A.J. Foyt with Marlyne Sexton and her daughter Tracy in the 'A.J. Foyt Room' of the Sexton Car Museum in Indianapolis in 2014.
INDIANAPOLIS May 4, 2017--Sexton Companies has signed as a major associate sponsor of A.J. Foyt’s No. 40 Chevrolet to be driven by rookie Zach Veach in the Indianapolis 500.
“We are thrilled to be a part of A.J.’s team because it has such a great history,” said Marlyne Sexton, president and owner of the eponymous real estate company. “In fact I think anyone who can align themselves with A.J. is very lucky. He is such an icon of the sport—even though he doesn’t like to admit it.”
The company’s logo will be featured on the side pods of the Indy Women in Tech Championship Chevrolet which will be unveiled at the AJ Foyt Racing shop in Speedway, Ind. on the evening of Wednesday, May 10th.
“I am proud to have Marlyne and her company as part of our team once again for the 500,” said Foyt. “Marlyne has been a great supporter of the Indy 500 and a really good friend to me and my family. We go back a long time because I knew her late husband Joe Sexton since the early ‘60s. He was a great guy.”
Alfe Heat Treating will also return as an associate sponsor of the No. 40 Chevrolet, continuing their involvement with the team’s third car. Alfe has been an associate sponsor of the No. 14, and more recently the No. 41 (now No. 4 car), in a full-season capacity since 2011.
Sexton Companies, founded in 1962 and headquartered in Indianapolis, builds and manages apartment communities in the Midwest and as far south as Louisiana and Texas. The company’s first apartment community was built in Speedway just minutes from the track. One of its first tenants was A.J. Foyt.
Foyt told developer Joe Sexton, “If you want to build apartments, come to Houston.” Sexton took Foyt up on his invitation and the Indy 500 winner escorted the real estate titan to the garden apartments that were being built in the fast-growing city.
Marlyne Sexton has been involved with the 500 Festival for many years, first on its Board of Directors and now as a Festival Foundation member. Her ability to champion the cause of the Festival is evident in the number of corporate members she encouraged to join the Festival, her company’s floats in the parade and most recently her endowment of the 500 Festival Princess Program scholarships. Sexton’s first sponsorship of a driver was Robbie Buhl in the mid ‘90s.
This is her company’s third straight year as a sponsor of AJ Foyt Racing for the Indy 500. Mrs. Sexton, who has an incredible private car museum in downtown Indianapolis, lent the Copenhagen Oldsmobile that Foyt drove in NASCAR, along with one of his vintage Indy 500 fuel tanks, to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum for the A.J. Foyt: A Legendary Exhibition which runs through October.
“Being associated with A.J. Foyt is an honor,” Sexton said. “Not only is it a long standing friendship, it is a long standing admiration.”
Practice for the Indianapolis 500 begins on Monday, May 15th with qualifications set for May 20-21; both qualifying days will be broadcast on ABC-TV starting at 4 p.m. EDT. The 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 will be broadcast live Sunday, May 28 on ABC-TV starting with the pre-race show at 11 a.m. EDT.