Andretti Curse
Encyclopedia
The Andretti Curse, sometimes referred to as Andretti Luck, and in some rare circles, the Curse of Andy Granatelli's kiss, is in reference to the unexplainable bad luck the Andretti racing family has experienced in their efforts to win the Indianapolis 500. Patriarch and auto racing legend Mario Andretti
won the race only once (1969
). In victory lane, prolific car owner Andy Granatelli
planted a kiss
on the young Andretti's cheek. Following the win, Mario never managed to win the great race for a second time by his retirement in 1994. The misfortune at Indianapolis
, with a cumulative total (post-2011) of 65 starts as drivers, has notably extended to his sons Michael
and Jeff
, nephew John
, as well as grandson Marco
, and to an in-direct extent, to his twin brother Aldo
, and former car owner, Paul Newman
.
Michael, Jeff and Marco all followed in the footsteps of Mario by winning the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award, but none of those three, nor John, have yet managed to win the race. Twice, when Michael Andretti's team
won the Indianapolis 500, the driver subsequently defected to rival Chip Ganassi Racing
the following year.
Over the years due to the many misfortunes, public address announcer Tom Carnegie
made the words "Mario
is slowing down," dubiously famous.
was the first of the Andretti family to have success in top level motorsport, going on to have a long career and become one of the most successful drivers of all time. During his career, Andretti won four IndyCar
titles including, the 1978
F1
World Championship, and IROC VI
(1978–1979). To date, he remains the only driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500
, the Daytona 500
(1967), and the Formula One
World Championship. Andretti had 109 career wins on major circuits. He was the first driver to exceed 200 miles per hour while practicing for the 1977 Indianapolis 500
.
In addition to his individual wins, Andretti has been enshrined in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, as well as the Automotive Hall of Fame
. He was named Driver of the Year three times, and Driver of the Quarter Century as well.
Mario competed 29 times in the Indianapolis 500
, with only a single victory in 1969
to his credit, which occurred very early in his career. His quest for a second victory, to no avail, was well documented by ABC Sports by about 1986 and 1987, when the broadcasts began airing features about a perceived bad luck "curse" that had overcome him at the Speedway. Andretti himself even mentioned that "Lady Luck" seemed be against him at times. Meanwhile, fellow "Brickyard" legends of his era (A.J. Foyt, Al Unser
, Al Unser, Jr.
, Bobby Unser
, Johnny Rutherford
, Gordon Johncock
, and Rick Mears
) all racked up multiple Indy 500 wins to their credit. Mario's perceived curse became such a popular "watercooler topic" during the month of May, that some fans were known to have betting pool
s to guess which lap Andretti would drop out of the race.
From 1911-1968, the second starting position statistically produced the most race winners (9 total), moreso than even the pole position (which had produced only 7 at that time). In his lone 1969 victory, Mario drove car #2, from the second starting position. It was the 10th time a driver had won the Indy 500 from the second starting position. Never again in the 1900s would a car win from the second starting position. In fact, few cars ever mananged to finish the race from the second starting position in the decades following. Juan Pablo Montoya
finally broke the streak by winning from the middle of the front row in 2000
.
: Mario avoided the massive 11-car pileup on the start, and led 16 laps. However, despite the thinned-out field, he dropped out after only 27 laps with a bad valve.
1967
: Mario loses a wheel and drops out after only 58 laps.
1968
: Mario drops out after only 2 laps with a bad piston, and finished in last place. A few minutes later, he climbed into his teammate's car (Larry Dickson
) to drive relief. He did not fare any better, as that car dropped out after 24 laps with another bad piston.
1969
: Mario switched to the Granatelli
team for 1969. Granatelli had suffered heartbreaking misfortune in 1967 and 1968 with their Turbine
-powered machines. Both years, they lost the lead in the final laps when the machines failed to finish. For 1969, he abandoned the Turbine program. During practice, Mario wrecked his revolutionary 4-wheel drive Lotus, suffering burns to his face. A week later, he climbed into his back up car and still managed to qualify for the front row. His twin brother Aldo
stood in for him for qualifying pictures. Despite the incident, Mario went on to win the race in impressive fashion. Aldo
, however, was not as fortunate, as less than three months later, he suffered a severely fractured face in a career-ending sprint car
accident. In victory lane, an ecstatic Andy Granatelli
rushed to greet his winner. After several years of heartbreak, he grabbed the victorious Mario and planted a kiss on his cheek. Some have pointed at that moment as the impetus of the curse.
1970
: Attempting to defend his victory, Mario qualifies for the dreaded "8-ball spot." (8th starting position was considered bad luck at the time; no driver ever won the race from that grid position from 1911–1984). On about lap 28, Mario was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop due to loose bodywork. He rejoined the race, but lost many positions. He led no laps, and finished a lap down in 6th place.
1971
: Mario wrecks out in turn 3 after 11 laps, placing 30th.
1972
: Mario runs out of fuel with 6 laps to go, and falls to 8th place.
1973
: At the start, a massive crash involving Salt Walther
halts the race. Two days later, the race finally gets going, but Mario completes only 4 laps and drops out with a bad piston. Incidentally, Andy Granatelli
, for whom Andretti no longer drove, was the winning owner.
1974
: Mario suffers yet another early drop out, completing only 2 laps. He dropped out with a bad valve, and finished 31st.
1975
: Despite racing regularly in Formula One
, Mario skips the Belgian Grand Prix
to race at Indy. Early on, his car stalls several times while trying to leave the pits, and he lost several laps. He would eventually crash out on the backstretch when a mechanical failure sent his car spinning into the inside wall.
1976
: Mario is running a fill schedule again in Forumla One for 1976, but choses to race at Indy once again. The Belgian Grand Prix
is held the same weekend as pole day time trials, so the conflict prevents Mario from a chance at the pole. On the second weekend of qualifying, he posts the fastest overall speed in the field, but as luck would have it, he is forced to start deep in the field as a third-day qualifier. On race day, Mario was a lap down in 8th when the officials called the race for rain on lap 102.
1977
: Another busy schedule finds Mario squeezing in Indy right after Monaco
. He drops out and finishes 26th.
1978
: Mario squeezed in another attempt at Indy during his full-time Formula One effort. Mario plans to qualify at Indy during the first weekend of time trials (which was an off-week for F1). He is quickly up to speed during practice, running an "unofficial" track record of 203.482 mph. He went into the weekend as a favorite for the pole, but the first two days of time trials were rained out. He was forced to leave and go back to Europe for the Belgian Grand Prix
. During the second weekend of time trials, Mike Hiss
was drafted as a substitute, and qualified the car for Mario (he qualified 8th fastest). Mario himself won at Belguim. On race day, Mario got back in the cockpit and the car was moved to the back of the field due to the driver change. Early in the race, Andretti lost 8 laps when he had to make a long pit stop to change a spark plug
wire. He was effectively out of contention very early on, and wound up 15 laps down at the finish.
1979
: Monaco
and Indy are held the same day, therefore Mario was forced to skip the 1979 Indy 500.
1980
: No date conflict in 1980 allows Mario to try Indy again during a Formula One off-week. Much of the same though, as he drops out and finishes 20th.
1981
: Mario finished second in the 1981 race, eight seconds behind winner Bobby Unser
. The following day Unser was penalized one lap for passing cars under a caution flag, and Mario was declared the winner. Unser and his car owner Roger Penske
appealed the race stewards' decision. USAC overturned the one lap penalty four months later, restoring Unser as the winner.
1982
: Mario had firmly returned to race full-time in the CART
series. At the start, Mario was tangled up in the infamous Kevin Cogan
crash, and was out of the race before the green flag.
1983
: Mario joins the new Newman/Haas Racing
team, with co-owners Carl Haas
and Paul Newman
. Johnny Parsons
spun in front of him in turn one, he was collected, and both cars crashed hard into the wall.
1984
: On his first qualifying lap, Mario set a one-lap track record, and appeared on his way to a front row starting position. On the fourth and final qualifying lap, his car quit coming off of turn four, and he coasted across the finish line. He dropped to 6th starting position. On race day, he was in contention to win most of the afternoon, but mechanical trouble forced him out of the race (17th finishing position), and Rick Mears
won by two laps.
1985
: Danny Sullivan
passes Mario for the lead on the 120th lap, but immediately spins. Andretti somehow avoids contact and regains the lead. Both drivers pit under the ensuing caution. About 20 laps later, Sullivan passes Mario again, this time cleanly, to go on for the win. Mario had described the 1985 race as his "best chance to win" perhaps in his career, but managed only a disappointing, and somewhat distant, second place.
1986
: After qualifying 5th on pole day, Mario badly wrecked his car in a mid-week practice run. On race day, he was forced to start an unproven back-up car at the rear of the field. The car lasted only 19 laps, and he finished 32nd.
1987
: Mario dominated the 1987 event, and in fact, the entire month of May. He won the pole position, the pit stop contest, and led the daily practice speed chart every day he took practice laps. Driving the new Ilmor Chevy Indy V-8, He led 170 of the first 177 laps, giving up the lead only during pit stops sequences. Shockingly, his race ended with electrical failure with only 23 laps to go. Al Unser
, of the rival Unser family, won his record-tying fourth Indy 500 after Andretti's, and later Roberto Guerrero
's, misfortunes.
1988
: Mario was the fastest driver in practice all week, leading the charts at 221.565 mph. On the morning of pole day, he drove a practice lap of 220.372 mph, second only to Rick Mears
(222.827 mph). Mario drew the coveted first qualifying attempt, but his qualifying speed was curiously slow and disappointing (214.692 mph). On race day, his car was plagued with problems. About 30 laps into the race, a gearbox bearing failed and created an oil leak. A long pit stop was needed to make repairs. Later in the race, an ignition problem forced another series of long pit stops to change various electrical components. With the leaders at lap 170, Mario was about 50 laps down, when the team finally called the day quits with a dead engine. Mario was credited with 118 laps in 20th place.
1989
: Around the halfway mark, Mario was forced to the pits with a throttle problem. After losing several laps, Mario returned to the track after repairs. Mario found himself running at the finish, albeit 7 laps down in 4th place, which is considered an unusually large deficit for fourth place in the modern era. The 1989 race marked the first year he was teamed-up with his son Michael
, who blew an engine while leading.
1990
: Mario was running as high as third until his second pit stop. He pitted on lap 45, but as he was exiting the pits, the caution flag came out, and he lost a lap. On lap 60, he dropped out with engine trouble, finishing 27th.
1991
: Late in the race, Andretti was running in the top five, although a few laps down. On lap 188, Mario's son Michael Andretti
took the lead on a restart, passing Rick Mears
on the outside of turn one. One lap later, Mears pulled the same move, and re-took the lead. Mears began to pull away, and Michael's hopes for victory began to fade. Suddenly Mario coasted to a stop at the entrance to the pits, bringing out the caution. A mild controversy emerged when observers speculated that Mario had stopped on purpose to help Michael. The field bunched up under the yellow, and the caution gave Michael one last chance to challenge for the win. Mears pulled away on the restart, and the controversy eventually fizzled.
1992
: At the start, Mario and his son Michael led the field into the first turn. Michael came around in first, and Mario already a somewhat distant second. On the 5th lap, a caution came out. Mario ducked into the pits with a misfire. After several pit stops, the problem was fixed and he returned to the track, but dropped down the standings a lap down. Later in the race, Mario pitted for tires, and cross-threaded a wheel nut. He was again shuffled down in the running order. A few moments later, on a restart, he crashed in turn four. He was among several front-runners to crash due to cold tires on the unusually cold afternoon. Mario suffered broken toes, and was taken to Methodist Hospital in downtown Indianapolis for surgery. A short time later, Mario's son Jeff shattered both of his legs in a terrible crash, and was also taken to the hospital. Both required considerable rehabilitation, although Jeff's was significantly more severe. Back at the track, Mario's other son Michael was dominating the race, and looked poised to win. However, with 11 laps to go, his car quit, and he was out of the race. Ironically, the rival Unser family prevailed over the dismayed Andrettis yet again, with Al Unser Jr. winning and Al Unser Sr. finishing third. In his autobiography Andretti, Mario described the day, which saw him laid up in a hospital bed, witnessing his youngest son's serious injury, and then woke up to hear the news that his other son Michael had lost, as the "worst day of my life."
