Unsurpassable AJ

Sir,

I share Mr Roebuck’s appreciation of AJ Foyt Jr, who is without doubt a great winner and a larger-than-life figure in racing. Meeting him as a fan I have always found him to be as ‘regular’ as anyone could expect. Quite surprising for those who expect a human porcupine!< Mr Roebuck's remembrance of the 1967 Le Mans 24 hours and the winning of that race by the Foyt/Gurney pairing driving the American-made Ford MkIV, though, had an interesting part in an even more historic period in racing for American drivers. In a period between May 30 and June 18, Mr Foyt managed to win his third Indianapolis 500, becoming the first post-war driver and only the fourth to ever do so; Mr Gurney won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in the Eagle GP car, thus being the only American to ever do so in a vehicle with his name on both the chassis and the valve covers, and only the second driver to win in a car of his own making after former employer Sir Jack Brabham; and then Mr Foyt and Mr Gurney teamed up to be the only all-American team to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans (drivers and car). It puts a strong light on the present state of world racing when these two men, who like most American drivers of their era drove Indy cars, NASCAR stock cars, Can-Am cars and many others, now have no direct equals from their home country. And by extension it means that level of accomplishment will probably never be equalled again. Sad. Norman E Gaines Jr, Hartsdale, New York, USA