IndyCar: A.J. Foyt voted greatest driver of all-time
By Asher Fair
Seven-time IndyCar champion A.J. Foyt has been voted the greatest IndyCar driver of all-time in the IndyCar GOAT poll championship.
Over the past few weeks, IndyCar fans have spoken, and A.J. Foyt has been voted the greatest IndyCar driver of all-time.
The IndyCar championships record-holder and wins record-holder sealed the deal by winning the championship round of the “GOAT” poll over four-time IndyCar champion and 52-time IndyCar race winner Mario Andretti.
For more information on how this entire “GOAT” poll process was conducted over the past few weeks, click on the link below.
Will be starting the first round of polls shortly.Here are the seeds for the Formula 1, IndyCar and NASCAR…
Posted by Beyond the Flag on Monday, January 14, 2019
Foyt, who won an all-time record seven IndyCar championships and earned an all-time record 67 IndyCar victories throughout his career, pretty much coasted through the 16-driver bracket to be voted the greatest driver of all-time, although his winning margin in the championship round was not nearly as large as any of his other winning margins throughout the rest of the bracket.
Foyt entered this bracket as the #1 seed, and there was no one else who was really close to him when it came to seeding. This was the case because of the fact that the seeds were calculated using a formula that awarded drivers 10 points for every championship they have won and one point for every race victory that they have earned. He entered the bracket with 137 points.
More from IndyCar
- IndyCar: Two teams with no drivers confirmed for 2024
- IndyCar: Chip Ganassi Racing news hints Alex Palou announcement
- IndyCar: ‘Addition by subtraction’ could pay off in a big way
- Team Penske should make a bold driver signing for 2024
- IndyCar: 5 teams that still have open seats for 2024
The second highest total was that of Scott Dixon, who entered the bracket as the #2 seed with 94 points as a result of the fact that he has won five championships and earned 44 victories throughout his IndyCar career thus far.
In the first round, the round of 16, of this bracket, Foyt’s opponent was #16 Rodger Ward. Foyt received 100% of the vote in this matchup, allowing him to advance to the second round, the round of 8.
In the round of 8, Foyt’s opponent was #8 Bobby Unser, who defeated #9 Ted Horn in the round of 16 to earn the right to be matched up against Foyt. Foyt received 97% of the vote in this matchup while Unser received the other 3%, allowing Foyt to advance to the third round, the round of 4.
Foyt’s opponent in the round of 4 was #5 Dario Franchitti, who defeated #12 Michael Andretti in the round of 16 and then upset #4 Sebastien Bourdais in the round of 8 to earn the right to be matched up against Foyt. Foyt received 91% of the vote in this matchup while Franchitti received the other 9%, allowing Foyt to advance to the fourth and final round, the championship.
In the championship, Foyt’s opponent was #3 Mario Andretti, who defeated #14 Sam Hornish Jr. in the round of 16 before defeating #6 Al Unser Sr. in the round of 8 and #7 Rick Mears in the round of 4 to earn the right to be matched up against Foyt.
Foyt received 63% of the vote in this matchup, which was the only matchup in which Foyt was involved that proved to be even somewhat close, while Andretti received the other 37%, making Foyt the driver who the fans voted for as the greatest IndyCar driver of all-time.
Thank you to all of the IndyCar fans who voted for any drivers at any point throughout this process!