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Foyt’s first (of four)

20. May 2022 
by Ziv Knoll
2097 views

The 1961 Indianapolis 500 celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first Indy 500 in 1911. A.J. Foyt re-took the lead with three laps to go and won his first (of four) victories on the famous Brickyard.

Picture above: Eddie Sachs (in pole position) and Don Branson on the front row of the grid, during the formation lap for the 1961 Indianapolis 500.

Eddie Sachs and A.J.Foyt were still battling hard for 1st – 2nd in the latter stages of the race. Foyt gave up the lead on lap 184 (of 200) for a splash-and-go. That handed the lead to Sachs, who was now leading by 25 seconds. With three laps to go, the warning tread showed on Sachs’ rear tire and Sachs decided to play it safe.

Rather than nurse the car around, he pitted to replace the worn tire on lap 197. Foyt took the lead and won his first (of four) Indy 500 victories by a margin of 8.28 seconds in his Bignotti-Bowes Racing Associates-entered Watson-Offenhauser (picture below).

Source: DR

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