The NFL world is still reeling in the death of longtime Indianapolis Colts owner, Jim Irsay, late last month. As the succession plan has been made public fans are beginning to get to know the Irsay family beyond the late legendary front man.
The Colts organization will stay within the family and it will be Jim’s three heavily involved daughters who will carry on his legacy. Casey Irsay Foyt joined the team fulltime in 2007 and, with the help of her husband, has been involved in many of the organizations front-facing endeavors.
Her husband, A.J. Foyt IV, has made his name in Indianapolis’ second favorite sport, racing. Here are five things you need to know about A.J. Foyt IV:
1. He Is the Grandson of ‘The Greatest Race Car Driver That Ever Lived’
A.J. Foyt, born in 1935, was a legendary NASCAR driver who made 128 Cup Series starts in a more than 30-year career. In the words of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s own website, “AJ Foyt is quite possibly the greatest race car driver that ever lived.”
“Foyt is the only driver to win the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” the website read.
A.J Foyt IV is three generations removed from the Hall of Famer, but carried on the legacy by becoming a professional driver himself.
2. He Is the Youngest Driver Ever to Compete at the Indy 500
The most mind boggling fact on this list comes in at number two. On the day of his 19th birthday, Foyt competed in 2003’s Indy 500, the youngest to ever do so. After posting an impressive season in the Infiniti Pro Series, the IndyCar’s rising star league, Foyt earned a chance to qualify for the big race. He completed a 224 MPH qualifying lap and started the race in the number 23 position.
“This is the start of his whole life and his whole career,” said his grandfather in a 2003 article. “The big thing he keeps telling everybody is that he wants to win Indy five times, not four times. I tell him, `Boy, you gotta do that first. Don’t talk about it.’ He just laughs. He’s got attitude.”
Foyt finished 18th in the race, completing 189 of the 200 laps.
3. He Has Been Employed by The Colts Since 2010
After marrying Casey Irsay in 2009, Foyt was brought on as a scouting assistant for the Colts in 2010. He has worked for the team under the same role ever since.
4. Foyt’s Oldest Son Is an NHL Prospect
The couple has five children, three boys and two girls. His oldest son, A.J. Foyt V, is a rising hockey prospect who competes at a national level. At just 14, Foyt V has an official prospect profile on a hockey prospect database.
“I told A.J. V I would get him a go-kart, but he’s into hockey right now,” Foyt IV said in a 2017 article when Foyt V was six. “He’s been playing hockey since he was 3. He’s into that. When I tell him I’d get him a go-kart, he says no. He likes going out to the track, but I don’t know. We got two other boys, so I’ve got a couple others to pick from.”
5. He Founded the Foyt Wine Collection
In 2015, alongside his cousin Larry Foyt, A.J. founded the Foyt Wine Collection that operates out of two big racing cities. With locations in Fredericksburg, Texas, and Speedway, Indiana, the Foyt Wine Collection pairs fine wine tasting with a professional motorsports education.
Their vineyards are located in Napa Valley and Sonoma County California.
A.J. Foyt IV, Casey Irsay’s Husband: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know