WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – A.J. Foyt Enterprises, the lone Verizon IndyCar Series team that’s based in Texas, has endured a trying week in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the team having been temporarily displaced from its Waller, Texas base.
The team is split between Waller and Indianapolis, with its No. 14 ABC Supply Co. Chevrolet of Carlos Munoz temporarily moved to the sister location, which houses the No. 4 Chevrolet driven by Conor Daly.
Among the many ventures to provide aid and relief to the victims affected by the storm is the Race 4 Houston campaign, highlighted by t-shirts on sale this weekend at Watkins Glen.
The Foyt team partnered with the Greater Houston Community Foundation in the effort, and team president Larry Foyt explained the partnership between the two was seamless.
“I knew some people who knew (Houston mayor Sylvester Turner) and Judge Ed Emmett, who set up the HGCF, run that, set up the Harvey fund through there. We knew it was a credible place to help people,” Foyt said on how the effort came together.
We've teamed up with @AJFoytRacing to help those affected by #HurricaneHarvey. Get your #Race4Houston shirt now! https://t.co/bKi1ycgBAC
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) August 31, 2017
#Race4Houston decals adorn the @AJFoytRacing @TeamChevy cars this weekend. Team has more details on how to help HOU post Harvey. #INDYCARGP pic.twitter.com/tzRbFm12IZ
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) September 1, 2017
Are you at @WGI? Be sure to stop by the @IndyCar merchandise tent to get your #RACE4HOUSTON shirt! #IndyCar pic.twitter.com/rDM0BmpeDW
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) September 2, 2017
The Verizon IndyCar Series paddock has embraced the campaign as well, with decals adorning other entries this weekend. Foyt described that the series’ involvement in the campaign is vital to its impact.
“With our team we have a little bit of reach. But when IndyCar jumped onboard with us, helped us really push it and helped us with the T-shirt campaign, it reaches a whole new group of IndyCar fans and racing fans. Just really appreciative of their efforts,” Foyt expressed.
Foyt added, "(It’s) just great to see all the teams really, because sometimes when you’re away from it, you’re not affected, it can take a backseat. But everybody has been so supportive. It was really cool (during Practice 3), I was watching cars drive by on pit road, seeing the big decals, really pushing the campaign. Really thankful for that.”
Although the team was not able to return to its Waller, Texas shop this week, Foyt did reveal that he and the team managed to emerge from the storm mostly intact.
“We were very lucky. I think of our whole team, we only had one person who had some damage. He was actually shop based, so he was able to be home and see to his issues. No, we all got very lucky.”