Racing legend A.J. Foyt recovering after hip-replacement surgery

Legendary racer and IndyCar team owner A.J. Foyt is recovering in a Houston hospital from hip-replacement surgery on his left hip, Foyt’s team said Tuesday.

The 78-year-old Foyt had the operation Monday after falling while working on his Texas ranch in early June.

He’s expected to remain in the hospital for several days and will miss the next Izod IndyCar Series race Sunday at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, but he’s expected to make a full recovery, his team said.

“I’m sore but nothing like I was before the surgery,” Foyt said in a statement. “I guess I waited too long to have it done, though, because my hip was in really bad shape.

“The doctors tell me it will be six to eight weeks before I can travel,” Foyt added.

It was the second major surgery for Foyt this year. In April he had lower-back surgery to relieve sciatic-nerve pain.

That same month Foyt enjoyed his first win as a team owner in more than a decade when his driver Takuma Sato won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Foyt won a record 67 IndyCar races in his illustrious career and he’s one of only three drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 four times. The others are Al Unser and Rick Mears.

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