“The King” of stock car racing again has joined with Window World Inc. and John Andretti to field an IZOD IndyCar Series entry – this time with the First Family of the Indianapolis 500.
Andretti Autosport chairman and CEO Michael Andretti announced that the team will field the No. 43 Team Window World car for his cousin at Kansas Speedway on May 1 and for the Indianapolis 500 on May 30. After his debut on the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway oval in the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300, John Andretti will attempt to qualify for his 11th Indy 500. Opening Day is May 15, with qualifications on May 22 and 23.
“It would be difficult to script a scenario any better than the one we have here,” he said at a news conference at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The relationship I have with Richard, the respect I have for Michael and his team, the partnership I enjoy with Window World and all of it focused on the Indianapolis 500 – it’s really a perfect situation. I'm in a great place and ready for May."
Andretti Autosport has been in Victory Circle at Indianapolis with drivers Dan Wheldon (2005) and Dario Franchitti (2007) in seven years, and will complete the five-car lineup for this year’s race with regular drivers Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan and Danica Patrick. Of course, family patriarch Mario Andretti won the 500 Mile Race in 1969. Michael (Mario's son) had nine top-10 finishes (high of second) in 16 starts from 1984-2007, and his brother, Jeff, made three consecutive starts (high finish of 15th). Marco Andretti (Michael's son) has a pair of top-five finishes in four starts.
“The family put the pressure on me to get this done," Michael Andretti joked. "I’m really excited to finally be able to get together with John and hope to give him a great chance at winning the race. “Having Richard there is exciting. He is one of the true Legends in our sport and someone I have always admired. Window World deserves a lot of credit for bringing all of this together and being a supporter of John.
"We'll have five legitimate shots at winning this race, and John will be one of the main ones. It worked out really well that Indy was the next race after Kansas."
Andretti Autosport will supply the crew for the fifth entrant internally (Firestone Indy Lights doesn't run at Kansas and the Firestone Freedom 100 is May 28). Andretti Autosport fielded a five-car team at Indy in 2006 and '07, and most recently at Infineon Raceway (2009 with Franck Montagny). The No. 43 car team will test April 22 at Kansas Speedway.
"I think it's really important," John Andretti said. "It's one of the things that we talked about initially because the idea is to warm up and not only to get up to speed but also to get up to speed with the race team, the teammates, the pit stops, everything, all the things that go into winning the race. It's more than just having a fast race car. You've got a lot of things that you have to put together in that day, and I think that this just puts me in a better position to be prepared to do that."
Last year, Window World and Petty teamed up with John Andretti for the 500 Mile Race through a program with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. He started 28th and finished 19th. Andretti has four top-10 finishes in his 10 races, with a best of fifth in 1991 (started seventh) in a Jim Hall-owned car. Andretti made his Indy 500 debut in 1988 (Mike Curb Motorsports) and competed through 1994 (A.J. Foyt Racing). He returned in 2007 with Panther Racing.
The car will feature the “Pretty Blue” and “Day-Glo Red” color scheme tied to Richard Petty’s unparalleled NASCAR career.
"I remember the good times and bad times in these colors," said Petty in response to a question if he'd like to race again. "I’m excited to be a part of this venture with John, Andretti Autosport and Window World for the Indy 500. There is so much history around this event and the Andrettis have such a rich tradition in racing.
"(Indy) is where it's happening. It's something that's been going on longer than NASCAR so it's a bigger deal, and to get John in a first-class car with Michael is great. That combination really makes me feel good. I like to come to situations where you know you have a chance at doing good and put on a good show."
The car also will promote Window World Cares, the charitable foundation of Window World, Inc., which supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The foundation is currently working in support of the company’s newly-launched program, “Opening Windows for St. Jude Kids,” through which Window World hopes to raise $1.5 million – the hospital’s daily operating cost. Since its inception, Window World Cares has raised more than $630,000 for St. Jude.
“We’re thrilled to be back at the Indianapolis 500 with John Andretti,” Window World, Inc. president Blair Ingle said. “We’ve had the pleasure of working with John for a few years now, and we are big fans of his – both on and off the track. John’s talent combined with a strong team of Richard Petty and Andretti Autosport is sure to make for a great race for the No. 43 Window World car this May.”
