Foyt: Rodney Klausmeyer, Transporter Driver

Name: Rodney Klausmeyer (“Rod Dog”)

Team: AJ Foyt Enterprises

Position: Transporter Driver

Weekday duties: Maintain and repair all pit equipment and keep shop equipment repaired.

Race weekend duties: I am the fueler on the pit stops and I set up and tear down the pits. I also take care of the transporter and try to keep our guests happy.

Total years in racing: 13

Years with current team: 13

Previous teams you’ve worked with: None.

How you got started in racing: I started doing electrical work for AJ on the shop he built in Waller and he didn’t want to let me go, so he put me on the race team. He asked me if I ever thought about working on race team and I said no. I said, “I don’t know anything about working on a race team.” He said that was good because he wanted to train me. I guess it’s worked out pretty good for both of us.

Favorite part of job: It makes you feel so good when you see good results from your work — like our finish in Brazil last year. I also like the camaraderie between the guys you work with — not just on our team but the other guys at the track.

Most difficult part of job: The most nerve-wracking part for me is having to take our equipment to new places because the first time around it’s usually not as well-organized as it could be — all part of the teething problems of a new event. But once you’ve done it, it gets easier for everyone the next time.

Career highlight in racing: Two things: winning Indy in 1999, even though I was at the race shop and wasn’t actually at the track, and then the other highlight was in 2000 with Billy Boat on Bump Day. AJ put him in Eliseo Salazar’s backup car, which had never turned a lap, and he bumped his way into the show with less than a minute to go! That was exciting!

Favorite way to spend an off-weekend: Bass fishing — I like to spend it somewhere quiet because race weekends are always loud and noisy.