1993
: The 1993 race was Andretti's last notable run, and he had just come off a victory at Phoenix
. On pole day, Andretti was the first car to complete a qualifying run, and sat on the provisional pole position. Mario's speed held up all afternoon, but with less than an hour to go, Arie Luyendyk
topped his speed, and took the pole. On race day, Mario was a factor most of the afternoon, leading the most laps (73). While leading on lap 134, Mario was penalized for entering the pits while they were closed. A stop-and-go penalty dropped him only down to second place. In the final 50 laps, he began developing handling problems,and slid down the standings to finish 5th.
1994
: Mario's last race at Indy. He entered with much fanfare through his "Arrivederci Mario" tour. His race was very short though, and he dropped out early due to mechanical problems.
In total, Mario finished the full 500 miles just five times, including his lone victory
.
2003
: On April 23, 2003, in the lead up to the 2003 Indy 500, Mario took to the track for the first time in ten years in a major open wheel car
. He participated in a test session for son Michael
's AGR IndyCar team. One of the team's regular drivers, Tony Kanaan
, suffered a radial fracture of his arm on April 15 a crash a week earlier at Motegi
. If Kanaan was not cleared to drive in enough time, tentative plans were being prepared for Mario to qualify the car for him. He would turn the car over to Kanaan on race day. No plans had yet been made though for Mario to actually drive in the race.
During the test session, it was noted by many observers that despite his lack of experience in modern Indy cars (which had changed substantially since his retirement) and his advanced age (63), he quickly reached competitive speed. He was quickly over 212 mph, and looked "as if he had never been away." The success of the testing caused growing speculation during the afternoon that Mario may even attempt to qualify for the race.
With only 2 minutes left in the day, Kenny Bräck
crashed in turn one, and the yellow light came one. Mario entered turn one at full speed, and struck debris on the track from Bräck's car. The object, identified by most as the rear wing, forced the nose of Mario's car to become airborne, and the car went into a rapid double reverse somersault at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour. Television footage from the WTHR
helicopter-cam showed that the car clipped the top of the debris fence, and was nearly high enough to go over it. The car fell back to the ground, slowed by its mid-air tumble, and slid to a stop. Luckily, the car landed right side up and Andretti walked away from the crash with very minor injuries.
Mario initially shrugged off the accident, and still contemplated returning to qualify the car in May. A day later, however, he reconsidered, and has not climbed back into a race car. This was Mario's last significant on-track activity at Indianapolis to date.
Indy 500- Races involved in crashes
Indy 500- Races suffering mechanical/engine failure
Indy 500- Races leading the most laps without winning
with Lucien Bianchi
, as they had being at the top 10, their car dropped a valve at 10.30pm, causing them to retire. Further bad luck continued for the race, as he was driving, his front brake locked, causing him to crash his Holman & Moody Ford MKIV
at the Esses, his fellow team-mates, Jo Schlesser
and Roger McCluskey
driving MKIIB GT40s attempted to avoid Andretti's GT40 and crashed, but managed to avoid his car. McCluskey managed to pull Andretti to safety, which he had to be taken to hospital. Mario would not return to the French classic until the end of his F1 career in with an enormous fanfare, partnering with son Michael in a Mirage M12 Ford. Despite having qualified 9th place, the pair found their car being removed from the starting grid 80 minutes before the start of the race, as an official discovered an oil cooler that was mounted behind the gearbox, contravening the rules, despite managing to pass initial scrutineering four days ago. Despite protests and complaints, the Andretti's entry was removed altogether, replaced by a Porsche 924
Carrera GTR. Despite a formal complaint, team owner Harley Cluxton, who took over the Mirage name from original founder John Wyer
, would never return to the race again.
Their return for the following year
was more successful as they finished third as well as their return in with John which they finished 6th in a factory Porsche 962
. Following Mario's retirement from full-time racing, he decided on a return to the Sarthe circuit to add a Le Mans victory to his achievements in . While showing potential to win the race, a number of disorganized mishap, including being pulled over to the pits at the closing period while leading the race to clear grime off the car to make the sponsor's decal visible resulting in a 2nd place. His efforts for the following years proved to be unsuccessful with a 13th place for and a DNF for . His final appearance was in when he managed to finish 15th.
is the son of Mario, and is the driver whom the Andretti Curse is equally as associated. Despite a successful career including a CART
championship and a stint in F1
, he has so far been unsuccessful in 16 attempts at winning the Indianapolis 500
. He has completed the most laps, as well as led the most laps, of any driver who has never won the famous race. He is considered by some the best driver never to have won.
1984
: Michael Andretti starts his career at Indianapolis on a positive note, finishing 5th and sharing the Rookie of the Year award with Roberto Guerrero
.
1985
: Michael out-qualifies his teammate Kevin Cogan
, but both cars are mid-packers at best. On race day, Michael finished 8th, four laps down, not as good as his rookie debut. Later in the year, Michael and Cogan are involved in a helicopter crash, but survive.
1986
: Michael out-qualifies his father Mario and starts on the outside of the front row. He proceeds to lead the first 42 laps, and is among the fastest cars on the track. A poorly executed fuel strategy, however, forces him to pit with only 7 laps to go, and drops him to 6th place one lap down.
1987
: Early on in the race, a pit fire halts his run. He ultimately drops out because a CV joint
fails.
1988
: With only a few laps remaining, a piece of bodywork falls off his car, bringing out the yellow, and forcing the race to finish under caution. Driving the now-aging Cosworth DFX proved to be a horsepower disadvantage, as Michael was unable to keep up with the Chevrolet Indy V-8's as well as the Buicks
, particularly down the long straights. However, he still managed a 4th place, owing to the numerous yellows (14) which kept the field bunched up.
1989
: Michael joins his father at Newman/Haas Racing
. In one of his best races to date, Michael works his way to the lead in the second half. After leading 35 laps, his engine blows on the mainstretch just past the 400-mile mark.
1990
: Early in the race, a brake fire causes Michael to lose considerable time in the pits. He eventually drops out with a vibration.
1991
: Michael leads 97 laps, and appears to be on his way to win. With 18 laps to go, he leads Rick Mears
by 15 seconds, but needs to make one final pit stop for fuel. A timely caution flag flies and loses minimal ground as he pits under the yellow. On the ensuing restart with 13 laps to go, he makes a daring pass on the outside in turn one to grab the lead from Mears. On the very next lap, Mears steals the thunder as he makes exactly the same counter-move and quickly pulls out to a lead. Moments lapse, Michael's father Mario suddenly coasts to a stop at the entrance to the pits. The yellow flag flies again, and bunches up the field. Many accused Mario of stopping on purpose in a ploy to aid his son. Whatever the case, the point is moot as Mears pulls away to the victory. Michael settled for second. This race was the first to feature four Andrettis, (Mario, Michael, Jeff
, and John
).
1992
: Michael dominates the 1992 race, leading 160 of the first 189 laps. With only 11 laps to go he was leading by over half a lap. His fuel pump suddenly failed and he coasted to a stop. He settles for 13th place.
1993
: Michael sits out the 1993 event, due to his now ill-fated participation in Formula One.
1994
: Michael returns to the CART series for 1994, and returns to Indianapolis. In the first half, however, he suffers a flat tire, and loses a lap to the field. He finishes fourth on the track, but a late-race pit road speed infraction earns a one-lap penalty. He drops to 6th in the final standings.
1995
: While leading on the 77th lap, Michael approaches lap traffic and brushes the wall in turn four. His suspension is too damaged to continue, and he finishes 25th.
1996-2000: Due to the rift between the CART
series, and IRL, Michael does not compete at Indy.
2001
: Michael follows suit with other CART teams and returns to race at Indianapolis. He leads 16 laps, and is leading the race during a rain delay just beyond the halfway point. Had the race been halted due to the rain, he could have been declared the winner. The red flag, however, does not come out at the time and the race resumes. A punctured tire, and a minor collision in the pits slow him down, and at the end of the day, Michael settles for 3rd place.
2002
: Nearing the end of his full-time driving career, Michael is not much of a factor, starting 15th and finishing 7th.
2003
: A highly-publicized "final start" at Indianapolis sees Michael a race favorite. After financial troubles in CART
, Michael purchased majority ownership of Team Green and renamed it Andretti Green Racing
. After leading 28 laps, Michael drops out of his final race before the halfway point, much like his father in 1994.
2004
: Now a full-time owner, Andretti's team quickly became one of the top organizations in the Indy Racing League, and proved to be very competitive at Indy. Rain shortens the 2004 race, however, and Andretti's team finds itself in a notable but frustrating result of finishing 2nd-3rd-4th.
2005
: Andretti's team breaks through as Dan Wheldon
wins. After Wheldon's win, Andretti tells the media, "No more curse" as he shares in the milk celebration. Sitting on the sidelines, however, proved to be motivating, and in December, Michael announced he would come out of retirement to race in 2006 with his son Marco.
2006
: In December 2005, Michael announced he would come out of retirement to race with his son Marco
at Indy in 2006. Michael was an also-ran most of the day, but managed to stay on the lead lap all day. During a caution on lap 160, Michael (along with Sam Hornish, Jr.
) ducked in to the pits to top of his fuel, in hopes of going the rest of the race without another stop. After the leaders sequenced through yellow flag pit stops, Andretti remarkably inherited the lead on lap 194. The race went back to green with 4 laps to go with Michael leading, and his son Marco
behind him in second place. A lap later, Michael is quickly overtaken by Marco, who appears on his way to victory in his first race. Michael attempts some mild blocking, in order to protect his son's lead, but he is quickly passed by Sam Hornish, Jr.
Marco ends up losing the lead on the final straightaway to the finish line, and the father and son Andrettis settle for second and third.
2007
: In the wake of the 2006 near-miss, Michael returns for yet another encore, but experiences little success. He led one lap during a sequence of pit stops, but finished a lowly 13th. After the frustration, and in an effort to concentrate on his team cars, Michael announces he will again retire from driving.
Indy 500- Races involved in crashes
Indy 500- Races suffering mechanical/engine failure
Indy 500- Races leading the most laps without winning
), in 2005 (with Wheldon) and in 2007 (with Franchitti) -- the team has felt an unfortunate string of the curse.
Twice, the curse seems to have risen to the top of Michael's budding dynasty, and both times the beneficiary has been Chip Ganassi
. Both times the Andretti Green Racing team has scored the win in the Indianapolis 500, the winning driver has defected to rival Chip Ganassi Racing
for the ensuing season, with Dan Wheldon jumping to CGR's IRL team
, and Dario Franchitti to CGR's NASCAR team. Franchitti later went on to win at Indy again for Gansssi in 2010.
Indy 500 - Races won as car owner, winning driver defects to rival team
In 2011, the entire five-car Andretti Autosport team struggled to get up to speed at Indy - the second year in a row that has occurred. After putting only one car in the field on pole day, the team was faced with finding enough speed to get its other four cars qualified. As bump day wound to its conclusion, team driver Mike Conway
exhausted his three attempts and was too slow to qualify. Marco Andretti
found himself on the bubble, and Ryan Hunter-Reay
was the second slowest. Marco was ultimately bumped, but was able to make one last effect to qualify. However, Marco was faced with the situation of missing the race, or bumping out his teammate. When time trials closed, Marco was in and Hunter-Reay was out. A day later, a deal was made with Foyt Racing to put Hunter-Reay in as Foyt's second driver - a move that was deemed very unpopular by fans.
is the son of Michael and the grandson of Mario. He has qualified for the Indy 500 six times.
2005 Indy Pro Series
: Marco's first trip to Indianapolis had him finish 16th, two laps down, in the 2005 Freedom 100 for the Indy Pro Series
. Marco marked the first Andretti win at the Brickyard since 1969 by winning the 2005 Liberty Challenge Indy Pro Series race on the infield road course three weeks later.
2006
: Marco joined his father's Andretti Green Racing
IndyCar Series
team for 2006. His first Indy 500 saw him narrowly miss a historic victory. A crash by Felipe Giaffone
instigated a caution period on lap 191. Marco's father Michael took the lead on lap 194 under caution when cars ahead of him made pit stops. At this stage, Marco was immediately behind his father in second place. One lap after returning to green-flag racing, Marco put a passing move on his father and took the lead, seemingly on the way to victory. However Sam Hornish, Jr.
, recovering from a penalty earlier in the race, was closing quickly.
Michael attempted to block Hornish as much as possible for his son, but Hornish got by and drove up behind Marco with 2 laps to go. Marco held Hornish off as long as possible, however Hornish managed a last gasp pass in the last 400 feet before the finish line winning by 0.0635 seconds. It was the second-closest finish in the history of the Indy 500, behind only the 1992 race
. Many consider this to be the saddest event in Michael Andretti's racing history, with a father-son 1st-2nd finish being spoiled by Hornish.
