Yet Indy mavens, both real and self-proclaimed, have a more-curious fixation on all of the 500’s Andretti didn't win. Among Mario's many accomplishments is an Indianapolis 500 victory. And speaking of versatility, Mario won the 1967 Daytona 500 in a Holman-Moody NASCAR Ford, and in 1978, he became the Formula One World Champion, with Ford-Cosworth power. In fact, he won a total of 52 races in Indy cars – many, including his first and last, were with Ford. And then Mario went on to become a four-time USAC/CART champion. Auto Club sanction - in his first full season (1965), and backed it up with a repeat in '66. Much hoopla surrounded Nigel Mansell becoming CART champion in his rookie year (1993), but Andretti bagged the crown - then under U.S. The Spirit of Ford Award is Ford Motor Company’s highest honor in auto racing, recognizing lifetime achievement and contribution to the industry both on and off the racetrack. Back in 1994, Mario became a Spirit of Ford Award honoree, joining an international list of racing legends from all aspects of the sport. Versatile a man who drove nearly everything and raced nearly everywhere, and who several times was voted Driver of the Year. Mario Andretti is unquestionably one of motorsports’ greatest treasures. “We’re all one, big happy family.INDIANAPOLIS, Ind – Has it really been 50 years since Mario Andretti won the Indy 500 in his Ford-powered backup car? Can it be five decades? Yes it has, and yes it can. “We all know how versatile Kyle can be,” Andretti said. “It was good for all of us.”Īndretti liked that seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson tried his hand at the NTT Ind圜ar Series in recent years.Īndretti thinks Larson has the skills to do as well at the Indy 500 has he has in NASCAR, where he’s won 21 times including the series title in 2021. No driver has attempted the Memorial Day double of racing 500 miles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and following that up with 600 miles at Charlotte Motor Speedway since Kurt Busch in 2014.īusch finished sixth at the Indy 500, but came up short of finishing the 1,100 miles with a blown engine in the NASCAR race.Īndretti, who ran 14 NASCAR races, recalled chatting with stockcar greats like the the Allison brothers, Donnie and Bobby, and Cale Yarborough about doing more open-wheel events.Īndretti remembered how drivers known for Indy racing like four-time 500 winner A.J.

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