A.J. Foyt leading candidate to drive Indy 500 pace car
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A.J. Foyt, USAC Sprints at the Reading Fairgrounds March 29, 1964
A.J. Foyt has emerged as the leading candidate to drive the Indianapolis 500 pace car later this month in the wake of Donald Trump bowing out today.
Foyt said he hadn’t been contacted by Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials — “Maybe they want Mario (Andretti),” he joked — but that offer could come as soon as Friday.
A spokesperson for Foyt’s Izod IndyCar Series team said Foyt likely would be honored to serve if asked.
The 100th-anniversary race is May 29. Foyt, one of the 500’s three four-time winners, won the 50th-anniversary race in 1961.
Trump told IMS officials that he couldn’t keep his commitment, which includes pre-race testing at the track.
“I very much appreciate the honor, but time and business constraints make my appearance there impossible to fulfill,” Trump said in a statement released by IMS. “I look forward to watching the race from New York.”
Trump’s decision relieved a pressurized situation for IMS.
Backlash began when the controversial Trump selection was made April 5. It grew as he challenged President Barack Obama on his birthplace and suggested Obama wasn’t qualified to attend two Ivy League schools.
From Facebook to Twitter to old-school telephone calls and letters, IMS officials caught flak. CEO Jeff Belskus declined comment beyond a prepared statement, which came after two days of meetings on the subject.
The complaint: That the pace car driver should not be a distraction to the 100th-anniversary race or the Memorial Day weekend honoring of the past and present troops who fight for democracy.
Track spokesman Doug Boles described the public’s reaction as “a factor” in the discussions. He made it clear the fans’ wishes will be heard.
“Our fans want a former (500) winner or they want a military person,” Boles said. “When the (selection) group gets together, it will probably be a former winner.”
The selection group is led by Belskus and includes General Motors officials. Representatives of the Izod IndyCar Series and Izod, which sponsors the series and brought Trump to the pace car discussion by virtual of their business ties, will be consulted, too.
Foyt, who retired from competition in 1993, is expected to receive unanimous approval.