Third-place finisher Michael had high praise for his son: "I felt so bad for Marco, but I'm so proud. He drove a hell of a race. I drove with him a hell of a lot in that race. He drove like a champion. He drove like he's been out there 10 years." But Marco wanted more: "Second's nothing," he said.
2007
: In a rain-interrupted race, Marco was a front runner for most of the afternoon. Marco took the lead on lap 102 during a caution, and rain was swiftly approaching the Speedway. Since the race was beyond the halfway point, if rain washed out the remained of the race, it could have been declared official. With the weather in mind, the restart on lap 107 could have decided the race. Tony Kanaan
got the jump into turn 1 on the restart, and took the lead. The red flag came out for rain on lap 113 with Marco sitting in second place. Three hours later, however, the track was dried, and the race resumed. Late in the race, Marco was involved in a spectacular crash with Dan Wheldon
on the backstretch eliminated him from competition. His car flipped upside down after making contact with Wheldon's wheel, slid to the infield, and then righted itself. Marco was unhurt. The race ended moments later when the rain returned.
2008
: Returning for his third Indy 500, Marco posted the fastest practice speed of the month, 228.318 mph, the morning of pole day time trials. Initially a favorite for the front row, his qualifying effort, however, was a visibly disappointing 7th. On race day, Marco was a strong contender, and led in the second half, but was not without incident. On the 106th lap, Marco was battling for second and dove under teammate Tony Kanaan
in the third turn. The move unsettled Kanaan's car, and Kanaan slid high and into the wall, then collected the car of Sarah Fisher
. Marco was immediately blamed for the crash. While running second on lap 156, Marco pitted and the crew made a "trim" adjustment of his rear wing. The change shuffled him back to 4th, and rendered him uncompetetive for the final few laps. Marco settled for 3rd place.
2009
: On the first lap of the race, Mario Moraes
drifted to the outside and made contact with Andretti, sending both cars into the wall going into the second turn. Andretti was out of the race before completing a single lap. Neither driver was injured in the collision.
2010
: The entire Andretti Autosport team struggled to get up to speed during time trials, but Marco led the team with a team-best 16th starting position. On race day, he worked himself up to the top 5 late in the race. In the closing laps, Marco got shuffled up to 3rd place as drivers were running low on fuel and being forced to pit, with Marco's car containing barely enough fuel to make it to the finish. Marco slowed to laps in the high 190 mph-range, and coasted on fumes to the final lap. During the last lap, Marco was passed by Alex Lloyd
, Scott Dixon
and Danica Patrick
under yellow resulting in him finishing in an unofficial 6th place. Several hours after the race, however, race officials reviewed the finish and Marco was restored to 3rd place.
2011
: For the second year in a row, the entire Andretti Autosport team struggled to get up to speed during time trials. On Bump Day, Marco was bumped from the field, and was in danger of missing the field. He managed to get out on the track before the 6 o'clock gun, and successfully bumped his way into the field - but in the process, bumped out his teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay
. On race day, he started 27th, and worked his way into the top ten. Marco was called into the pits to top off with fuel during a caution on lap 154, and to make a trim adjustment of the rear wing. The stop put Marco out of sequence with the other leaders, but ended up being a poor decision. Marco lost valuable track position when another caution came out 4 laps later, and the adjustments made his car difficult to handle. He ended up 9th.
is the son of Mario, and the brother of Michael. He has driven in the Indianapolis 500 three times (and failed to qualify on two other occasions).
1990
: Jeff's first attempt at Indy wound up short. He had a wreck during practice the day before pole day, which coupled with several days of rain, kept him off the track for nearly a week. He completed a qualifying run on the third day of time trials, but his speed was 4th-slowest. On bump day, he was bumped from the field with less than 15 minutes remaining.
1991
: Jeff returned for a more successful attempt at Indy. He qualified an impressive 11th, and finished the race in 15th. Though he was not actually running at the finish, he was the highest-placed rookie, and won the the rookie of the year award. The became the third Andretti, after his father Michael and grandfather Mario, to win the rookie of the year.
1992
: During the first half of the race, the rear brake rotors kept slipping out of place. Just after the halfway point, the right rear wheel hub broke from his car at turn 2 and he crashed violently head-on into the wall, severely injuring both his legs. He placed 18th.
1993
: Jeff returned to Indy after recovering from his injuries in 1992. He experienced the rather dubious distinction of becoming the first driver to spin out on the newly-constructed warm-up lane during practice. It would be his final start at Indy, and on race day it ended with a crash.
1994
: Jeff entered the month without a ride, but joined Hemelgarn Racing
during the second week. He was unable to get the car up to speed, and never made a qualifying attempt.
Jeff's 1992 crash effectively curtailed his - although he returned to racing shortly afterwards, he never achieved a level of success in subsequent competition in the Indy 500, Indy Lights, and the NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series
. In 2011, Jeff Andretti served as the driver coach for rookie Ho-Pin Tung
, who crashed during his qualifying attempt, and was unable to qualify.
is the son of Aldo
(Mario's
twin brother) Therefore he is Michael
and Jeff
's cousin. He has had a long and successful career in several forms of motorsport, including wins in NASCAR
, CART
, and the 24 Hours of Daytona
. He has also competed in NHRA drag racing. The majority of his career has been spent in NASCAR.
John
has 11 starts at the Indianapolis 500, with a best finish of 5th in the 1991 event
. This includes a gap of thirteen years between the 1994 race
and the 2007 race
. Though his misfortunes have not been as pronounced as his fellow family members, his success has been notably mediocre.
From 1994-2006, John primarily raced in NASCAR
, and did not compete in the Indy 500. He drove in the Brickyard 400 from 1994–2003, with only one top ten (7th in 1998), and he finished last in 2003.
joined the ranks of CART
owners, teaming with Carl Haas
to form Newman/Haas
racing. In their first year, Mario Andretti
signed as primary driver, an arrangement that would carry Andretti through the remainder of his career, until his retirement in 1994. Michael Andretti
joined the team from 1989–1992 and again from 1995-2000. During the 1980s, and for the better part of the 1990s, the team was closely aligned with the Andretti family.
Like the Andretti family, Newman's team experienced tremendous success in Indy car racing, with the notable exception of victory at Indianapolis. During Newman's tenure, the team won over 100 Champ Car
races and eight season championships. With Mario and Michael at the helm, as well as other championship drivers over the years, such as Nigel Mansell
, Paul Tracy
, and Sébastien Bourdais
, the team has failed to achieve victory of any sort at Indianapolis.
Along with Mario's and Michael's many misfortunes during the 1980s and 1990s, Newman/Haas Racing
's misfortunes at Indy include several near-misses and crashes. In 1996, the Indy car split saw Newman/Haas (and Newman
in particular) take sides firmly with the CART contingent. The team would not return to Indianapolis until 2004.
From 1996-2003, Newman/Haas Racing did not enter at Indy due to the CART/IRL "split."
The team skipped the 2006-2007 races.
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
won the race only once (1969
1969 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1969 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Friday, May 30, 1969.-Race schedule:-Jigger Sirois:On pole day, Saturday May 17, rain threatened to wash out the afternoon. At the time, the rules did not specifically provide for rain delay extensions during the pole round...
). In victory lane, prolific car owner Andy Granatelli
Andy Granatelli
Anthony "Andy" Granatelli was the CEO of STP.Along with brothers Vince and Joe, Andy first worked as an auto mechanic and 'speed-shop' entrepreneur, modifying engines such as the 'flathead' Ford into racing-quality equipment...
planted a kiss
Kiss
A kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against the lips or other body parts of another person or of an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, and good...
on the young Andretti's cheek. Following the win, Mario never managed to win the great race for a second time by his retirement in 1994. The misfortune at Indianapolis
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
, with a cumulative total (post-2011) of 65 starts as drivers, has notably extended to his sons Michael
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
and Jeff
Jeff Andretti
Jeff Andretti is an American race car driver. He competed in CART, and was the series' Rookie of the Year in 1991.-Racing career:...
, nephew John
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
, as well as grandson Marco
Marco Andretti
Marco Michael Andretti is an Italian American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti...
, and to an in-direct extent, to his twin brother Aldo
Aldo Andretti
Aldo Andretti is the twin brother of Mario Andretti and the father of John Andretti and Adam Andretti. He is the uncle of Michael Andretti and Jeff Andretti, and great-uncle of Marco Andretti. Aldo and Mario are identical twins...
, and former car owner, Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
.
Michael, Jeff and Marco all followed in the footsteps of Mario by winning the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award, but none of those three, nor John, have yet managed to win the race. Twice, when Michael Andretti's team
Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda Championship, and U.S. F2000 National Championship.-Current IndyCar Drivers and Cars:*7 Danica Patrick, GoDaddy.com*26 Marco Andretti...
won the Indianapolis 500, the driver subsequently defected to rival Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
the following year.
Over the years due to the many misfortunes, public address announcer Tom Carnegie
Tom Carnegie
Tom Carnegie, was the public address announcer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1946 to 2006. His signature calls while at IMS were "He's on it" and "It's a new track record," which were said many times during his tenure...
made the words "Mario
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
is slowing down," dubiously famous.
Mario Andretti
MarioMario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
was the first of the Andretti family to have success in top level motorsport, going on to have a long career and become one of the most successful drivers of all time. During his career, Andretti won four IndyCar
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
titles including, the 1978
1978 Formula One season
The 1978 Formula One season included the 29th FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on January 15, 1978, and ended on October 8 after sixteen races. Mario Andretti was the season Champion and the last American to date to win a Formula One race...
F1
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
World Championship, and IROC VI
IROC VI
The sixth year of IROC competition took place in 1978 and 1979. The format changed from IROC V in that three qualifying races were held for participants from NASCAR, USAC Champ Car, and Road Racing...
(1978–1979). To date, he remains the only driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
(1967), and the Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
World Championship. Andretti had 109 career wins on major circuits. He was the first driver to exceed 200 miles per hour while practicing for the 1977 Indianapolis 500
1977 Indianapolis 500
The 1977 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 29, 1977.Gordon Johncock led 129 laps and had a 16 second lead on A.J. Foyt one lap after final pit stops when his crankshaft broke. Foyt became the first driver to win four times. Tom Sneva broke the barrier in qualifying, and...
.
In addition to his individual wins, Andretti has been enshrined in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum is an automotive museum on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, which houses the Auto Racing Hall of Fame. It is intrinsically linked to the Indianapolis 500, but it also includes exhibits reflecting other forms of...
, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
International Motorsports Hall of Fame
The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...
, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, as well as the Automotive Hall of Fame
Automotive Hall of Fame
The Automotive Hall of Fame is an American museum and hall of fame covering automotive innovations.-Location:Located in the metro Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, the museum shares a parking lot with The Henry Ford.-External links:*...
. He was named Driver of the Year three times, and Driver of the Quarter Century as well.
Mario competed 29 times in the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, with only a single victory in 1969
1969 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1969 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Friday, May 30, 1969.-Race schedule:-Jigger Sirois:On pole day, Saturday May 17, rain threatened to wash out the afternoon. At the time, the rules did not specifically provide for rain delay extensions during the pole round...
to his credit, which occurred very early in his career. His quest for a second victory, to no avail, was well documented by ABC Sports by about 1986 and 1987, when the broadcasts began airing features about a perceived bad luck "curse" that had overcome him at the Speedway. Andretti himself even mentioned that "Lady Luck" seemed be against him at times. Meanwhile, fellow "Brickyard" legends of his era (A.J. Foyt, Al Unser
Al Unser
Alfred "Al" Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....
, Al Unser, Jr.
Al Unser, Jr.
Alfred Unser, Jr. , nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior" or simply "Junior" is a retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.-History:...
, Bobby Unser
Bobby Unser
Robert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser...
, Johnny Rutherford
Johnny Rutherford
For the Major League Baseball pitcher, see Johnny Rutherford . For other people with a similar name, see John RutherfordJohn Sherman Rutherford III , better known as Johnny Rutherford, and also known as "Lone Star JR" is a former U.S...
, Gordon Johncock
Gordon Johncock
Gordon Johncock is a former racing driver, best known as a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the 1976 USAC Marlboro Championship Trail champion. Johncock was most often simply referred to as "Gordy."...
, and Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
) all racked up multiple Indy 500 wins to their credit. Mario's perceived curse became such a popular "watercooler topic" during the month of May, that some fans were known to have betting pool
Betting pool
A betting pool, sports lottery, sweep or office pool if done at work, is a form of gambling, specifically a variant of parimutuel betting influenced by lotteries, where gamblers pay a fixed price into a pool , and then make a selection on some outcome, usually related to sport...
s to guess which lap Andretti would drop out of the race.
