Related: History of NASCAR drivers in Rolex 24
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The great A.J. Foyt arrived at Daytona International Speedway Friday afternoon to join NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray in donating some memorabilia to the highly refurbished track.
Fans who gathered for the weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona did double takes as two of the speedway’s most decorated drivers walked through the concourse and prepared to donate keepsakes to be a part of the $400 million Daytona renovation debuting for the event.
The 2010 Daytona 500 winner McMurray talked, laughed and walked with the legend Foyt to a stage located inside the grandstands and adjacent to the checkered start/finish line.
“Versus any other race track in the world, it’s unbelieveable,” McMurray said of the track before revealing a large glass trophy case displaying McMurray’s race-winning Daytona 500 checkered flag and racing shoes from last year’s Rolex 24 victory — all to be on display in the facility’s new concourse.
But while Friday’s event was clearly intended to publicize the speedway’s makeover, the 81-year old Foyt commanded a presence all his own. Still walking with a limp after recovering from an extensive hospitalization and knee surgery last year, the Texan was very complimentary of the track’s new look.
He will wave the green flag to start Saturday’s twice-around-the-clock race.
“Just glad to be back; the Frances have always been so good to me and I don’t know of another speedway in the world that’s this nice and this beautiful,” the 1972 Daytona 500 winner said.
Foyt was clearly feeling good and glad to be back at a racetrack after missing the end of the 2015 IndyCar season dealing with health issues. Most evident, was his fondness for this particular track.
“I made up my mind I wasn’t going to walk with no cane. … you don’t realize at 81 years old you’d have to learn to walk again,” he said, smiling. “I’m getting there. Every day is a better day for me.”
Foyt enjoyed answering a few questions from the gathered reporters Friday afternoon, laughing, making jokes and sharing heartfelt responses.
He still fondly recalled his first start in the Rolex 24 in 1964 — he led the event’s first lap in what was then called the Daytona Continental — and how his father, who Foyt said “lay dying in a hospital” at the time, insisted he race in it instead of worriedly waiting in a hospital room.
“Daddy kind of got mad at me and said, ‘why don’t you go down there and have some fun,’ ” Foyt recalled with a smile.
The Texan didn’t win that year, but returned to win the Rolex twice in 1983 and 1985.
Foyt’s health was a recurring topic and there was clearly a lot of interest in the living legend. Smilingly obliging, the Texan relived his recent hospital stay and release.
“When I came to (the hospital), I kept playing with them,” Foyt said smiling.
“I’m about 99.9 percent healed up now. They kept telling me, ‘two months, two months’ and I looked at my doctor and said that ‘two months has just about been a year.’
“It’s been good though. I can’t holler about my life. I’ve had a wonderful life and raced about everywhere I could and won my share, and lost my share.”
And as the pauses grew and the questions dwindled, Foyt was asked if there was anything he would have done differently throughout his celebrated life.
“I wouldn’t change nothing,” he said and flashed a brilliant grin.