Foyt IV to Vision Racing

[O&A Virus]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.d...RTS01/701030485


By Curt Cavin
[email:1dz8zzaw]curt.cavin@indystar.com[/email:1dz8zzaw]

Tony George's Indy-car team is expanding with one of the sport's more familiar names.

George will hire A.J. Foyt IV to drive his team's third car during the upcoming Indy Racing League season. Foyt, the grandson of the legendary driver, said today he expects to sign the contract later this week and will move to Indianapolis to be near the Indy-based team.
Vision Racing, which George founded in 2005, also will employ Ed Carpenter and Tomas Scheckter this season, which begins March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"I've kind of been hounding him (about a ride) for quite a while," said Foyt of George. "At this point, I don't even know who the sponsor is or what the car number is."
Also today, Andretti Green Racing confirmed the expected signing of veteran driver Dario Franchitti.
Ironically, Foyt's only race in 2006 was in a relief role of Franchitti at AGR. Franchitti missed the season-ending race at Chicagoland Speedway after suffering a concussion in a vintage car accident in England. Foyt finished 14th.
Foyt has started 48 races in his Indy-car career, with three top-10 finishes in cars owned by A.J. Foyt Racing, a team he left last year to pursue a career in NASCAR. Franchitti will be returning for his 10th season.
Foyt was to meet with his new teammates later today in Daytona Beach, Fla., where he will co-drive a Daytona Prototype with Scheckter, Carpenter and George in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona later this month.
Foyt Racing will employ IRL veteran Darren Manning as its driver this season.

[Jonesi]

Your link didn't work for me, but this should, or people can get there from http://www.indystar.com front page.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...85/1004/SPORTS

[millencolin]

the moving chicaine is back! crap....

[weeflyonthewall]

Desperate times call for desperate measures I suppose. I wonder what that cool guy in Indy thinks of this escapade.

[Civic]

I'd rather have Townsend Bell in the third Vision car.

[O&A Virus]

Desperate times call for desperate measures I suppose. I wonder what that cool guy in Indy thinks of this escapade.

Agreed, but I think its affecting all of American open wheel racing - just look at the the Champ Car grid the past few years. Most of those guys wouldn't have even sniffed a ride back in the 90s IMO (ex. Legge, Zwolsman, Heylen and Kasemets to name four hacks).

[Mark in Oshawa]

O&A, you have that right. The fact is, they hire a guy who his own family has written off (AJ isn't the easiest guy to work for, but you don't write off family without good reason), while people like Patrick Carpentier cant get a ride. We wont even go into other competant drivers out there who cant buy a break. Face it, with two weak series, you have a lot of hacks getting rides because the cash vacuum is so large that only ride buyers can get in.

What I don't get is why AJ? Tony could hire anyone for his cars. Ed Carpenter, that is family, so his competance will not be questioned, and he has Tomas there as his legitmate up and coming driver. What does AJ bring? Grandad wont let him run no more, he flunked NASCAR racing in about 10 minutes so who does AJ IV have pictures of? Heck, the only way you could lose more credability as a talent scout is if you hired Marty Roth to drive for you....

[E5C4P3]

What does AJ bring?

He wants to market the names Andretti, A.J. Foyt, and Danica.

[Mark in Oshawa]

E5, the kid is killing the good Foyt name with his inept driving. I can hear the interview he made after crashing out of the 500 last year, and he just doesn't seem to have a clue. Nothing I have seen from him changes my opinion. The kid does NOT have the Royal Jelly...

[Civic]

We'll see if he lasts out the year.

I wasn't paying attention but how was his performance at AGR?