From 1911-1968, the second starting position statistically produced the most race winners (9 total), moreso than even the pole position (which had produced only 7 at that time). In his lone 1969 victory, Mario drove car #2, from the second starting position. It was the 10th time a driver had won the Indy 500 from the second starting position. Never again in the 1900s would a car win from the second starting position. In fact, few cars ever mananged to finish the race from the second starting position in the decades following. Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
finally broke the streak by winning from the middle of the front row in 2000
2000 Indianapolis 500
The 2000 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 2000.-Recap:Chip Ganassi Racing became the first regular CART series team to break ranks and compete at Indianapolis since the CART/IRL split in 1996, entering 1996 CART series champion Jimmy Vasser and reigning...
.
Indy 500 troubles
19661966 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1966 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Monday, May 30, 1966....
: Mario avoided the massive 11-car pileup on the start, and led 16 laps. However, despite the thinned-out field, he dropped out after only 27 laps with a bad valve.
1967
1967 Indianapolis 500
-Race schedule:- Race Summary :This unexpected 2 day event began with gray skies but the race was underway as Parnelli Jones in the STP-Paxton Turbocar is in first place before half a lap, with Gurney second and A.J. Foyt in third. Parnelli leads all 18 laps before rain halts the race...
: Mario loses a wheel and drops out after only 58 laps.
1968
1968 Indianapolis 500
-Race schedule:- Time Trials :1968 was the second and eventually the final year the controversial turbine cars were running in the 1968 race classic. Turbine cars were entered by STP and by Carroll Shelby...
: Mario drops out after only 2 laps with a bad piston, and finished in last place. A few minutes later, he climbed into his teammate's car (Larry Dickson
Larry Dickson
Larry Dickson , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1965-1981 seasons, with 105 combined career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1966-1969, 1971, 1978–1979, and 1981. He finished in the top ten 44 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in...
) to drive relief. He did not fare any better, as that car dropped out after 24 laps with another bad piston.
1969
1969 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1969 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Friday, May 30, 1969.-Race schedule:-Jigger Sirois:On pole day, Saturday May 17, rain threatened to wash out the afternoon. At the time, the rules did not specifically provide for rain delay extensions during the pole round...
: Mario switched to the Granatelli
Andy Granatelli
Anthony "Andy" Granatelli was the CEO of STP.Along with brothers Vince and Joe, Andy first worked as an auto mechanic and 'speed-shop' entrepreneur, modifying engines such as the 'flathead' Ford into racing-quality equipment...
team for 1969. Granatelli had suffered heartbreaking misfortune in 1967 and 1968 with their Turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
-powered machines. Both years, they lost the lead in the final laps when the machines failed to finish. For 1969, he abandoned the Turbine program. During practice, Mario wrecked his revolutionary 4-wheel drive Lotus, suffering burns to his face. A week later, he climbed into his back up car and still managed to qualify for the front row. His twin brother Aldo
Aldo Andretti
Aldo Andretti is the twin brother of Mario Andretti and the father of John Andretti and Adam Andretti. He is the uncle of Michael Andretti and Jeff Andretti, and great-uncle of Marco Andretti. Aldo and Mario are identical twins...
stood in for him for qualifying pictures. Despite the incident, Mario went on to win the race in impressive fashion. Aldo
Aldo Andretti
Aldo Andretti is the twin brother of Mario Andretti and the father of John Andretti and Adam Andretti. He is the uncle of Michael Andretti and Jeff Andretti, and great-uncle of Marco Andretti. Aldo and Mario are identical twins...
, however, was not as fortunate, as less than three months later, he suffered a severely fractured face in a career-ending sprint car
Sprint car racing
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
accident. In victory lane, an ecstatic Andy Granatelli
Andy Granatelli
Anthony "Andy" Granatelli was the CEO of STP.Along with brothers Vince and Joe, Andy first worked as an auto mechanic and 'speed-shop' entrepreneur, modifying engines such as the 'flathead' Ford into racing-quality equipment...
rushed to greet his winner. After several years of heartbreak, he grabbed the victorious Mario and planted a kiss on his cheek. Some have pointed at that moment as the impetus of the curse.
1970
1970 Indianapolis 500
The 1970 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 30, 1970.Following in the footsteps of his brother, Bobby, Al Unser dominates the 500, leading 190 laps, matching Jim Clark's total in 1965, and the most since 1953, when Bill Vukovich led all but five laps in the race...
: Attempting to defend his victory, Mario qualifies for the dreaded "8-ball spot." (8th starting position was considered bad luck at the time; no driver ever won the race from that grid position from 1911–1984). On about lap 28, Mario was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop due to loose bodywork. He rejoined the race, but lost many positions. He led no laps, and finished a lap down in 6th place.
1971
1971 Indianapolis 500
The 1971 Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 29, 1971. ABC television broadcast the race for the first time in same-day tape delay....
: Mario wrecks out in turn 3 after 11 laps, placing 30th.
1972
1972 Indianapolis 500
The 1972 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 27, 1972.Gary Bettenhausen leads 138 laps until his engine blows on lap 176. Jerry Grant gets the lead but pits for new tires on lap 188 in team mate Bobby Unser’s pit. Bettenhausen’s Penske team mate Mark Donohue...
: Mario runs out of fuel with 6 laps to go, and falls to 8th place.
1973
1973 Indianapolis 500
The 57th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Wednesday, May 30, 1973. The race was held over three days due to rain and 2 major accidents. After 133 laps , rain halted the race, and Gordon Johncock was declared the winner....
: At the start, a massive crash involving Salt Walther
Salt Walther
David "Salt" Walther , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He also drove NASCAR stock cars, unlimited hydroplane boats, and was a car owner in USAC....
halts the race. Two days later, the race finally gets going, but Mario completes only 4 laps and drops out with a bad piston. Incidentally, Andy Granatelli
Andy Granatelli
Anthony "Andy" Granatelli was the CEO of STP.Along with brothers Vince and Joe, Andy first worked as an auto mechanic and 'speed-shop' entrepreneur, modifying engines such as the 'flathead' Ford into racing-quality equipment...
, for whom Andretti no longer drove, was the winning owner.
1974
1974 Indianapolis 500
The 58th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 1974. Johnny Rutherford, in his eleventh attempt, won the race from the 25th starting position, the farthest back since Fred Frame in 1932....
: Mario suffers yet another early drop out, completing only 2 laps. He dropped out with a bad valve, and finished 31st.
1975
1975 Indianapolis 500
The 1975 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 25, 1975.Wally Dallenbach Sr. had a twenty-second lead when he retired on lap 162 with a burned piston. Johnny Rutherford lost the inherited lead to Bobby Unser when he pitted. On lap 171 the yellow came out for rain and the two...
: Despite racing regularly in Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
, Mario skips the Belgian Grand Prix
1975 Belgian Grand Prix
The 1975 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zolder on May 25, 1975. It was the sixth round of the 1975 World Drivers' Championship. It was the 33rd Belgian Grand Prix and the second to be held at the Circuit Zolder...
to race at Indy. Early on, his car stalls several times while trying to leave the pits, and he lost several laps. He would eventually crash out on the backstretch when a mechanical failure sent his car spinning into the inside wall.
1976
1976 Indianapolis 500
The 1976 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 30, 1976.Rain stopped the race on lap 102. Two hours later, the race was about to be restarted, but the rain fell again. Officials called the race at that point and Johnny Rutherford was declared the winner...
: Mario is running a fill schedule again in Forumla One for 1976, but choses to race at Indy once again. The Belgian Grand Prix
1976 Belgian Grand Prix
The 1976 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zolder on May 16, 1976.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
is held the same weekend as pole day time trials, so the conflict prevents Mario from a chance at the pole. On the second weekend of qualifying, he posts the fastest overall speed in the field, but as luck would have it, he is forced to start deep in the field as a third-day qualifier. On race day, Mario was a lap down in 8th when the officials called the race for rain on lap 102.
1977
1977 Indianapolis 500
The 1977 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 29, 1977.Gordon Johncock led 129 laps and had a 16 second lead on A.J. Foyt one lap after final pit stops when his crankshaft broke. Foyt became the first driver to win four times. Tom Sneva broke the barrier in qualifying, and...
: Another busy schedule finds Mario squeezing in Indy right after Monaco
1977 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1977 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 22, 1977.-Report:John Watson took his first career pole for Brabham with Jody Scheckter also on the front row and Carlos Reutemann third. It was Scheckter who got the best start to beat Watson to the first corner, with...
. He drops out and finishes 26th.
1978
1978 Indianapolis 500
The 1978 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 28, 1978. For the first time, Mary Fendrich Hulman, widow of Tony Hulman, delivered the command for drivers to start engines....
: Mario squeezed in another attempt at Indy during his full-time Formula One effort. Mario plans to qualify at Indy during the first weekend of time trials (which was an off-week for F1). He is quickly up to speed during practice, running an "unofficial" track record of 203.482 mph. He went into the weekend as a favorite for the pole, but the first two days of time trials were rained out. He was forced to leave and go back to Europe for the Belgian Grand Prix
1978 Belgian Grand Prix
-Report:The main news before the Belgian Grand Prix was that the new Lotus 79 was now ready to race, and immediately Mario Andretti showed its pace by taking pole comfortably from Carlos Reutemann and Niki Lauda...
. During the second weekend of time trials, Mike Hiss
Mike Hiss
Mike Hiss is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1972-1976 seasons, with 28 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1972-1975. He finished in the top ten 13 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1972 at Ontario...
was drafted as a substitute, and qualified the car for Mario (he qualified 8th fastest). Mario himself won at Belguim. On race day, Mario got back in the cockpit and the car was moved to the back of the field due to the driver change. Early in the race, Andretti lost 8 laps when he had to make a long pit stop to change a spark plug
Spark plug
A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed fuels such as aerosol, gasoline, ethanol, and liquefied petroleum gas by means of an electric spark.Spark plugs have an insulated central electrode which is connected by...
wire. He was effectively out of contention very early on, and wound up 15 laps down at the finish.
1979
1979 Indianapolis 500
The 1979 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1979.The month was filled with controversy on and off the track. A court injunction was issued after USAC denied entries by the start-up CART series. During time trials, several cars were disqualified due to illegal wastegate...
: Monaco
1979 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1979 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 27 May 1979 at Monaco.- Classification :- Notes :* Lap Leaders: Jody Scheckter 76 laps .* Last race - James Hunt-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings...
and Indy are held the same day, therefore Mario was forced to skip the 1979 Indy 500.
1980
1980 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1980 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 25, 1980.-Recap:After failing in its 1979 debut, Jim Hall's radically new Chaparral chassis is driven to easy victory by Johnny Rutherford. Tom Sneva becomes the first driver to place second after starting last. He also...
: No date conflict in 1980 allows Mario to try Indy again during a Formula One off-week. Much of the same though, as he drops out and finishes 20th.
1981
1981 Indianapolis 500
The 65th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1981. A hectic month of May was interrupted several times by rain. Bobby Unser took the checkered flag as the winner, with Mario Andretti second...
: Mario finished second in the 1981 race, eight seconds behind winner Bobby Unser
Bobby Unser
Robert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser...
. The following day Unser was penalized one lap for passing cars under a caution flag, and Mario was declared the winner. Unser and his car owner Roger Penske
Roger Penske
Roger S. Penske is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated...
appealed the race stewards' decision. USAC overturned the one lap penalty four months later, restoring Unser as the winner.
1982
1982 Indianapolis 500
The 66th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1982. Gordon Johncock, who had previously won the rain-shortened 1973 race, was the winner...
: Mario had firmly returned to race full-time in the CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
series. At the start, Mario was tangled up in the infamous Kevin Cogan
Kevin Cogan
Kevin Cogan is a former racecar driver who drove in Formula One from to . Driving a RAM Williams in the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, he failed to qualify, suffering the same result driving for Tyrrell at the 1981 US GP West...
crash, and was out of the race before the green flag.
1983
1983 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1983 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 29, 1983.-Recap:Three-time runner up Tom Sneva is stuck behind the lapped car of Al Unser, Jr., who is helping protect the lead of his father Al Unser despite being shown the blue "move-over" flag...
