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Article: A.J. Foyt: Born to race cars // Four-time Indy champ is a legend Series: GREATEST ATHLETES OF THE CENTURY
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- May 29, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright (null) Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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First in a series
A.J. Foyt was born with the scent of gas fumes stinging his
nostrils and his ears pounding with the roar of racing engines.
Son of a mechanic and part-time midget racer, his cradle was an
oil bin and he teethed on a monkey wrench. Grease and grime were his
heritage and his blood raced with the mad, frenzied excitement of
Gasoline Alley.
From the very beginning, this auto racing prodigy was anointed
for greatness. He took the wheel of his own hand-made car at the age
of 5 and won his first race against an adult before entering
kindergarten. He quit school in the 10th grade to become a full-time
racer.
Since then he almost indisputedly has driven more miles on more ...