Marco Andretti returning for 20th Indianapolis 500
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — For the 53rd time in 109 Indianapolis 500s, a member of the Andretti family will be a part of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Andretti Global announced Tuesday that Marco Andretti will run in the 109th Indy 500 this May. If Andretti qualifies, it will be his 20th time racing in IndyCar’s biggest race. Last year, he finished 25th last year after starting 19th in his Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Honda.
When Andretti joined the series, he immediately impressed. His rookie season, he finished second in the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2006. Since then, he hasn’t missed a year and has accumulated four podium finishes and eight top-10s. He won the pole during the special 2020 running in August. He finished 13th that year. After 19 starts, his average finish is 14th.
Marco is the fourth member of the Andretti family to race in the Indy 500. His grandfather Mario ran the race 29 times, winning in 1969 and holding the pole three other years. Marco’s father Michael competed in 16 Indy 500s as a driver before transitioning to a crew chief and team owner. His best finish was third in 1986.
Mario’s nephew John also raced in 12 Indy 500s between 1988 and 2011, topping out with a fifth-place finish in 1991.
In total, the Andretti family has had 76 starts at the Indy 500 — multiple years with at least two Andretti drivers in the Field of 33. The tradition began with Mario in 1965. Since then, there’s been only eight Indy 500s run without a member of the famed racing family on the grid.
Qualifications for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 begin Saturday, May 17 with the race on Sunday, May 25.