Andretti Autosport chairman and CEO Michael Andretti announced that the team will field the No. 43 Team Window World car for his cousin at Kansas Speedway on May 1 and for the Indianapolis 500 on May 30. After his debut on the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway oval in the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300, John Andretti will attempt to qualify for his 11th Indy 500. Opening Day is May 15, with qualifications on May 22 and 23.
“It would be difficult to script a scenario any better than the one we have here,” he said at a news conference at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The relationship I have with Richard, the respect I have for Michael and his team, the partnership I enjoy with Window World and all of it focused on the Indianapolis 500 – it’s really a perfect situation. I'm in a great place and ready for May."
Andretti Autosport has been in Victory Circle at Indianapolis with drivers Dan Wheldon (2005) and Dario Franchitti (2007) in seven years, and will complete the five-car lineup for this year’s race with regular drivers Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan and Danica Patrick. Of course, family patriarch Mario Andretti won the 500 Mile Race in 1969. Michael (Mario's son) had nine top-10 finishes (high of second) in 16 starts from 1984-2007, and his brother, Jeff, made three consecutive starts (high finish of 15th). Marco Andretti (Michael's son) has a pair of top-five finishes in four starts.
“The family put the pressure on me to get this done," Michael Andretti joked. "I’m really excited to finally be able to get together with John and hope to give him a great chance at winning the race. “Having Richard there is exciting. He is one of the true Legends in our sport and someone I have always admired. Window World deserves a lot of credit for bringing all of this together and being a supporter of John.
"We'll have five legitimate shots at winning this race, and John will be one of the main ones. It worked out really well that Indy was the next race after Kansas."
Andretti Autosport will supply the crew for the fifth entrant internally (Firestone Indy Lights doesn't run at Kansas and the Firestone Freedom 100 is May 28). Andretti Autosport fielded a five-car team at Indy in 2006 and '07, and most recently at Infineon Raceway (2009 with Franck Montagny). The No. 43 car team will test April 22 at Kansas Speedway.
"I think it's really important," John Andretti said. "It's one of the things that we talked about initially because the idea is to warm up and not only to get up to speed but also to get up to speed with the race team, the teammates, the pit stops, everything, all the things that go into winning the race. It's more than just having a fast race car. You've got a lot of things that you have to put together in that day, and I think that this just puts me in a better position to be prepared to do that."
Last year, Window World and Petty teamed up with John Andretti for the 500 Mile Race through a program with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. He started 28th and finished 19th. Andretti has four top-10 finishes in his 10 races, with a best of fifth in 1991 (started seventh) in a Jim Hall-owned car. Andretti made his Indy 500 debut in 1988 (Mike Curb Motorsports) and competed through 1994 (A.J. Foyt Racing). He returned in 2007 with Panther Racing.
The car will feature the “Pretty Blue” and “Day-Glo Red” color scheme tied to Richard Petty’s unparalleled NASCAR career.
"I remember the good times and bad times in these colors," said Petty in response to a question if he'd like to race again. "I’m excited to be a part of this venture with John, Andretti Autosport and Window World for the Indy 500. There is so much history around this event and the Andrettis have such a rich tradition in racing.
"(Indy) is where it's happening. It's something that's been going on longer than NASCAR so it's a bigger deal, and to get John in a first-class car with Michael is great. That combination really makes me feel good. I like to come to situations where you know you have a chance at doing good and put on a good show."
The car also will promote Window World Cares, the charitable foundation of Window World, Inc., which supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The foundation is currently working in support of the company’s newly-launched program, “Opening Windows for St. Jude Kids,” through which Window World hopes to raise $1.5 million – the hospital’s daily operating cost. Since its inception, Window World Cares has raised more than $630,000 for St. Jude.
“We’re thrilled to be back at the Indianapolis 500 with John Andretti,” Window World, Inc. president Blair Ingle said. “We’ve had the pleasure of working with John for a few years now, and we are big fans of his – both on and off the track. John’s talent combined with a strong team of Richard Petty and Andretti Autosport is sure to make for a great race for the No. 43 Window World car this May.”
