WEST ALLIS, Wis. -- A.J. Foyt visited "with an old friend" at The Milwaukee Mile.
The Meskowski/Offy -- a front-engine dirt car that Foyt drove to the pole at Milwaukee on Aug. 21, 1965, over a star-studded field driving rear-engine Indy cars -- was part of the 21st Millers at Milwaukee Vintage Indy car event. The car is owned by Dan Davis.
On Aug. 20, Foyt won the Tony Bettenhausen Memorial on the one-mile dirt oval in Springfield, Ill., after starting fifth in the No. 1 Sheraton-Thompson Meskowski/Offy. The next day was the Tony Bettenhausen 200 at The Mile, where Foyt had won the pole in June for the Rex Mays Classic in the No. 1 Sheraton-Thompson Lotus/Ford. That car wasn’t available, so Foyt unloaded the front-engine dirt car and proceeded to earn the pole at 107.881 mph.
"It was a real treat to see that car," said Foyt. "Lining up I felt like I was in a Greyhound bus against a bunch of sports cars. I finished second (to Gordon Johncock). It’s one of the highlights of my career.”
Four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti, who also won at Milwaukee in 2004 and 2011, jumped at the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the classic car.
Taking a few exciting laps in 'Ol' Calhoun'
Brian Barnhart got a new perspective on The Milwaukee Mile.
INDYCAR’s vice president of competition, who serves as race director for the Verizon IndyCar Series, drove a replica of Parnelli Jones’ 1963 Indianapolis 500-winning Watson-Offy roadster “Ol’ Calhoun."
“It’s a privilege to drive that car,” Barnhart said. “My retired family physician Dr. Robert Dicks owns the car and I was lucky enough to drive the car at Pocono last year and now here (at Milwaukee). It’s such a great experience.”
Hair-raising weekend for BHA team
In an effort to change their luck, several members of the BHA with Curb-Agajanian team, including team owner Bryan Herta, have grown mustaches or beards for this weekend’s event.
The list, however, does not include rookie driver Gabby Chaves, who celebrated his 22nd birthday earlier last week.
“I wish I could join them, but I physically can’t,” said Chaves, the 2014 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires champion. “I’ve never shaved a day in my life and never had a millimeter of facial hair. I’m just stuck with what I have.”
Karam seeks to keep the streak alive
Sage Karam hopes to maintain his perfect record at The Milwaukee Mile.
The Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate claimed wins at Milwaukee in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires (2011) and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires (2013). He’ll make his first Verizon IndyCar Series start at the 1.015-mile oval.
“It’s an oval, but it’s more like a road course. You really have to attack it,” Karam said. “I’ve always liked a car that moves around and the car does that at Milwaukee. In Indy Lights and Star Mazda, it played to my advantage because the other guys weren’t comfortable with a car that got looser and looser and I would just get faster.
“This year’s race will be the hardest year of them all, but I’d love to stay perfect here.”