Mario Andretti prior to IndyCar career

Mario 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, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR (the other being Dan Gurney). He won races in midget cars, sprint cars, and drag racing.

Andretti won four IndyCar titles (three under USAC, one under CART), won the 1978 F1 World Championship and won the IROC VI

            
            

He was one of three drivers to win races on road courses, paved ovals, and dirt tracks in one season, a feat that he accomplished four times.

In American popular culture, his name has become synonymous with speed, similar to Stirling Moss in the United Kingdom.


OPEN WHEEL RACING

Early Open Wheel Racing

Andretti's goal was to race in single-seat-open wheel cars.

He raced midget cars from 1961 to 1963. He raced in over one hundred events in 1963.

The next rung on the ladder was to race in sprint cars in the United Racing Club.


USAC sprint cars

Andretti won the 1964 Joe James-Pat O'Connor Memorial USAC sprint car race at Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana.

He continued to race in USAC sprint cars after moving into Champ Cars.

In 1965 he won once at Ascot Park, and finished tenth in the season points

In 1966 he won five races and finished second in the points

In 1967 he won two of the three events that he entered.


         Winged Sprint Car




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