Indycar Classic a ‘home’ race for Foyt
AUSTIN, Texas — Larry Foyt’s memories of the Austin area mostly involve water skiing and packs of adolescent boys sneaking a peek at the nudist beach in an area called Hippie Hollow.
The president of A.J. Foyt Racing would like to add something new to the mix: a checkered flag or at least a more realistic push for a top 10 finish at the inaugural Indycar Classic at the Circuit of the Americas this weekend.
Being back in Central Texas makes the newest stop on the Indycar circuit a “home race” for the Foyt family, just a couple of hours from their home base near Houston. Larry’s brother went to the University of Texas and the family spent all summer on nearby Lake Travis when Larry was growing up.
“Mom always loved the lake,” Larry Foyt said. “We’d spend all summer there jet skiing, knee boarding, all the good stuff.”
That included Indycar great A.J. Foyt taking his turns on the skis and sometimes taking someone’s money. The story goes that A.J. Foyt would pretend he couldn’t ski and make a bet he could be a quick learner. After a few falls, he’d be out of the water and slaloming on one ski.
“Always competitive,” Larry Foyt said.
And then there was Hippie Hollow, the “clothes optional” area of the lake that would draw more than a few giggles from Larry and his friends. And it wasn’t just the kids. A.J. made a point of driving his guests over on the boat to get a look and a laugh.
“It was ‘C’mon, you gotta see this,”’ Larry Foyt said. “I remember being a little kid and my brother messing with, pretending they were going to throw me overboard at Hippie Hollow. I was little and was like ‘No!”’
Larry Foyt’s first visit to the Circuit of the Americas was in 2012 for the track’s first Formula One U.S. Grand Prix. He has been waiting for Indycar to drive here ever since.
“When you saw what they were doing, and doing it first class, immediately for me it was ‘When is Indycar coming here?”’ he said. “We’re the premiere open wheel series in the United States and we need to be here.”’