“Prayers for the Family” – Gloomy Day for NASCAR and Indy Fans as They Join to Pay Condolences to the “Driver of the Century” for His Loss

Support, sacrifice, commitment, and camaraderie—all this combined is what makes a team great. This remains true even for partnerships outside of the tracks, such as the sacred one between a husband and wife. It always takes a huge toll on one whenever such a valuable alliance is broken. The NASCAR and IndyCar community recently received the news about the demise of the wife of AJ Foyt, regarded by many as one of the finest racecar drivers of the 20th century.

We could run out of superlatives to admire the amazing career of Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr. Named as the Driver of the Century by the Associated Press and Racer magazine, Foyt is the only driver to date to win the Indianapolis 500 (four times), the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, the 88-year-old was jolted by the news of an unbearable loss.

On April 5, Foyt lost his wife, Lucy Foty (née Zarr), who passed away at 84 following a brief illness. The couple was married for almost seven decades, but now, AJ Foyt will have to continue on his journey alone. Interestingly, despite his husband being a popular figure in the media, Lucy did not fancy the reporters one bit.

AJ Foyt loses his life-long support system who despised the media

Born and brought up in the Houston area, Lucy met Anthony at Lamar High School. They got married in 1955 and Lucy was ever so supportive of the 1972 Daytona 500 winner. Despite Foyt racing very frequently, his wife was rarely seen attending the races. However, that does not change the fact that without her support, the 1989 American Motorsports Hall of Famer would have achieved as much as he did.

As it is with racing, Foyt used to regularly suffer from mild to major injuries, but Lucy ensured that her support for his passion didn’t flinch one bit. Moreover, she worked behind the scenes by keeping the Foyt family together, including their four children; A.J.Foyt III, Terry, Jerry, and their adopted son, Larry, who also happens to be their grandson.

She was a woman with a broadened perspective, possessing a passion for culture, arts, and travel. Furthermore, Lucy stayed strong through the thick and thin of Foyt’s career, helping him achieve success in his five-decade-long career. However, despite his husband’s fame, she disliked the reporters. One such incident evidently proved it.

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When asked in an interview in 1971 to comment on his husband’s then-recent honorable achievement, Lucy politely denied it at first. However, the reporter insisted by saying, “Any comment you could make would be greatly appreciated.” To this, Lucy had a cold reply.

“No, goodbye,” she said as she slammed the receiver down. It is very likely that avoiding the media spotlight was one of the reasons why she didn’t frequent the race tracks.

Nevertheless, she was the glue that held the Foyt family together. No wonder the motorsport family has come out to pay condolences to AJ Foyt.

NASCAR and IndyCar community offers heartfelt condolences to AJ Foyt and family

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People close to A.J. Foyt knew how invaluable Lucy was to him and his success. Even Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske believes that the 88-year-old wouldn’t have achieved all of it had it not been for her wife.

As the news of Lucy Foyt’s passing away broke, messages flooded from everywhere as fans offered condolences to Foyt and his family.

It must be devastating for Foyt, having to live now in the absence of his backbone of a partner. Surely, his family will play a big role in helping him recover from his unimaginable loss.

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