: Mario joins the new Newman/Haas Racing
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing...
team, with co-owners Carl Haas
Carl Haas
Carl A. Haas is an American auto racing impresario. He co-owned the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing team in the IndyCar Series with the late Paul Newman and Mike Lanigan. He also owned Carl A...
and Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
. Johnny Parsons
Johnny Parsons
Johnny Parsons is an American racecar driver.-Racing family:Parsons is the son of Arza and 1950 Indianapolis 500 winner Johnnie Parsons. His parents divorced, and Johnny was raised with half-brothers Dana and Pancho Carter, the product of Arza'a marriage with Duane Carter. The Carters grew up...
spun in front of him in turn one, he was collected, and both cars crashed hard into the wall.
1984
1984 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1984 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1984.-Recap:An exciting first half turns dull as defending champion Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti fall out late with mechanical trouble, leaving Rick Mears the winner by over two laps. Rookies Roberto Guerrero, Al Holbert,...
: On his first qualifying lap, Mario set a one-lap track record, and appeared on his way to a front row starting position. On the fourth and final qualifying lap, his car quit coming off of turn four, and he coasted across the finish line. He dropped to 6th starting position. On race day, he was in contention to win most of the afternoon, but mechanical trouble forced him out of the race (17th finishing position), and Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
won by two laps.
1985
1985 Indianapolis 500
The 69th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis, United States on Sunday, May 26, 1985. Due to a dramatic spin by eventual race winner Danny Sullivan, the race is known in auto racing lore as the "Spin and Win".-Recap:...
: Danny Sullivan
Danny Sullivan
Daniel John "Danny" Sullivan III is a former racing driver from the United States. He is best known for winning the 1985 Indianapolis 500.-Before racing:...
passes Mario for the lead on the 120th lap, but immediately spins. Andretti somehow avoids contact and regains the lead. Both drivers pit under the ensuing caution. About 20 laps later, Sullivan passes Mario again, this time cleanly, to go on for the win. Mario had described the 1985 race as his "best chance to win" perhaps in his career, but managed only a disappointing, and somewhat distant, second place.
1986
1986 Indianapolis 500
The 70th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 31, 1986. After being rained out on May 25–26, the race was rescheduled for the following weekend...
: After qualifying 5th on pole day, Mario badly wrecked his car in a mid-week practice run. On race day, he was forced to start an unproven back-up car at the rear of the field. The car lasted only 19 laps, and he finished 32nd.
1987
1987 Indianapolis 500
The 71st Indianapolis 500 was held Sunday May 24, 1987 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During the month of May, an unusually high 25 crashes occurred during practice and qualifying. After dominating practice, qualifying, and most of the race, leader Mario Andretti slowed with mechanical...
: Mario dominated the 1987 event, and in fact, the entire month of May. He won the pole position, the pit stop contest, and led the daily practice speed chart every day he took practice laps. Driving the new Ilmor Chevy Indy V-8, He led 170 of the first 177 laps, giving up the lead only during pit stops sequences. Shockingly, his race ended with electrical failure with only 23 laps to go. Al Unser
Al Unser
Alfred "Al" Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....
, of the rival Unser family, won his record-tying fourth Indy 500 after Andretti's, and later Roberto Guerrero
Roberto Guerrero
Roberto José Guerrero Isaza is a former racing driver from Colombia. He participated in 29 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 23 January 1982...
's, misfortunes.
1988
1988 Indianapolis 500
The 72nd Indianapolis 500 was held Sunday May 29, 1988 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Team Penske dominated the month, sweeping the top three starting positions with Rick Mears winning the pole position, Danny Sullivan on the inside of the front row, and Al Unser, Sr. on the outside...
: Mario was the fastest driver in practice all week, leading the charts at 221.565 mph. On the morning of pole day, he drove a practice lap of 220.372 mph, second only to Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
(222.827 mph). Mario drew the coveted first qualifying attempt, but his qualifying speed was curiously slow and disappointing (214.692 mph). On race day, his car was plagued with problems. About 30 laps into the race, a gearbox bearing failed and created an oil leak. A long pit stop was needed to make repairs. Later in the race, an ignition problem forced another series of long pit stops to change various electrical components. With the leaders at lap 170, Mario was about 50 laps down, when the team finally called the day quits with a dead engine. Mario was credited with 118 laps in 20th place.
1989
1989 Indianapolis 500
The 73rd Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 1989. Emerson Fittipaldi became the first foreign winner of the race since 1966. Though Fittipaldi dominated most of the race, he dropped to second in the waning laps. On the 199th lap, Al Unser, Jr. was...
: Around the halfway mark, Mario was forced to the pits with a throttle problem. After losing several laps, Mario returned to the track after repairs. Mario found himself running at the finish, albeit 7 laps down in 4th place, which is considered an unusually large deficit for fourth place in the modern era. The 1989 race marked the first year he was teamed-up with his son Michael
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
, who blew an engine while leading.
1990
1990 Indianapolis 500
The 74th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1990. Arie Luyendyk took the lead with 32 laps to go, and earned his first-ever victory in championship-level competition...
: Mario was running as high as third until his second pit stop. He pitted on lap 45, but as he was exiting the pits, the caution flag came out, and he lost a lap. On lap 60, he dropped out with engine trouble, finishing 27th.
1991
1991 Indianapolis 500
The 75th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 1991. Rick Mears won from the pole position, becoming the third four-time winner of the Indy 500, joining A. J. Foyt and Al Unser....
: Late in the race, Andretti was running in the top five, although a few laps down. On lap 188, Mario's son Michael Andretti
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
took the lead on a restart, passing Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
on the outside of turn one. One lap later, Mears pulled the same move, and re-took the lead. Mears began to pull away, and Michael's hopes for victory began to fade. Suddenly Mario coasted to a stop at the entrance to the pits, bringing out the caution. A mild controversy emerged when observers speculated that Mario had stopped on purpose to help Michael. The field bunched up under the yellow, and the caution gave Michael one last chance to challenge for the win. Mears pulled away on the restart, and the controversy eventually fizzled.
1992
1992 Indianapolis 500
The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser, Jr...
: At the start, Mario and his son Michael led the field into the first turn. Michael came around in first, and Mario already a somewhat distant second. On the 5th lap, a caution came out. Mario ducked into the pits with a misfire. After several pit stops, the problem was fixed and he returned to the track, but dropped down the standings a lap down. Later in the race, Mario pitted for tires, and cross-threaded a wheel nut. He was again shuffled down in the running order. A few moments later, on a restart, he crashed in turn four. He was among several front-runners to crash due to cold tires on the unusually cold afternoon. Mario suffered broken toes, and was taken to Methodist Hospital in downtown Indianapolis for surgery. A short time later, Mario's son Jeff shattered both of his legs in a terrible crash, and was also taken to the hospital. Both required considerable rehabilitation, although Jeff's was significantly more severe. Back at the track, Mario's other son Michael was dominating the race, and looked poised to win. However, with 11 laps to go, his car quit, and he was out of the race. Ironically, the rival Unser family prevailed over the dismayed Andrettis yet again, with Al Unser Jr. winning and Al Unser Sr. finishing third. In his autobiography Andretti, Mario described the day, which saw him laid up in a hospital bed, witnessing his youngest son's serious injury, and then woke up to hear the news that his other son Michael had lost, as the "worst day of my life."
1993
1993 Indianapolis 500
The 77th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1993. Emerson Fittipaldi took the lead with 16 laps to go, and won his second career Indy 500 victory...
: The 1993 race was Andretti's last notable run, and he had just come off a victory at Phoenix
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
. On pole day, Andretti was the first car to complete a qualifying run, and sat on the provisional pole position. Mario's speed held up all afternoon, but with less than an hour to go, Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk, originally Arie Luijendijk is a Dutch auto racing driver, twice winner of the Indianapolis 500....
topped his speed, and took the pole. On race day, Mario was a factor most of the afternoon, leading the most laps (73). While leading on lap 134, Mario was penalized for entering the pits while they were closed. A stop-and-go penalty dropped him only down to second place. In the final 50 laps, he began developing handling problems,and slid down the standings to finish 5th.
1994
1994 Indianapolis 500
The 78th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 1994. Al Unser, Jr. won from the pole position, his second Indy 500 victory. Much to the surprise of competitors, media, and fans, Marlboro Team Penske arrived at the Speedway with a brand new, secretly-built...
: Mario's last race at Indy. He entered with much fanfare through his "Arrivederci Mario" tour. His race was very short though, and he dropped out early due to mechanical problems.
In total, Mario finished the full 500 miles just five times, including his lone victory
1969 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1969 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Friday, May 30, 1969.-Race schedule:-Jigger Sirois:On pole day, Saturday May 17, rain threatened to wash out the afternoon. At the time, the rules did not specifically provide for rain delay extensions during the pole round...
.
2003
2003 Indianapolis 500
The 2003 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 25, 2003.-Recap:The "curse of the Indy three-peat" prevailed again on lap 169, as pole-sitter and two-time defending champion Hélio Castroneves was held up behind lap car A.J. Foyt IV coming out of the second turn, allowing teammate...
: On April 23, 2003, in the lead up to the 2003 Indy 500, Mario took to the track for the first time in ten years in a major open wheel car
Open wheel car
Open-wheel car, formula car, or often single-seater car in British English, describes cars with the wheels outside the car's main body and, in most cases, one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have their wheels below the body or fenders...
. He participated in a test session for son Michael
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
's AGR IndyCar team. One of the team's regular drivers, Tony Kanaan
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
, suffered a radial fracture of his arm on April 15 a crash a week earlier at Motegi
Indy Japan 300
The Indy Japan 300 presented by Bridgestone is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. The 2008 race marked the historic first ever win for a woman driver in American open wheel racing when Danica Patrick of Andretti-Green Racing took the checkered...
. If Kanaan was not cleared to drive in enough time, tentative plans were being prepared for Mario to qualify the car for him. He would turn the car over to Kanaan on race day. No plans had yet been made though for Mario to actually drive in the race.
During the test session, it was noted by many observers that despite his lack of experience in modern Indy cars (which had changed substantially since his retirement) and his advanced age (63), he quickly reached competitive speed. He was quickly over 212 mph, and looked "as if he had never been away." The success of the testing caused growing speculation during the afternoon that Mario may even attempt to qualify for the race.
With only 2 minutes left in the day, Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck is a race car driver from Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League. He survived one of the racing sport's biggest...
crashed in turn one, and the yellow light came one. Mario entered turn one at full speed, and struck debris on the track from Bräck's car. The object, identified by most as the rear wing, forced the nose of Mario's car to become airborne, and the car went into a rapid double reverse somersault at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour. Television footage from the WTHR
WTHR
WTHR, channel 13, is a full-service television station serving the Indianapolis, Indiana metropolitan area. An affiliate of the NBC television network, its studios at 1000 N. Meridian Street anchor the south end of Indy's Television Row...
helicopter-cam showed that the car clipped the top of the debris fence, and was nearly high enough to go over it. The car fell back to the ground, slowed by its mid-air tumble, and slid to a stop. Luckily, the car landed right side up and Andretti walked away from the crash with very minor injuries.
Mario initially shrugged off the accident, and still contemplated returning to qualify the car in May. A day later, however, he reconsidered, and has not climbed back into a race car. This was Mario's last significant on-track activity at Indianapolis to date.
Indy 500- Races involved in crashes
- 1967 (lost wheel), 1969 (practice), 1971, 1975, 1982, 1983, 1986 (practice), 1992, 2003 (testing)
Indy 500- Races suffering mechanical/engine failure
- 1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994
Indy 500- Races leading the most laps without winning
- 1985, 1987, 1993
Mario Andretti and Le Mans
Mario's run of bad luck also extends to his many attempts at Le Mans, which began with his debut, sharing a Holman & Moody Ford MKIIFord GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
with Lucien Bianchi
Lucien Bianchi
Lucien Bianchi , born Luciano Bianchi, was a Belgian racing driver who raced for the Cooper, ENB, UDT Laystall and Scuderia Centro Sud teams in Formula One...
