JOHN ANDREW ANDRETTI - 3/12/1963 - 1/30/2020
was an American race car driver. He has won in CART, NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters, endurance racing and NASCAR stock car racing. Andretti's father, Aldo Andretti, had his racing career cut short due to a near fatal racing accident. Aldo is the brother of Indy Car legend Mario Andretti. Andretti is the godson of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt. The Andretti family became the first family to have four relatives (Michael, Mario, Jeff, and John) compete in the same series (CART). In 1990, 1991 and 1992, they had four family members competing in the Indy 500. John joined the PPG Indy Car World Series (CART) in 1987, winning the Rookie of the Year award. In his debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1988, Andretti reached as high as seventh place before mechanical problems forced him to finish 21st. In 1991 he won the only race of his CART career, winning the Gold Coast Grand Prix in Surfer's Paradise, Australia. That same year he finished a career-best fifth in the Indianapolis 500. A week later at the Milwaukee Mile, Michael, John and Mario became the only known family in motorsports history to finish first, second and third respectively in a major auto race. In 1994, he became the first driver to attempt the "double," racing in the Indy 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, N.C., on the same day. A little history about this date.
First it was the first time in history it had ever been attempted. Andretti would qualify 10th in his #33 AJ Foyt owned Lola. He would go on to finish tenth; and then jet off to Charlotte to race in the Coca Cola 600. He would be administered I.V. fluids on the way to try and rehydrate him. He would qualify ninth and he would run strong. He would break a crank shaft just after half-way and finish 36th. Andretti would not return to race again in the Indy 500 until 2007. He would race full time in the Cup series from 1994-2003. In 1989, Andretti drove the Miller High Life/BFGoodrich Porsche 962 to victory in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona along with co-drivers Bob Wollek and Derek Bell. In 1993, John Andretti drove the Taco Bell Express Top Fuel Dragster. In his first national event at
1994 Indy 500 and "Indy Double"
1989 IMSA 24 Hours of Daytona winner
Atlanta during the FRAM Southern Nationals and John clocked a career best speed of 299 mph. Also in that race he beat 1992 T/F Champion Joe Amato in Round 1 and Mopar Express Lube driver Tommy Johnson Jr. in Round 2; only to lose to Mike Dunn in Darrell Gwynn's La Victoria Salsa Car in the semi-finals. Andretti made his NASCAR Cup debut in 1993 driving the #72 Tex Racing Chevy for Tex Powell at North Wilkesboro Speedway. In 1995, he began driving for Michael Kranefuss in #37 Kmart/Little Caesars Ford Thunderbird. He won his first career pole at the Southern 500. In 1997, he scored his first career win at the Pepsi 400. Andretti dominated the race all day leading 113 of the 160 laps. This would also be Cale Yarborough's only win as a car owner. 1998 saw Andretti leave Yarborough and go race for Petty Enterprises. Andretti posted a season's best third on two occasions.
1999 would still have Andretti driving the STP sponsored car for Richard Petty Enterprises; John would claim his second (and last) Cup win. Andretti was able to pull off the surprise victory by running the entire second half of the race on the same set of left side tires. As the teams that had run up front all day pitted for tires / fuel,... Andretti stayed out and skipped the final pit stop. Leading only the last four laps to claim the win. He would stay with Petty until he was released mid way through the 2003 season. Apparently there was no hard feelings, as Andretti would again hook up with Petty in 2011 for a deal in the Indy 500. He ran a couple of races for Haas CNC Racing and Richard Childress Racing before finishing the season in the #1 Pennzoil-sponsored Chevy for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. His best finish that year was 12th at New Hampshire International Speedway. Andretti started the 2004 season driving the #1 part-time for DEI, but departed midway through the season. He ended the year driving the #14 Victory Brand-sponsored Ford Taurus for PPC Racing and
1993 NHRA
1999 Cup win - Martinsville
finished 22nd at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Andretti started 2005 still driving with PPC, but the team was forced to dissolve due to a lack of funding after 2003. Andretti only raced whenever he could get a ride - until 2009, when he hooked up with owner Bob Jenkins and sponsor Window world. They had a dismal season, finishing 35th in points. John's last Cup start would come in the Daytona 500. He would start 38th; but get caught up in a crash and finish 33rd. Andretti never got very far away from his Indy car roots; and would run the Indy 500 every year from 2007-2011. For his final Indy 500 start he partner with his old owner Richard Petty; and long time Sponsor Window World to run at the brick yard. Check out the Petty blue and red
colors and the #43. He would qualify 17th and complete the race in 22nd running three laps down. For his career Andretti ran 393 Cup races; had two wins, and racked up 13 top five finishes. In April 2017, Andretti disclosed that he is battling stage four colon cancer. He passed away on 1/30/2020. Some info from WikiPedia
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