A.J. Foyt IV thought he had it made. When he loaded up his Infiniti Pro Series car for last weekend's trip from Foyt Racing's complex in Waller, Texas to Kansas Speedway the 18-year-old grandson of four-time Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt thought he would meet the car again after jetting to the track with his grandfather. But that was not the case.

"He made me drive the truck from Texas to the speedway," Foyt IV said.

Foyt took the top honors in the Indy Racing League's lid-lifter for its new support series last Sunday.

Foyt received the IPS car from his grandfather in May when he celebrated his 18th birthday the day before the Indianapolis 500. Before that, Foyt IV planned to compete in USAC's Silver Crown series this season. His car stood silent in the Foyt shop waiting for Foyt's birthday after USAC amended its rules this season, raising the driving age to 18.

"That 18 thing just killed him," said A.J. Foyt, the winningest Indy Car driver in history. "There was a Silver Crown race scheduled for the day before his birthday at the Indiana Fairgrounds and Anthony kept telling me, 'Pa-Paw, we need it to rain.'"

The Silver Crown car never turned a competitive lap this season. It has been sold and both Foyts' efforts center around IRL weekends. Besides driving, Foyt IV changes the right front tire on Airton Dare's car and the two have developed a friendship that reaches beyond the track.

"He's 23 or 24, so we hang out a lot," Foyt IV said. "He comes out to all my practice sessions and gives me little tips which I listen to because it looks like he's going to be a special driver. We just try to help each other out."

Like most young guys, however, Foyt IV couldn't help ribbing Dare after Foyt went from the pole to the checkered flag in the first Infiniti race. With Dare running second in the late stages of the Ameristar Indy 200, Foyt IV keyed his radio and asked Dare if he needed a relief driver.

"He told me no," Foyt IV joked.

Dare went on to pass Sam Hornish Jr. to give the Foyt stable a sweep of the weekend's two races.

Foyt IV likes the Infiniti opportunity, but he minces few words when asked of his ultimate goal. His sights are set on joining Dare in the IRL's big show. For "IV," it's sooner rather than later.

"I'm not one that's going to say, 'No, I'd better take it easy, take it slow and stay another year in the Infiniti Pro Series.'" Foyt said when asked how long he intends to run on the Pro Series. "It's a good series for guys coming up, but I'm ready to move up as fast as I can.

When asked what his grandfather's plans for him are, Foyt IV was not as sure.

"It depends on how I do this year," he said. "He really hasn't said much about it. I think if I can go out this year and prove myself and show that I'm mature enough and ready to move up to the next level, he'll help."

The way Foyt IV scuttled others in his first race brought to mind his grandfather's glory years when he teamed with his late father, Tony Foyt, to re-write the record books.

"It was too good to be true," Foyt IV said. "All we had was a little problem with the wiring and then we went out and qualified and ran the race. Grandpa and Jack (Starne) did a great job setting the car up back at the shop."

Grandpa's pride in his grandson's accomplishments earned the young Foyt another reward, too.

"He let me ride home on the jet," Foyt IV said.