Foyt Injured Again; 500 Streak in Danger

A.J. Foyt suffered a broken right shoulder in a crash Friday at Phoenix International Raceway, putting his record streak of 34 starts in the Indianapolis 500 on May 24 in jeopardy.

Foyt, 57, crashed his 1991 Lola-Chevrolet-A after sliding through some fluid on the one-mile oval during the opening practice session for Sunday’s Valvoline 200. Officials said he probably will be sidelined for four to six weeks.

When told by a nurse that he might be unable to drive for that long, Foyt reportedly said: “Nah, Texans heal faster.”

Foyt had crashed three times previously this year, once during a NASCAR Southwest Tour stock car race at Phoenix and twice during preparation for the Daytona 500 stock car race, all in February.

Emerson Fittipaldi, the former Indy-car and Formula One champion who began the season by winning on the street circuit at Australia’s Surfers Paradise, easily was the fastest driver Friday with a lap of 169.436 m.p.h.