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IndyCar Features & Interviews (2006)
IRL Veteran Andretti tackles the Brickyard - Again
15/03/2006
With zero victories in 14 starts, there can be no doubt that Michael Andretti has some unfinished business with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a driver.
Still, when the son of IRL legend Mario Andretti announced back in December that he had decided to have another go at the Indianapolis 500 in 2006, eyebrows went up throughout the racing world.
After all, the man who has led the most laps without a win at the Speedway (426, the equivalent of two full race distances - and change) was now perceived as a successful 43-year-old businessman, co-owner of the all-conquering Andretti Green Racing team.
Those eyebrows went further up when Michael added that his 18-year-old son Marco (above) would join him for the effort, taking over the AGR seat vacated by Dan Wheldon's departure to Ganassi for the full IRL IndyCar season.
But one needs only to hear Michael, and recall his years of racing alongside his own father Mario at Indy, to see it all makes perfect sense.
"I'm really looking forward to returning to Indy as one of the drivers on this team, and I'm excited about the chance I'll have to run with Marco," he said with evident enthusiasm.
As for his son's youth, Michael believes talent can overcome inexperience. "He has developed much quicker than I think anybody expected as a driver - and that is what really made this possible."
And yet some quality father-son time isn't Michael's only motivation to return to the cockpit. He wants his face on that Borg-Warner trophy, 37 years after Mario clinched the family's single triumph at the Brickyard.
"I think I'll have as good a shot as I've ever had to win the Indianapolis 500," he added. For his part, Marco is ready to show he has the maturity for the job: "I know I have a lot of work ahead of me and a pretty steep learning curve, but I also know that I have one of the best teams in motorsports working with me."
And some of the best teammates in Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and Bryan Herta. Not to mention his dad, of course.
"I can be a big help to Marco as he gets ready to make his first '500' start," Michael feels. Whether with 2006's family effort or through Marco's long career ahead of him, it seems the "Andretti Curse" won't survive forever at the Brickyard.
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