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Harrah's to back Foyt in rookie campaign
by Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
14 January 2003
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Harrah's Entertainment announced Tuesday that it would back Larry Foyt in a run for 2003 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
Foyt will drive a No. 14 Dodge Intrepid owned by his father A.J. Foyt, powered by engines from Evernham Motorsports and engineered by crew chief Butch Lamoreux.
Harrah's, which operates 26 casinos in the United States, previously sponsored Foyt when he competed for the last two seasons in the NASCAR Busch Series.
The younger Foyt will make his Winston Cup debut in the Daytona 500, a race his father won in 1972 while driving a Wood Brothers Ford. He joins a class of rookies that should include Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, Jack Sprague, Greg Biffle and Tony Raines.
"It's pretty exciting for a 25-year-old to get this opportunity at this age without racing for the many, many years that a lot of guys have," Larry Foyt said. "I'm very lucky to have the great family lineage and a great sponsor like Harrah's -- they've actually been on every stock car that I've ever driven."
Larry Foyt competed for one year in the American Speed Association's ACDelco Challenge Series before moving to the Busch Series.
"It's a great honor to see Larry step up into Winston Cup," A.J. Foyt said. "We have made a lot of changes in our racing operation, which I wasn't happy with the last two or three years (and) I'm really looking forward to Larry having a good year."
In addition to moving Lamoreux from team engineer to crew chief after Mike Hillman's sudden departure Monday, Foyt also hired former NASCAR Winston West champion Mike Chase as general manager.
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