IndyCar owner A.J. has successful back surgery, hopes to be back for Indy 500

HOUSTON – Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt had successful back surgery Tuesday.

His team said the 78-year-old IndyCar owner was expected to stay in a Houston hospital overnight. Surgeons were trying to relieve the sciatic nerve pain Foyt complained about. He is expected to make a full recovery.

A.J. Foyt Racing won its first race in 11 years Sunday when Takuma Sato won at Long Beach in his third race with the team. Sato became the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar race, and the first Foyt driver to win on a street or road course since Foyt himself in 1978.

Foyt watched the race on television at home in Texas. He plans to be at next month's Indianapolis 500, where will also have rookie Conor Daly driving.