Lucy Foyt Has Passed

A.J. Foyt, Jr., the first driver to earn four Indianapolis 500 victories has lost his partner of nearly 68 years, as his wife Lucy Foyt has passed at the age of 84. Hers was a short illness; she died at a Houston hospital.

Foyt always stated that Lucy was his rock, keeping him grounded as he became one of the biggest stars in 20th century motor racing. Her grace under pressure and never-ending support for her husband allowed her to help him survive life-threatening injuries on well more than a single occasion, helping him make comebacks in racing that added to his status as one of the legends of this sport.

Born and raised in the Houston area, Lucy met her husband at Lamar High School in Houston. The high school sweethearts married in 1955, keeping their roots in the area. They brought three children into the world: A.J. Foyt III, Terry and Jerry. Later, they adopted grandson Larry, who is now the president of A.J. Foyt Enterprises, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing team that Foyt started in late 1965 and which continues today with drivers Santino Ferrucci and Benjamin Pedersen.

An exceptionally good-looking and gracious woman, it was Lucy who ruled the Foyt household and bonded all three generations of the Foyt family. She was celebrated and adored by the four children, eight grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren whose lives she started and shared. Watching them grow to achieve their successes, marry for love and raise children of their own, many of whom are named after her, made the matriarch proud. Larry’s daughter Lucy, the latest to bear her great-grandmother’s name, was born this past January.

Lucy Foyt had great passion for culture, arts and global travel and the family stated she “shared a broadened perspective and open mind about the world that motivated and inspired adventure to those around her. That legacy will live on through her family and influence more generations of Foyt family members to come.”

Roger Penske’s statement on the loss of Lucy Foyt came quickly: “I have known A.J. and Lucy Foyt nearly as long as I have been involved in racing,” he said. “So much of A.J.’s racing success was rooted in the solid foundation of the love and support that Lucy provided for him throughout his career. Racing,” Penske reminded, “can be a tough business and A.J. was not immune to the dangers drivers often face.

“It was Lucy who was always there to help A.J. navigate through the hard times, and get him back to his winning ways. Most importantly,” Penske said, “Lucy’s commitment to the Foyt family is her biggest legacy. Keeping the family connected allowed A.J. to focus on being one of the greatest race car drivers of all time. I truly believe that it would have been hard for A.J. to achieve all of his on-track success without Lucy. Our prayers and condolences are with A.J. and the entire Foyt family,” Penske stated.

As the news of Lucy Foyt’s passing came coursing through the racing community, the Foyt family stated that they are taking “careful thought and consideration as funeral arrangements are pending.”