Foyt said, “I expect to have cars capable of winning both.”

Only five drivers have started more races at Daytona, where Foyt has taken the green flag in 66 events and won six times. Bobby Allison leads with 102, followed by David Pearson, Richard Petty, Buddy Baker and Cale Yarborough--all stock car veterans.

“I love this place,” Foyt said.