When A.J. Foyt was five years old, he challenged a professional racer to an impromptu match race . . . and won. From that moment on victory was expected, excellence assumed.

Anthony Joseph “A.J.” Foyt Jr. is one of the greatest race car drivers in history—some would argue the best—and he has the statistics to back it up. He was the first to win the Indianapolis 500 four times, he has the most wins in Indy car races and championships of any driver, and he still holds the world closed-course speed record that he set more than thirty-five years ago.

Numbers alone can’t begin to tell Foyt’s story. Through tireless research and extensive interviews with the biggest names in motorsports, author Art Garner has compiled an unprecedented look at the life and career of one of America’s most popular sports heroes.

The book captures Foyt’s journey from a cocky five-year-old to a brash competitor and offers fresh insight and details about the battles off and on the track that defined one of America’s biggest personalities. Every moment is captured, from Foyt’s unbridled comments about what it truly takes to be at the top of your game, his propensity to stuff journalists he didn’t like into garbage cans, and the long list of people he simply punched in the mouth.