, as they had being at the top 10, their car dropped a valve at 10.30pm, causing them to retire. Further bad luck continued for the race, as he was driving, his front brake locked, causing him to crash his Holman & Moody Ford MKIV
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
at the Esses, his fellow team-mates, Jo Schlesser
Jo Schlesser
Joseph Schlesser was a Formula One and sports car racing driver from France. He participated in three World Championship Grands Prix, including the 1968 French Grand Prix in which he was killed...
and Roger McCluskey
Roger McCluskey
Roger McCluskey was an American race car driver. He was from Tucson, Arizona.He won championship titles in three divisions of USAC -Sprints, Stocks, and Champ Cars. He won the USAC Sprint Car title in 1963 and 1966, the USAC Stock car title in 1969 and 1970. The Champ Car title in 1973...
driving MKIIB GT40s attempted to avoid Andretti's GT40 and crashed, but managed to avoid his car. McCluskey managed to pull Andretti to safety, which he had to be taken to hospital. Mario would not return to the French classic until the end of his F1 career in with an enormous fanfare, partnering with son Michael in a Mirage M12 Ford. Despite having qualified 9th place, the pair found their car being removed from the starting grid 80 minutes before the start of the race, as an official discovered an oil cooler that was mounted behind the gearbox, contravening the rules, despite managing to pass initial scrutineering four days ago. Despite protests and complaints, the Andretti's entry was removed altogether, replaced by a Porsche 924
Porsche 924
The Porsche 924 is an automobile produced by Porsche AG of Germany from 1976 to 1988. A two-door, 2+2 coupé, the 924 replaced the 914 as the company's entry-level model, and was the model that finally retired the 912. In production terms, the 924 was the first Porsche model powered by a...
Carrera GTR. Despite a formal complaint, team owner Harley Cluxton, who took over the Mirage name from original founder John Wyer
John Wyer
John Wyer was an English automobile racing engineer and team manager. He is mainly associated with cars running in the lightblue and orange livery of his longtime sponsorship partner Gulf Oil.As team manager and team owner, Wyer won the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times...
, would never return to the race again.
Their return for the following year
1983 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 51st Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 18 and 19 1983. It was also the fourth round of both the World Endurance Championship and European Endurance Championship. The win was fought right down to the line between the Rothmans Porsche 956s of Al...
was more successful as they finished third as well as their return in with John which they finished 6th in a factory Porsche 962
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
. Following Mario's retirement from full-time racing, he decided on a return to the Sarthe circuit to add a Le Mans victory to his achievements in . While showing potential to win the race, a number of disorganized mishap, including being pulled over to the pits at the closing period while leading the race to clear grime off the car to make the sponsor's decal visible resulting in a 2nd place. His efforts for the following years proved to be unsuccessful with a 13th place for and a DNF for . His final appearance was in when he managed to finish 15th.
Michael Andretti
MichaelMichael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
is the son of Mario, and is the driver whom the Andretti Curse is equally as associated. Despite a successful career including a CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
championship and a stint in F1
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
, he has so far been unsuccessful in 16 attempts at winning the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
. He has completed the most laps, as well as led the most laps, of any driver who has never won the famous race. He is considered by some the best driver never to have won.
1984
1984 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1984 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1984.-Recap:An exciting first half turns dull as defending champion Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti fall out late with mechanical trouble, leaving Rick Mears the winner by over two laps. Rookies Roberto Guerrero, Al Holbert,...
: Michael Andretti starts his career at Indianapolis on a positive note, finishing 5th and sharing the Rookie of the Year award with Roberto Guerrero
Roberto Guerrero
Roberto José Guerrero Isaza is a former racing driver from Colombia. He participated in 29 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 23 January 1982...
.
1985
1985 Indianapolis 500
The 69th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis, United States on Sunday, May 26, 1985. Due to a dramatic spin by eventual race winner Danny Sullivan, the race is known in auto racing lore as the "Spin and Win".-Recap:...
: Michael out-qualifies his teammate Kevin Cogan
Kevin Cogan
Kevin Cogan is a former racecar driver who drove in Formula One from to . Driving a RAM Williams in the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, he failed to qualify, suffering the same result driving for Tyrrell at the 1981 US GP West...
, but both cars are mid-packers at best. On race day, Michael finished 8th, four laps down, not as good as his rookie debut. Later in the year, Michael and Cogan are involved in a helicopter crash, but survive.
1986
1986 Indianapolis 500
The 70th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 31, 1986. After being rained out on May 25–26, the race was rescheduled for the following weekend...
: Michael out-qualifies his father Mario and starts on the outside of the front row. He proceeds to lead the first 42 laps, and is among the fastest cars on the track. A poorly executed fuel strategy, however, forces him to pit with only 7 laps to go, and drops him to 6th place one lap down.
1987
1987 Indianapolis 500
The 71st Indianapolis 500 was held Sunday May 24, 1987 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During the month of May, an unusually high 25 crashes occurred during practice and qualifying. After dominating practice, qualifying, and most of the race, leader Mario Andretti slowed with mechanical...
: Early on in the race, a pit fire halts his run. He ultimately drops out because a CV joint
Constant-velocity joint
Constant-velocity joints allow a drive shaft to transmit power through a variable angle, at constant rotational speed, without an appreciable increase in friction or play. They are mainly used in front wheel drive and all wheel drive cars...
fails.
1988
1988 Indianapolis 500
The 72nd Indianapolis 500 was held Sunday May 29, 1988 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Team Penske dominated the month, sweeping the top three starting positions with Rick Mears winning the pole position, Danny Sullivan on the inside of the front row, and Al Unser, Sr. on the outside...
: With only a few laps remaining, a piece of bodywork falls off his car, bringing out the yellow, and forcing the race to finish under caution. Driving the now-aging Cosworth DFX proved to be a horsepower disadvantage, as Michael was unable to keep up with the Chevrolet Indy V-8's as well as the Buicks
Buick V6 engine
The Buick V6, initially marketed as Fireball at its introduction in 1962, was a large V6 engine used by General Motors. The block is made of cast iron and all use two-valve-per-cylinder iron heads, actuated by pushrods....
, particularly down the long straights. However, he still managed a 4th place, owing to the numerous yellows (14) which kept the field bunched up.
1989
1989 Indianapolis 500
The 73rd Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 1989. Emerson Fittipaldi became the first foreign winner of the race since 1966. Though Fittipaldi dominated most of the race, he dropped to second in the waning laps. On the 199th lap, Al Unser, Jr. was...
: Michael joins his father at Newman/Haas Racing
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing...
. In one of his best races to date, Michael works his way to the lead in the second half. After leading 35 laps, his engine blows on the mainstretch just past the 400-mile mark.
1990
1990 Indianapolis 500
The 74th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1990. Arie Luyendyk took the lead with 32 laps to go, and earned his first-ever victory in championship-level competition...
: Early in the race, a brake fire causes Michael to lose considerable time in the pits. He eventually drops out with a vibration.
1991
1991 Indianapolis 500
The 75th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 1991. Rick Mears won from the pole position, becoming the third four-time winner of the Indy 500, joining A. J. Foyt and Al Unser....
: Michael leads 97 laps, and appears to be on his way to win. With 18 laps to go, he leads Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
by 15 seconds, but needs to make one final pit stop for fuel. A timely caution flag flies and loses minimal ground as he pits under the yellow. On the ensuing restart with 13 laps to go, he makes a daring pass on the outside in turn one to grab the lead from Mears. On the very next lap, Mears steals the thunder as he makes exactly the same counter-move and quickly pulls out to a lead. Moments lapse, Michael's father Mario suddenly coasts to a stop at the entrance to the pits. The yellow flag flies again, and bunches up the field. Many accused Mario of stopping on purpose in a ploy to aid his son. Whatever the case, the point is moot as Mears pulls away to the victory. Michael settled for second. This race was the first to feature four Andrettis, (Mario, Michael, Jeff
Jeff Andretti
Jeff Andretti is an American race car driver. He competed in CART, and was the series' Rookie of the Year in 1991.-Racing career:...
, and John
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
).
1992
1992 Indianapolis 500
The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser, Jr...
: Michael dominates the 1992 race, leading 160 of the first 189 laps. With only 11 laps to go he was leading by over half a lap. His fuel pump suddenly failed and he coasted to a stop. He settles for 13th place.
1993
1993 Indianapolis 500
The 77th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1993. Emerson Fittipaldi took the lead with 16 laps to go, and won his second career Indy 500 victory...
: Michael sits out the 1993 event, due to his now ill-fated participation in Formula One.
1994
1994 Indianapolis 500
The 78th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 1994. Al Unser, Jr. won from the pole position, his second Indy 500 victory. Much to the surprise of competitors, media, and fans, Marlboro Team Penske arrived at the Speedway with a brand new, secretly-built...
: Michael returns to the CART series for 1994, and returns to Indianapolis. In the first half, however, he suffers a flat tire, and loses a lap to the field. He finishes fourth on the track, but a late-race pit road speed infraction earns a one-lap penalty. He drops to 6th in the final standings.
1995
1995 Indianapolis 500
The 79th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 1995. Sanctioned by USAC, it was part of the 1995 CART Indycar season. Jacques Villenueve won in his second start. After dominating the 1994 race and the 1994 IndyCar season, Marlboro Team Penske failed to...
: While leading on the 77th lap, Michael approaches lap traffic and brushes the wall in turn four. His suspension is too damaged to continue, and he finishes 25th.
1996-2000: Due to the rift between the CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
series, and IRL, Michael does not compete at Indy.
2001
2001 Indianapolis 500
The 85th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 2001. Race rookie Hélio Castroneves led the final 52 laps and won his first Indy 500.-Changes for 2001:...
: Michael follows suit with other CART teams and returns to race at Indianapolis. He leads 16 laps, and is leading the race during a rain delay just beyond the halfway point. Had the race been halted due to the rain, he could have been declared the winner. The red flag, however, does not come out at the time and the race resumes. A punctured tire, and a minor collision in the pits slow him down, and at the end of the day, Michael settles for 3rd place.
2002
2002 Indianapolis 500
The 86th Indianapolis race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 2002. It was the seventh Indianapolis 500 held as part of the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series schedule, and was part of the 2002 Indy Racing League season....
: Nearing the end of his full-time driving career, Michael is not much of a factor, starting 15th and finishing 7th.
2003
2003 Indianapolis 500
The 2003 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 25, 2003.-Recap:The "curse of the Indy three-peat" prevailed again on lap 169, as pole-sitter and two-time defending champion Hélio Castroneves was held up behind lap car A.J. Foyt IV coming out of the second turn, allowing teammate...
: A highly-publicized "final start" at Indianapolis sees Michael a race favorite. After financial troubles in CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, Michael purchased majority ownership of Team Green and renamed it Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda Championship, and U.S. F2000 National Championship.-Current IndyCar Drivers and Cars:*7 Danica Patrick, GoDaddy.com*26 Marco Andretti...
. After leading 28 laps, Michael drops out of his final race before the halfway point, much like his father in 1994.
2004
2004 Indianapolis 500
The 2004 Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis on Sunday, May 30, 2004. It was part of the 2004 IndyCar Series season and the ninth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Pole winner Buddy Rice led the most laps and won the race for team owners Bobby Rahal and David Letterman.After...
: Now a full-time owner, Andretti's team quickly became one of the top organizations in the Indy Racing League, and proved to be very competitive at Indy. Rain shortens the 2004 race, however, and Andretti's team finds itself in a notable but frustrating result of finishing 2nd-3rd-4th.
2005
2005 Indianapolis 500
The 89th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 2005. It was the premier event of the 2005 IndyCar Series season, and the tenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Dan Wheldon won the race under a yellow flag...
: Andretti's team breaks through as Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
wins. After Wheldon's win, Andretti tells the media, "No more curse" as he shares in the milk celebration. Sitting on the sidelines, however, proved to be motivating, and in December, Michael announced he would come out of retirement to race in 2006 with his son Marco.
2006
2006 Indianapolis 500
The 90th Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday, May 28, 2006. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the race by passing rookie Marco Andretti on the final straightaway, about 450 feet from the finish line...
: In December 2005, Michael announced he would come out of retirement to race with his son Marco
Marco Andretti
Marco Michael Andretti is an Italian American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti...
at Indy in 2006. Michael was an also-ran most of the day, but managed to stay on the lead lap all day. During a caution on lap 160, Michael (along with Sam Hornish, Jr.
Sam Hornish, Jr.
Racing League]] championships. He currently drives the #12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger for Penske Racing part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also drives the #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford when Travis Kvapil is unable to drive the car....
) ducked in to the pits to top of his fuel, in hopes of going the rest of the race without another stop. After the leaders sequenced through yellow flag pit stops, Andretti remarkably inherited the lead on lap 194. The race went back to green with 4 laps to go with Michael leading, and his son Marco
Marco Andretti
Marco Michael Andretti is an Italian American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti...
behind him in second place. A lap later, Michael is quickly overtaken by Marco, who appears on his way to victory in his first race. Michael attempts some mild blocking, in order to protect his son's lead, but he is quickly passed by Sam Hornish, Jr.
Sam Hornish, Jr.
