THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 2, 1995 TAG: 9508020583
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SPEEDWAY, IND. LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
As Jeff Gordon again seeks the magic that propelled him to victory last year in the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, A.J. Foyt, at age 60, cranked up the gumption for one more go-round at the storied old track.
In fact, the way Foyt was talking Tuesday, he might come out of retirement and revive his Indy-car career as well.
``I'll tell you, I just want to start racing a little bit more, get back in shape, take off about 20 pounds,'' he said. ``It's something I enjoy, and what's life all about if you can't have fun? This (retirement) deal hasn't been much fun for A.J. Foyt.''
When asked what it would take to get him into an Indy Racing League car next year, he said, ``It won't take very much.'' The series, which will include the Indy 500, is the creation of Tony George, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Foyt's godson.
Foyt, who dramatically captured the final starting spot in last year's 400, confirmed on Tuesday that he will try again in this Saturday's Winston Cup race in a Motorola-sponsored Ford, and that it may be only the beginning.
``I'm looking forward to this,'' Foyt said. ``As this race got closer and closer, I got itchier and itchier. I just think when I stepped down out of Indy cars, I stepped down a little early, and I still want to race. . . . I think they (NASCAR) still got a good (race) at Atlanta and another good one at Charlotte. I think, if we run good here, it's possible that I'll run them.''
Foyt's car was expected to arrive Tuesday night after getting a 1995 body attached to it. And Foyt will squeeze and squirm his way into the driver's seat for another run at racing glory.
``I didn't have the results I wanted here last year,'' he said. ``I didn't like sitting on the bubble, but that's better than sitting in the grandstand.''
While Foyt simply tries to make the race again, Gordon will be shooting for the top starting spot during pole qualifying Thursday and will be seeking the special feeling that came over him and his team last year.
``I never dreamed I would win the first Brickyard race, but it was something I wanted more than anything. And it happened,'' he said. ``I still think back on what an incredible day that was.''
Gordon said he actually started having that special feeling early in the week.
``We did a lot of interviews and prerace things with ABC and they were saying, `Here we are. It's finally really going to happen.' And that was just giving me a weird feeling,'' he said. ``Every time that was brought up, I started getting those butterflies or something telling me that this was going to be a special week. And that happened just about every appearance I went to.
``The car was really good right from the first time I tested it. And I really knew it was a good car when we started making long runs after qualifying and the car just never quit, never fell off, it just continued to really stay good.''
Gordon said Tuesday that it's too early to know if he'll get that feeling again this year. He'll be able to get an early read when practice begins at 2 p.m. today.
But the Fords were equal to Gordon's powerful Chevrolet Monte Carlo at Pocono last month, won by Ford driver Dale Jarrett. Because Pocono is about as close to Indy as it gets in terms of track configuration, the Chevy folks are concerned.
``Last time we were at Pocono, the Fords definitely had an edge,'' Gordon said. ``We had a good Monte Carlo and Ken Schrader had a good Monte Carlo, but there weren't too many up there that battled for that win. . . .
``We feel like we've still got a little bit left, but that situation at Pocono is the only thing that makes me nervous.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
``It's something I enjoy, and what's life all about if you can't
have fun,'' A.J. Foyt says.
Jeff Gordon won the Inaugural 400.
by CNB