John Andretti: And the Race Goes On

Coming from a long line of world-famous auto racers, John Andretti nevertheless worked hard to carve out his own impressive niche in auto racing history.

The Andretti family name is, in fact, synonymous with car racing. His uncle, Mario Andretti, became a household name in Indiana, across the United States and then the world, as an Indianapolis 500-mile racer. Mario’s twin brother Aldo produced his son John in March of 1963. John’s father’s racing career was cut short when he experienced a racing accident. Other members of the immediate family have also gotten into the racing game, including John’s younger brother Adam. A.J. Foyt, four-time winner of the Indy 500, is godfather to John Andretti.

With all this speed racing through the Andretti veins, it’s not surprising that the Andretti family was the first to have four members competing in the same series, the Champ Car or “CART” series. For three consecutive years between 1990 and 1992, four Andretti relatives competed in the Indianapolis 500 as well.

John Andretti has sat behind the wheel of just about everything with four wheels. He started driving at the tender age of nine and has made a name for himself as one of the most versatile race car drivers in the world. The famous Hoosier in the news started competing in go-kart racing, moved on to midget cars in the USAC, and from there onward to USAC sprint cars, WSC prototypes and stock cars, gathering up an impressive array of places all along the way. In many circles, John Andretti is referred to as “the Renaissance man of auto racing.”

An active member of the Indianapolis community and society, John Andretti spends time every year during the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard races teaming up with local Indianapolis media WIBC and General Mills to produce the “Race for Riley,” an Indianapolis charitable event for the benefit of seriously ill greater Indianapolis children at the Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.

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