Good news from the devastation in Texas.
HOUSTON Sept. 14, 2008--In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, we are relieved to report that A.J. Foyt and his entire family, were able to get through the storm relatively unscathed.Fire, bulldozers, bees - AJ is our indestructible national treasure. However, many other folks in that area will require assistance, so please consider donating to the American Red Cross or some other charitbable agency.
“You can’t believe how bad this area is,” said Foyt, speaking on telephone from his River Oaks home. “This is absolutely the worst storm I’ve seen in my lifetime. We were very, very lucky and are really thankful to have gotten away with so little damage. Some of our neighbors have trees that went through their homes. The whole neighborhood looks like a war zone. It’s unbelievable.”
Tall pine and live oak trees that toppled over on the ranch in Hockley and at his River Oaks home in downtown Houston fell on the driveways, missing the homes and garages. While there are widespread power outages, Foyt is using generators at both homes to keep essentials running.
Due to the power outages, the city of Houston is under a nightly curfew from 9 pm to 6 am until Saturday morning.
Overall, Texas officials have been applauded for the way that they prepared for and handled the disastrous hurricane.
I think that at this point, the only remaining adversary for A.J. to take on would be Coach Ditka. I'm thinking of a 1-on-1 race with A.J. in his Watson roadster and of course, The Coach would be driving the Bears' Bus.
Winner?
Ditka, by 10 car lengths.
"I was scare-t. I thought we wwas going to have to clum out on the roof." - AJ
I think someone is going to have to do the Chuck Norris treatment for Foyt.
Ike reached all the way to the Moto GP race in INDPLS yesterday. Took out a vendor tent in the infield and the electricity to the scoring pylon. I was driving on I-70 west when they finally red flagged the race. I couldn't believe they could run in the wind and sideways rain the I was driving through. I have a new respect for the Moto GP drivers !
I wondered why nothing was said about AJ being at the race when it had been reported that he was going to attend. I didn't think about him riding out Ike at home. But, it doesn't really surprise me that he did.
agrfan, I can tell you first-hand how ridiculous that was. It was about lap 15 of the GP-class race when the second wave of wind and rain hit the track. We were watching the skies darken again, then we saw the rain start to fall, and then the wind just turned on. A folding metal chair came out of the E Penthouse and fell, luckily, in the space between the stand and the catch fence. There was green carpeting that was down to separate part of the pit out from the track and that was starting to come undone. It was when the PA system briefly went out and the scoring pylon went dark (which was apparently connected to a timing and scoring issue caused by the weather), they decided to pack it up.
I love IndyCar racing, for sure, but there is not a racing series in this country that I can think of that would've braved those conditions. Even without the rain, this was the kind of wind that would give an ICS car an extra 10 mph down the back stretch, then throw it into the north chute wall.
H B - I was there as well and you are absolutely correct about how bad it was. We were downstairs in stand B, right where they turn in off of the front straight, and a ton of the people sitting around us had come down from the Penthouse because of the wind.
The problem with the fake grass at pit out started with the jet dryers. They kept blowing it off, then guys would come out and put it back, then it would get blown off again. They finally just removed about ten feet of it.
I've been at IMS on some windy days (there was a qualifying day a few years ago that was windy AND cold, and another where we were caught out in a hail storm 20-25 years ago) but nothing that compares to Sunday.
"What if it was Hurricane Ditka..."
I picture AJ like Capt. Dan from Forrest Gump - strapped to the TV antenna on top of the ranch yelling "Is that all you got, is that the best you can do" while shaking his fist at the eye of the storm!
It's Lt. Dan, not Captain.. (Sorry, I have a sick obsession with that movie and can't let an incorrect reference go..)
Hey Jenna,
Maybe he meant Captain Ron instead?
I like his image of AJ taking on the hurricane though. My money would be on Super Tex.
I like my racecar drivers like I like my coffee... covered in bees!
/obligatory AJ vs the bees (with a dash of Eddie Izzard thrown in)comment
I’m sorry for my demotion of Lt. Dan. I beg for forgiveness and as pence; I will re-Gump myself with a marathon on Saturday and Sunday and have the drinking word be “run”. See everyone at AA on Monday!
The drinking word should be shrimp.
You can't drink that fast or that much without dying!
I’m sorry for my demotion of Lt. Dan. I beg for forgiveness.
Robert you PROmoted him to Captain my man... we still forgive you though! During your self imposed Gump marathon you must have heard this:
"If you EVER become a shrimp-boat Captain there Gump... I'll be there to be your 1st Mate, son"