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Double Duty At The Mile For A.J. Foyt IV
JULY 19, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS - The A.J. Foyt - George Snider relationship has continued for
over 30 years, and this weekend, it will add another chapter.
Indy Racing League IndyCar Series driver A.J. Foyt IV of Hockley, Texas will
pull double duty this weekend, competing in the IRL IndyCar Series race as
well as for George Snider in Saturday's USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series
100-mile race, set to kick off at 4:30 p.m. It will be Foyt IV's second
career start in America's premier front-engine open-wheel series. The
21-year-old made his series debut in the Sept. 28, 2001 "Hoosier
Hundred" at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, driving his grandfather A.J.'s
car.
"We knew how good George's cars were there last year, and grandpa asked
me if I wanted to run one," said Foyt IV, who has tested pavement Silver
Crown cars at Phoenix International Raceway and Indianapolis Raceway Park.
"Obviously we had to help get the car ready; this pretty much was my
grandfather giving me the opportunity, because we've been struggling in the
IndyCars, to get me into something different. These (Silver Crown) cars are
extremely fun to drive, and George has an extremely good team."
Snider will provide Foyt IV with the No. 111 ABC Supply Co. Inc.
Beast/Chevy. Foyt IV has competed in all nine races on the IRL IndyCar
Series circuit, with a best finish of ninth in the season opener at
Homestead-Miami Speedway. In his only start at The Milwaukee Mile in an
IndyCar Series race, Foyt finished 16th.
Foyt and Snider partnered throughout the 1970s, '80s and '90s as driver/owner
combinations, in addition to working together in promotional activities.
Snider won the first Silver Crown race at Milwaukee in 1988, at the first race
Foyt ever promoted.
Foyt IV is looking forward to this weekend with great anticipation.
"I've tested some of George's cars, but this will be the first time I've
run a race for him. George ran for my grandfather in the IndyCars, so it
will be cool to get in one of his cars and hopefully have a good showing for
him.
"I feel that I'm a lot better now than I was (in 2001 Silver Crown
debut), and feel I can catch on pretty quickly," said Foyt IV, who
finished 28th in his only Silver Crown race, bowing out after 19 laps
following an accident.
Last July, in USAC's first Silver Crown race at the historic one-mile oval in
11 years, Snider supplied the machine for race winner Jay Drake as well as J.J.
Yeley, who led 15 laps in the contest. This weekend, Foyt IV will team with
Ryan Durst.
"This just came about, and A.J. just said maybe we ought to give Anthony
a shot, so we will," said Snider. "He tested for me before, and did
just fine."
The elder Foyt won four of his record 67 USAC IndyCar races at The Milwaukee
Mile, and captured seven USAC IndyCar championships. "Super
Tex" made 17 starts in Silver Crown action, winning twice despite the
series running exclusively on dirt, which was part of the National
Championship Trail through the 1970 season.
The start time of Saturday's Milwaukee 100 is 4:30 p.m. CST. Sunday's ABC
Supply / A.J. Foyt 225 IRL IndyCar Series race roars to life shortly after
1:45 p.m. CST. For complete weekend details and race weekend ticket
options, visit www.milwaukeemile.com,
or call The Milwaukee Mile ticket office at (414) 453-8277.
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