Racing League]] championships. He currently drives the #12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger for Penske Racing part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also drives the #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford when Travis Kvapil is unable to drive the car....
Marco ends up losing the lead on the final straightaway to the finish line, and the father and son Andrettis settle for second and third.
2007
2007 Indianapolis 500
The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply...
: In the wake of the 2006 near-miss, Michael returns for yet another encore, but experiences little success. He led one lap during a sequence of pit stops, but finished a lowly 13th. After the frustration, and in an effort to concentrate on his team cars, Michael announces he will again retire from driving.
Indy 500- Races involved in crashes
- 1995 (brushed wall)
Indy 500- Races suffering mechanical/engine failure
- 1987 (pit fire), 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994 (flat tire), 2003
Indy 500- Races leading the most laps without winning
- 1991, 1992
Andretti Green Racing / Andretti Autosport
At Andretti Green Racing (now known as Andretti Autosport), a three-time Indy Racing League champion—in 2004 (with Tony KanaanTony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
), in 2005 (with Wheldon) and in 2007 (with Franchitti) -- the team has felt an unfortunate string of the curse.
Twice, the curse seems to have risen to the top of Michael's budding dynasty, and both times the beneficiary has been Chip Ganassi
Chip Ganassi
Floyd "Chip" Ganassi, Jr is a former American racecar driver and current racecar owner.He is currently the owner and president of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates which operates teams on the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series circuit...
. Both times the Andretti Green Racing team has scored the win in the Indianapolis 500, the winning driver has defected to rival Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
for the ensuing season, with Dan Wheldon jumping to CGR's IRL team
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
, and Dario Franchitti to CGR's NASCAR team. Franchitti later went on to win at Indy again for Gansssi in 2010.
Indy 500 - Races won as car owner, winning driver defects to rival team
- 2005: Dan WheldonDan WheldonDaniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
- 2007: Dario FranchittiDario FranchittiGeorge Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
In 2011, the entire five-car Andretti Autosport team struggled to get up to speed at Indy - the second year in a row that has occurred. After putting only one car in the field on pole day, the team was faced with finding enough speed to get its other four cars qualified. As bump day wound to its conclusion, team driver Mike Conway
Mike Conway
Mike Conway, born 19 August 1983, is a British racing driver. He lives in Sevenoaks, Kent and is currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.- Biography :Conway who was born in Bromley, Kent, England attended Sevenoaks Prep School from 1986 to 1996....
exhausted his three attempts and was too slow to qualify. Marco Andretti
Marco Andretti
Marco Michael Andretti is an Italian American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti...
found himself on the bubble, and Ryan Hunter-Reay
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Ryan Hunter-Reay is a professional American race car driver best known as the only driver to have won races in each of North America's top open wheel formulas, CART the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
was the second slowest. Marco was ultimately bumped, but was able to make one last effect to qualify. However, Marco was faced with the situation of missing the race, or bumping out his teammate. When time trials closed, Marco was in and Hunter-Reay was out. A day later, a deal was made with Foyt Racing to put Hunter-Reay in as Foyt's second driver - a move that was deemed very unpopular by fans.
Marco Andretti
MarcoMarco Andretti
Marco Michael Andretti is an Italian American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti...
is the son of Michael and the grandson of Mario. He has qualified for the Indy 500 six times.
2005 Indy Pro Series
2005 in IPS
The 2005 Menards IRL Infiniti Pro Series Season was the series' fourth. It consisted of 14 races and the champion was Wade Cunningham. It was the first IPS season to include road course races. All teams used Dallara chassis and Infiniti engines....
: Marco's first trip to Indianapolis had him finish 16th, two laps down, in the 2005 Freedom 100 for the Indy Pro Series
Indy Pro Series
Firestone Indy Lights is a developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar. Previously, another series named Indy Lights filled the same role for CART and ran from 1986 to 1993 as the American Racing Series and Dayton Indy Lights from 1991 to 2001...
. Marco marked the first Andretti win at the Brickyard since 1969 by winning the 2005 Liberty Challenge Indy Pro Series race on the infield road course three weeks later.
2006
2006 Indianapolis 500
The 90th Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday, May 28, 2006. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the race by passing rookie Marco Andretti on the final straightaway, about 450 feet from the finish line...
: Marco joined his father's Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda Championship, and U.S. F2000 National Championship.-Current IndyCar Drivers and Cars:*7 Danica Patrick, GoDaddy.com*26 Marco Andretti...
IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
team for 2006. His first Indy 500 saw him narrowly miss a historic victory. A crash by Felipe Giaffone
Felipe Giaffone
Felipe Giaffone is a race car driver from Brazil. He competed in the Indy Racing League between 2001 and 2006. His father, "Zeca" Giaffone is the 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and Mil Milhas Brasil five times winner in the 1980s.-Racing career:...
instigated a caution period on lap 191. Marco's father Michael took the lead on lap 194 under caution when cars ahead of him made pit stops. At this stage, Marco was immediately behind his father in second place. One lap after returning to green-flag racing, Marco put a passing move on his father and took the lead, seemingly on the way to victory. However Sam Hornish, Jr.
Sam Hornish, Jr.
Racing League]] championships. He currently drives the #12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger for Penske Racing part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also drives the #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford when Travis Kvapil is unable to drive the car....
, recovering from a penalty earlier in the race, was closing quickly.
Michael attempted to block Hornish as much as possible for his son, but Hornish got by and drove up behind Marco with 2 laps to go. Marco held Hornish off as long as possible, however Hornish managed a last gasp pass in the last 400 feet before the finish line winning by 0.0635 seconds. It was the second-closest finish in the history of the Indy 500, behind only the 1992 race
1992 Indianapolis 500
The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser, Jr...
. Many consider this to be the saddest event in Michael Andretti's racing history, with a father-son 1st-2nd finish being spoiled by Hornish.
Third-place finisher Michael had high praise for his son: "I felt so bad for Marco, but I'm so proud. He drove a hell of a race. I drove with him a hell of a lot in that race. He drove like a champion. He drove like he's been out there 10 years." But Marco wanted more: "Second's nothing," he said.
2007
2007 Indianapolis 500
The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply...
: In a rain-interrupted race, Marco was a front runner for most of the afternoon. Marco took the lead on lap 102 during a caution, and rain was swiftly approaching the Speedway. Since the race was beyond the halfway point, if rain washed out the remained of the race, it could have been declared official. With the weather in mind, the restart on lap 107 could have decided the race. Tony Kanaan
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
got the jump into turn 1 on the restart, and took the lead. The red flag came out for rain on lap 113 with Marco sitting in second place. Three hours later, however, the track was dried, and the race resumed. Late in the race, Marco was involved in a spectacular crash with Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
on the backstretch eliminated him from competition. His car flipped upside down after making contact with Wheldon's wheel, slid to the infield, and then righted itself. Marco was unhurt. The race ended moments later when the rain returned.
2008
2008 Indianapolis 500
The 92nd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was run on Sunday May 25, 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, USA. Scott Dixon of New Zealand won the race from the pole position. It was the thirteenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and served as the showcase event of...
: Returning for his third Indy 500, Marco posted the fastest practice speed of the month, 228.318 mph, the morning of pole day time trials. Initially a favorite for the front row, his qualifying effort, however, was a visibly disappointing 7th. On race day, Marco was a strong contender, and led in the second half, but was not without incident. On the 106th lap, Marco was battling for second and dove under teammate Tony Kanaan
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
in the third turn. The move unsettled Kanaan's car, and Kanaan slid high and into the wall, then collected the car of Sarah Fisher
Sarah Fisher
Sarah Marie Fisher is a retired American professional racecar driver who competed in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500...
. Marco was immediately blamed for the crash. While running second on lap 156, Marco pitted and the crew made a "trim" adjustment of his rear wing. The change shuffled him back to 4th, and rendered him uncompetetive for the final few laps. Marco settled for 3rd place.
2009
2009 Indianapolis 500
The 93rd Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday May 24, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. It was the 14th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and the premier event of the 2009 IndyCar Series season....
: On the first lap of the race, Mario Moraes
Mario Moraes
Mario Ermirio de Moraes Filho is a Brazilian professional race car driver. Moraes started his career in minor youth motorsports. In 2003 Moraes competed in American Formula Renault with and won races against some competition such as Marco Andretti. In 2005 he drove for the Bassan Motorsport team...
drifted to the outside and made contact with Andretti, sending both cars into the wall going into the second turn. Andretti was out of the race before completing a single lap. Neither driver was injured in the collision.
2010
2010 Indianapolis 500
The 94th Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday, May 30, 2010, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 15th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and was the premier event of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The race was won by Dario Franchitti, ahead of Dan Wheldon and Marco...
: The entire Andretti Autosport team struggled to get up to speed during time trials, but Marco led the team with a team-best 16th starting position. On race day, he worked himself up to the top 5 late in the race. In the closing laps, Marco got shuffled up to 3rd place as drivers were running low on fuel and being forced to pit, with Marco's car containing barely enough fuel to make it to the finish. Marco slowed to laps in the high 190 mph-range, and coasted on fumes to the final lap. During the last lap, Marco was passed by Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd (racing driver)
Alex Stewart Lloyd is a British motor racing driver. He currently takes part in the IndyCar Series...
, Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
and Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
under yellow resulting in him finishing in an unofficial 6th place. Several hours after the race, however, race officials reviewed the finish and Marco was restored to 3rd place.
2011
2011 Indianapolis 500
The 95th Indianapolis 500 was held on May 29, 2011 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the premier event of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The track opened for practice on May 14, and time trials were held on May 21–22. The race was won by Dan Wheldon and was the final win of his...
: For the second year in a row, the entire Andretti Autosport team struggled to get up to speed during time trials. On Bump Day, Marco was bumped from the field, and was in danger of missing the field. He managed to get out on the track before the 6 o'clock gun, and successfully bumped his way into the field - but in the process, bumped out his teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Ryan Hunter-Reay is a professional American race car driver best known as the only driver to have won races in each of North America's top open wheel formulas, CART the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
. On race day, he started 27th, and worked his way into the top ten. Marco was called into the pits to top off with fuel during a caution on lap 154, and to make a trim adjustment of the rear wing. The stop put Marco out of sequence with the other leaders, but ended up being a poor decision. Marco lost valuable track position when another caution came out 4 laps later, and the adjustments made his car difficult to handle. He ended up 9th.
Jeff Andretti
JeffJeff Andretti
Jeff Andretti is an American race car driver. He competed in CART, and was the series' Rookie of the Year in 1991.-Racing career:...
is the son of Mario, and the brother of Michael. He has driven in the Indianapolis 500 three times (and failed to qualify on two other occasions).
1990
1990 Indianapolis 500
The 74th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1990. Arie Luyendyk took the lead with 32 laps to go, and earned his first-ever victory in championship-level competition...
: Jeff's first attempt at Indy wound up short. He had a wreck during practice the day before pole day, which coupled with several days of rain, kept him off the track for nearly a week. He completed a qualifying run on the third day of time trials, but his speed was 4th-slowest. On bump day, he was bumped from the field with less than 15 minutes remaining.
1991
1991 Indianapolis 500
The 75th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 1991. Rick Mears won from the pole position, becoming the third four-time winner of the Indy 500, joining A. J. Foyt and Al Unser....
: Jeff returned for a more successful attempt at Indy. He qualified an impressive 11th, and finished the race in 15th. Though he was not actually running at the finish, he was the highest-placed rookie, and won the the rookie of the year award. The became the third Andretti, after his father Michael and grandfather Mario, to win the rookie of the year.
1992
1992 Indianapolis 500
The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser, Jr...
: During the first half of the race, the rear brake rotors kept slipping out of place. Just after the halfway point, the right rear wheel hub broke from his car at turn 2 and he crashed violently head-on into the wall, severely injuring both his legs. He placed 18th.
1993
1993 Indianapolis 500
The 77th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1993. Emerson Fittipaldi took the lead with 16 laps to go, and won his second career Indy 500 victory...
: Jeff returned to Indy after recovering from his injuries in 1992. He experienced the rather dubious distinction of becoming the first driver to spin out on the newly-constructed warm-up lane during practice. It would be his final start at Indy, and on race day it ended with a crash.
1994
1994 Indianapolis 500
The 78th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 1994. Al Unser, Jr. won from the pole position, his second Indy 500 victory. Much to the surprise of competitors, media, and fans, Marlboro Team Penske arrived at the Speedway with a brand new, secretly-built...
