AJ Foyt, the legendary INDYCAR Series driver and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner will attend his 70th 500 on Sunday.
This year also marks 25 years since AJ Foyt Racing last took victory in the 500 with Kenny Brack in 1999.
Santino Ferrucci in the No.14 ABC Supply Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet will be hoping to give Super Tex something to celebrate as he rolls off sixth for the Greatest Spectacle In Racing.
Ferrucci ended last year’s race on the podium in third place.
How satisfying is it for you to make the Firestone Fast 6 two years in a row?
SF: “I think we’ve done an incredible job the past two years with our qualifying car, you know, the team has worked incredibly hard. And it’s such a cool feat to really make it there back-to-back years and it really helps us during the race to be ultra competitive and run out front all day.”
Last year you started inside row two and this year you’re starting outside two. How does that change how you approach the start?
SF: “Well, it’s gonna be nice to be on the outside just because I won’t get bottled up on the inside and get passed. So looking forward to it, it’ll be interesting with Larson in the middle but hopefully we have a good run.”
With the changes in the car due to modifications in prep for the hybrid engine, does the car feel the same in race trim as last year? Or did you have to adjust to a different feel and was that difficult to do?
SF: “Our car was definitely not as easy this year as it was last year; there was a lot more tuning involved and it wasn’t just the modifications to the car. It was modifications to the tires to accommodate the car. And it just took a little bit more work to get it to be comfortable. But overall, we are in a better position. I feel like with our ‘race’ car I am more comfortable this year than I was last year with our ‘race’ car even though our Q car last year was quicker with raw speed. But you know with qualifying and race trim, it’s always a little bit different. Qualifying you’re on your own with everything that’s going on, the car does have its own top speed which this year for us was a 233.2 (mph). We could not go any faster than that versus with our race car this year, I can run closer in traffic than I could last year and that’s more due to the setup changes that we’ve made.”
What is your favorite Indy 500 tradition?
SF: “The coolest track tradition is definitely the flyover. There’s nothing cooler because we get to witness the flyover (practices) all week long because we live at the track or at least I do. But it’s real different when you’re in the race car because you can’t see it coming. You just feel it because the Thunderbirds fly over us. It just shakes the hell out of the cars on the grid. So it’s so cool
Sting Ray Robb in the No.41 Goodheart Chevrolet starts his second Indianapolis 500 from 23rd place and looking ahead to the race he said:
Having one Indy 500 under your belt, what are the biggest differences you’re experiencing this month of May?
SRR: “There was a lot to learn as a rookie last year during the month of May. With that experience, I have been having a lot more fun this year. Also, I have a lot more confidence this season compared to last. The team is strong, and despite not having the cleanest qualifying, we were solidly in the show so that we can fight hard on race day. “
Starting in the middle of row eight, there will be a lot of turbulence when the green flag waves. How will you approach the start?
SRR: “Well, we are in what we like to call the chaos zone. I’m sure I’ll be very busy in the cockpit for the first stage of the race, until everyone settles in. My approach will be aggressive and smart. Everyone in this year’s field is very competitive and rightfully deserves a spot to fight for a win. It’ll be difficult to move forward in such a competitive field so we will have to be methodical and consistent.
Were you happy with the progress that was made with the car’s race trim setup from where you started this month?
SRR: ” To be honest, we had no reference for our race car until Monday, post-qualifying. So, yes, I guess you could say I was happy to finally get some time running on track and trying a couple of changes. There is still a lot more to learn and look at before race day unfortunately, but we have some good data and hopefully we will have a rain-free Carb Day.”
What does it mean to you to be driving for A.J. Foyt in the Indianapolis 500?
SRR: “There is a pressure that comes with that name, but a very welcomed one. This is the event that people remember and this is the event where he left his biggest mark. Everyone on the team, including, myself, is excited to perform at high level to live up to the A.J. Foyt name.”
What is your favorite Indy 500 tradition?
SRR: “The flyover is one of the coolest things on race day, along with the playing of the taps. I know the traditional answer might be to say “Back Home Again in Indiana” is the best part, but racing on Memorial Day weekend and honoring our troops and their sacrifice stirs the patriot in me.”