It’s been 52 years since A.J. Foyt won the first open-wheel race – and the first race of any type – to be held at the then-brand-new Phoenix International Raceway on March 22, 1964.
And now, with the Verizon IndyCar Series returning to PIR for the first time since 2005 this weekend, it’s fitting that Foyt once again figures into PIR’s rich legacy.
Foyt and PIR track president Bryan R. Sperber were joined by Hulman & Company CEO Mark Miles, as well as drivers Graham Rahal and Ed Carpenter, to unveil the A.J. Foyt Champions Trophy, which will be awarded to the winner of Saturday night’s Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at PIR.
PIR NEWS: PIR Unveils A.J. Foyt Champions Trophy for #DDCPhoenixGrandPrix pic.twitter.com/zhTxp5z2DM
— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) March 30, 2016
Foyt not only won the inaugural open-wheel race (under USAC sanction at the time) at PIR, he went on to compile a record of 14 starts (USAC and CART combined), one win, four top-five and six top-10 finishes at the one-mile oval in the desert.
Foyt would go on to win a record 67 Indy car races and seven IndyCar championships as a driver. That included winning the Indianapolis 500 a record four times (1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977), a mark later tied by Al Unser and Rick Mears.
He won the ‘500 one other time in 1999 as a team owner and the IndyCar championship in 1998, both with Kenny Brack.
Here’s more tweets from the event:
AJ poses with the AJ Foyt Trophy which goes to winner @PhoenixRaceway Sat nite. pic.twitter.com/CgMhZeIuUm
— AJ Foyt Racing (@AJFoytRacing) March 30, 2016
Tonight we'll unveil the @PhoenixRaceway the AJ Foyt Champions trophy at the Heard Museum! #IndyCar pic.twitter.com/DfJp4voGiB
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) March 30, 2016
A.J. Foyt talks about winning the first ever race at PIR in 1964. #DDCPhoenixGrandPrix pic.twitter.com/34IjW6RfVe
— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) March 30, 2016
.@edcarpenter20 talks about the expected speeds this weekend at the #DDCPhoenixGrandPrix pic.twitter.com/Ph7lwOEqyE
— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) March 30, 2016
.@GrahamRahal talks about being in PIR Victory Lane in 1992 & the excitement of racing in the #DDCPhoenixGrandPrix pic.twitter.com/vrXaNttTy5
— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) March 30, 2016
Thanks for joining us on @periscopeco for the announcement of the A.J. Foyt Champions Trophy! pic.twitter.com/Bl4kHURasq
— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) March 30, 2016
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