: Jeff entered the month without a ride, but joined Hemelgarn Racing
Hemelgarn Racing
Hemelgarn Racing was a racing team in the Indy Racing League owned by Ron Hemelgarn. The team won the 1996 Indianapolis 500 and 2000 Series Championship with driver Buddy Lazier. Along with A.J...
during the second week. He was unable to get the car up to speed, and never made a qualifying attempt.
Jeff's 1992 crash effectively curtailed his - although he returned to racing shortly afterwards, he never achieved a level of success in subsequent competition in the Indy 500, Indy Lights, and the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
. In 2011, Jeff Andretti served as the driver coach for rookie Ho-Pin Tung
Ho-Pin Tung
Ho-Pin Tung is a Chinese-Dutch auto-racing driver who races with a Chinese license.-Career:Tung started kart racing in the Netherlands in 1997 before graduating to single-seaters. He won the 2003 Formula BMW Asia series and was rewarded with a test drive with the Williams F1 team.In 2004 he joined...
, who crashed during his qualifying attempt, and was unable to qualify.
John Andretti
JohnJohn Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
is the son of Aldo
Aldo Andretti
Aldo Andretti is the twin brother of Mario Andretti and the father of John Andretti and Adam Andretti. He is the uncle of Michael Andretti and Jeff Andretti, and great-uncle of Marco Andretti. Aldo and Mario are identical twins...
(Mario's
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
twin brother) Therefore he is Michael
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
and Jeff
Jeff Andretti
Jeff Andretti is an American race car driver. He competed in CART, and was the series' Rookie of the Year in 1991.-Racing career:...
's cousin. He has had a long and successful career in several forms of motorsport, including wins in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, and the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
. He has also competed in NHRA drag racing. The majority of his career has been spent in NASCAR.
John
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
has 11 starts at the Indianapolis 500, with a best finish of 5th in the 1991 event
1991 Indianapolis 500
The 75th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 1991. Rick Mears won from the pole position, becoming the third four-time winner of the Indy 500, joining A. J. Foyt and Al Unser....
. This includes a gap of thirteen years between the 1994 race
1994 Indianapolis 500
The 78th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 1994. Al Unser, Jr. won from the pole position, his second Indy 500 victory. Much to the surprise of competitors, media, and fans, Marlboro Team Penske arrived at the Speedway with a brand new, secretly-built...
and the 2007 race
2007 Indianapolis 500
The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply...
. Though his misfortunes have not been as pronounced as his fellow family members, his success has been notably mediocre.
- 19881988 Indianapolis 500The 72nd Indianapolis 500 was held Sunday May 29, 1988 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Team Penske dominated the month, sweeping the top three starting positions with Rick Mears winning the pole position, Danny Sullivan on the inside of the front row, and Al Unser, Sr. on the outside...
: In his rookie year at Indy, John drops out after 114 laps due to engine trouble. He would suffer a serious crash later in the year at the Pocono 500Pocono 500 (Indycar)The Pocono 500 was an American Open Wheel 500-mile race held at Pocono International Raceway from 1971-1989. It was sanctioned by USAC from 1971-1981, and by CART from 1982-1989. Following the 1989 event, the track was officially deemed too rough and unsuitable for Indycars, and was permanently...
, but he recovered.
- 19891989 Indianapolis 500The 73rd Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 1989. Emerson Fittipaldi became the first foreign winner of the race since 1966. Though Fittipaldi dominated most of the race, he dropped to second in the waning laps. On the 199th lap, Al Unser, Jr. was...
: Driving for Vince Granatelli, John spun out exiting the pits on his second pit stop. Shortly after, he had an ignition failure in his BuickBuickBuick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
, and dropped out after 61 laps.
- 19901990 Indianapolis 500The 74th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1990. Arie Luyendyk took the lead with 32 laps to go, and earned his first-ever victory in championship-level competition...
: John switched the PorschePorschePorsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
Indy Car team. On lap 136, after battling a loose condition, John brushed the wall in turn four. He proceeded down the front strech, and spun lazily in turn one. He did not hit the wall, but the suspension was damaged, and he had to drop out.
- 19911991 Indianapolis 500The 75th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 1991. Rick Mears won from the pole position, becoming the third four-time winner of the Indy 500, joining A. J. Foyt and Al Unser....
: John switched to the Hall VDSJim Hall (race car driver)Jim Hall is a former racecar driver and constructor from the United States. He competed in Formula One from to , participating in 12 World Championship Grands Prix and numerous non-Championship races....
team, and won the CARTChamp CarChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
season opener at Surfer's Paradise1991 Gold Coast IndyCar Grand PrixThe 1991 Gold Coast IndyCar Grand Prix was the opening round of the 1991 IndyCar season, held on 17 March 1991 on the Streets of Surfers Paradise, Australia.-Qualifying results:- Race :-External links:...
(his first career victory). It would be his best finish at Indy, 5th place, three laps down.
- 19921992 Indianapolis 500The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser, Jr...
: John was not a factor during the race, but avoided the numerous accidents to finish 8th.
- 19931993 Indianapolis 500The 77th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1993. Emerson Fittipaldi took the lead with 16 laps to go, and won his second career Indy 500 victory...
: John switched to A. J. Foyt EnterprisesA. J. Foyt EnterprisesA.J. Foyt Enterprises is a racing team in the IZOD Indycar Series and formerly NASCAR. It is owned by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt. Foyt Enterprises won IRL titles in 1996 with Scott Sharp and 1998 with Kenny Bräck, the latter driver also winning the Indianapolis 500 for the team...
, and finished 10th, the first time on the lead lap.
- 19941994 Indianapolis 500The 78th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 1994. Al Unser, Jr. won from the pole position, his second Indy 500 victory. Much to the surprise of competitors, media, and fans, Marlboro Team Penske arrived at the Speedway with a brand new, secretly-built...
: John attempted an unprecedented racing feat, driving in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600Coca-Cola 600The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
in the same day. Driving for FoytA. J. Foyt EnterprisesA.J. Foyt Enterprises is a racing team in the IZOD Indycar Series and formerly NASCAR. It is owned by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt. Foyt Enterprises won IRL titles in 1996 with Scott Sharp and 1998 with Kenny Bräck, the latter driver also winning the Indianapolis 500 for the team...
once again, John balanced his time well between both tracks, and qualified for both races. He came home 10th at Indy, then flew immediately to Charlotte Motor Speedway. He dropped out, however at Charlotte.
From 1994-2006, John primarily raced in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, and did not compete in the Indy 500. He drove in the Brickyard 400 from 1994–2003, with only one top ten (7th in 1998), and he finished last in 2003.
- 20072007 Indianapolis 500The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply...
: John returned to Indy for the 2007 race. He lost a mirror early on, then crashed near the halfway point.
- 20082008 Indianapolis 500The 92nd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was run on Sunday May 25, 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, USA. Scott Dixon of New Zealand won the race from the pole position. It was the thirteenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and served as the showcase event of...
: Running at the finish, John was never a factor. He finished a lap down in 16th place.
- 20092009 Indianapolis 500The 93rd Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday May 24, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. It was the 14th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and the premier event of the 2009 IndyCar Series season....
: John entered in a joint-effort with Richard PettyRichard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
. On the second day of qualifying, he badly crashed his primary car, and the team was forced to make repairs, since he had no backup. On Bump Day, John's first attempt was bumped, and his second attempt was too slow. He finally made the field on his third attempt with 5 minutes remaining in the day. On race day, he was the last car on the lead lap, finishing a mediocre 19th.
- 20102010 Indianapolis 500The 94th Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday, May 30, 2010, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 15th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and was the premier event of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The race was won by Dario Franchitti, ahead of Dan Wheldon and Marco...
: John entered in a joint-effort with Richard PettyRichard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
and Andretti Autosport. Though the entire Andretti team had trouble getting their machines up to speed during qualifying, John put in a safe speed on bump day without incident. On race day, John wrecked on the backstrech on lap 62 and finished 30th.
- 20112011 Indianapolis 500The 95th Indianapolis 500 was held on May 29, 2011 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the premier event of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The track opened for practice on May 14, and time trials were held on May 21–22. The race was won by Dan Wheldon and was the final win of his...
: John finished three laps down.
Paul Newman & Newman/Haas Racing
Starting in 1983, Paul NewmanPaul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
joined the ranks of CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
owners, teaming with Carl Haas
Carl Haas
Carl A. Haas is an American auto racing impresario. He co-owned the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing team in the IndyCar Series with the late Paul Newman and Mike Lanigan. He also owned Carl A...
to form Newman/Haas
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing...
racing. In their first year, Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
signed as primary driver, an arrangement that would carry Andretti through the remainder of his career, until his retirement in 1994. Michael Andretti
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
joined the team from 1989–1992 and again from 1995-2000. During the 1980s, and for the better part of the 1990s, the team was closely aligned with the Andretti family.
Like the Andretti family, Newman's team experienced tremendous success in Indy car racing, with the notable exception of victory at Indianapolis. During Newman's tenure, the team won over 100 Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
races and eight season championships. With Mario and Michael at the helm, as well as other championship drivers over the years, such as Nigel Mansell
Nigel Mansell
Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
, Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
, and Sébastien Bourdais
Sébastien Bourdais
Sébastien Olivier Bourdais is a French race car driver. He is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Champ Car World Series, having won four successive championships from 2004 to 2007....
, the team has failed to achieve victory of any sort at Indianapolis.
Along with Mario's and Michael's many misfortunes during the 1980s and 1990s, Newman/Haas Racing
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing...
's misfortunes at Indy include several near-misses and crashes. In 1996, the Indy car split saw Newman/Haas (and Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
in particular) take sides firmly with the CART contingent. The team would not return to Indianapolis until 2004.
- 1993: Nigel MansellNigel MansellNigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
was leading the race with 16 laps to go when his inexperience on ovals saw him misjudge the restart speed. He was quickly passed, and fell to 3rd at the finish.
- 1994: After Mario Andretti dropped out early, Nigel MansellNigel MansellNigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
was the team's only car left. Around the halfway point, Mansell was involved in a bizarre crash where Dennis VitoloDennis VitoloDennis Vitolo , is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1988 and 1991-1999 seasons with 36 career starts, including the 1994 Indianapolis 500. He was involved in a notorious pit-lane crash in that race, taking out reigning CART champion Nigel Mansell...
landed on top of Mansell's car.
- 1995: Paul TracyPaul TracyPaul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
dropped out with mechanical problems and Michael Andretti's day ended when he brushed the wall.
From 1996-2003, Newman/Haas Racing did not enter at Indy due to the CART/IRL "split."
- 2004: Bruno JunqueiraBruno JunqueiraBruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
was leading the race on lap 150, hoping to stretch his fuel and be leading the race when expected rain arrived; which could have given him the race victory. He was forced to pit, and finished 5th when the race was called on lap 180. - 2005: Both Bruno JunqueiraBruno JunqueiraBruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
and Sébastien BourdaisSébastien BourdaisSébastien Olivier Bourdais is a French race car driver. He is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Champ Car World Series, having won four successive championships from 2004 to 2007....
were factors, but both crashed out.
The team skipped the 2006-2007 races.
- 2008: After the open-wheel unification, and what would be Paul NewmanPaul NewmanPaul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
's final Indy 500, again both drivers (Justin Wilson and Graham RahalGraham RahalGraham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:...
) crashed out. - 2009: In the first race after Newman's death, Graham RahalGraham RahalGraham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:...
wrecked out early for the second year in a row. Robert DoornbosRobert DoornbosRobert Michael Doornbos is a Dutch racing driver. He has been test and third driver for the Jordan and Red Bull Racing Formula One teams, as well as driving for Minardi and Red Bull Racing in 2005 and 2006. Doornbos then drove for Minardi Team USA in the 2007 and final season of the Champ Car...
did not last long either, as he wrecked out before the halfway point. - 2010: The team entered only one car for Indy (Hideki MutohHideki Mutohis a Japanese race car driver from Tokyo currently racing in the IndyCar Series for Newman/Haas Racing.- History :He began karting at age 12 in 1996 and quickly moved through the ranks, becoming a part of Honda's Formula Dream Project. He moved to Europe in 1998 to compete in Formula Vauxhall...
), and he dropped out after only 76 laps. - 2011: The team entered two cars. Oriol ServiàOriol ServiaOriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:...
qualified for the front row, and was a factor on race day. After the pit sequences at the end, he wound up only 6th. Rookie James HinchcliffeJames HinchcliffeJames Hinchcliffe is a Canadian race car driver from Oakville, Ontario currently competing in the IndyCar Series.-Early racing:...
lost a wheel exiting the pits, spun and hit the inside wall, placing 29th.