Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

A.J. Foyt recovering after being stung numerous times by swarm of killer bees

Legendary racer and team owner A.J. Foyt is recovering after being attacked by a swarm of Africanized killer bees on his Houston-area ranch.

The bees attacked the 83-year-old Foyt on Wednesday as he rode a bulldozer while working on his Houston-area ranch and apparently disturbed a bee hive.

He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and released several hours later after his condition was stabilized and he was able to return home.

It’s the second time Foyt, one of only three drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 four times, has been attacked by bees on his ranch in recent years.

He suffered over 200 bee stings to his head and even more to his body in a 2005 attack.

A statement by A.J. Foyt Racing indicated Wednesday’s injury was more serious than the one 13 years ago because the earlier attack had made him more sensitive to bee stings.

Foyt had planned on attending this weekend’s 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida, but has cancelled the trip for medical reasons. He had been scheduled to be inducted into Sebring’s Hall of Fame tonight and was slated to be the race’s grand marshal on Saturday.

The bee attack apparently didn’t injure Foyt’s wry sense of humor.

“I look like I had a fight with Mike Tyson and lost,” he said. “Right now I’m on so much medication that I’m not feeling that great, so I’ll take the doctors’ advice to rest for the next couple days.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

Follow @JerryBonkowski