By Brenda Williams
Mario Andretti and his twin brother Aldo were born on February 28, 1940 in Montona, Isria that was then part of Italy. His father, Luigi, worked as a farm administrator. At the end of World War ll, Isria was separated from Italy and made part of Yugoslavia under the Treaty of Paris. So in 1948 Andretti's family joined the Isrian exodus to a camp in Lucca, Italy. In 1955 they came to the United States of America and went to live in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Andretti's interest in cars began at a very early age as he piloted his toy wooden cars along the streets of his hometown in Italy.
When the Andretti twins arrived in Nazareth, they found the town had a half-mile dirt-racing track so they started working in their uncle's garage to earn money for a 1948 Hudson Hornet Sportsman stock car. They then started racing it on the tracks around Nazareth. This was kept secret from their parents until Aldo was injured. Mario won three races in 1963. Then in 1964 he entered the USAC sprint car and Indy car races. The following year he placed third in the Indianapolis 500 and won the Rookie of the Year Award. While some drivers choose to specialize in one or two types of racing, Andretti was extremely versatile competing in every type of race on every type of track.
Andretti won nine open wheel races in 1969 and in that same year won the Indy 500 and the season championship. Andretti started running Formula One in 1968. Then in 1971 he won the South African Grand Prix, his first Grand Prix win. He won the United States Grand Prix West at Long Beach in 1977, the only American to ever win it as of that time. Andretti returned to Indy Car racing 1982. Mario's son, Michael followed in his footsteps and together they were the first father/son team to compete in IMSA GT and Champ Car racing. Andretti ran twenty-nine times in the Indy 500 but won only once.
Andretti also competed in endurance racing. He was a three time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring. He won the 24 Hours of Daytona once in 1972. He entered the 24 Hours of LeMans in four different decades for a total of nine competitions. His best finish was second place in 1995.
Andretti was named 'Driver of the Year' in the United States three times in three decades. On October 23, 2006 the Italian government awarded him the highest honor that can be given to a civilian, the Commendatore dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana in recognition of his career in racing, public service and devotion to his Italian heritage. He is the second person from automotive racing to receive this honor. The first was Enzo Ferrari.
Andretti married Dee Ann, his English teacher from 1961. They still live in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Mario devotes his retirement to his various businesses and numerous speaking engagements. He also works as a test driver for Road & Track and Car and Driver magazines.
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