Mario's big time breakout

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bob jennings' WORLD O' RACING 11/23/2000

Mario's big time breakout

Mario Andretti during the 1988 "Indianapolis 500"

Bob Jennings

When I look at the photo of the Newman Haas Amoco K Mart Lola - Ilmor Chevy V8 on this page the car looks almost antiquated. The frontal area is much shorter than those on contemporary Indy car designs. Look at the size of the engine cover. It's really sticking up in the air. Mario Andretti's 1988 car looks like a fat box. However what's interesting is this. If you compare the 1990 Lola Indy car, which was introduced two years later, to the profile of the cars raced during the 2000 CART season there doesn't appear to be much difference anywhere but the engine covers. With the debut of the Ford Cosworth XB in 1992 the emphasis on compact engine packages began. Other than a lower rear profile, that tells me the advances in racing car design over the past decade have been mostly internal, specifically involving computer electronics.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has initiated another May tradition in recent years. During the week of practice leading up to qualifications for the "Indianapolis 500," each day is designated as "500 Legends day" or something like that. This past May Mario Andretti was one of those legends. Mario responded to the invitation. But when he got to the Speedway he took "pots shots" at Tony George for pursuing the Indy Racing League. Andretti characterized the IRL as a "valiant effort" that had come up short.

Being ever the gracious host Tony George responded to Mario's criticisms in a light hearted way at a press conference on Carburetion day Thursday May 24. Andretti has been one of the most vocal critics of the IRL. At one point relations between Mario and Tony George were poor. After the 1996 "Brickyard 400," IMS didn't renew Mario's lease for one of the luxury suites at the Speedway. As much as Andretti deplored the creation of Tony George's new series and regardless of how illegitimate Mario considered the "500" without CART he was selling a lot of wine out of his suite at the Speedway and the non renewal hurt business. This prompted Andretti to speak out in the media that George's grandfather Tony Hulman would be ashamed of him were he alive. However prior to the 1998 "Brickyard 400" George had a long, friendly conversation with Andretti and Al Unser Jr. about the Indy car split and the association has been less acrimonious since.

The day of his visit to the Speedway, I saw Mario riding on the back of a golf cart that was headed for "Gasoline Alley." He looked pretty good for a 60 year old man, a good suntan to go with his thick, now silver gray head of hair arranged in leonine fashion. Mario is a "spherical" version of the lean young Italian who first came to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 1965. Perhaps he has a fondness for the wine he's been producing since he retired as a driver after the 1994 season. In his "old" age, the crankiness has increased from what it was even during the later years of Andretti's driving career. Regardless Andretti still retains that part of his persona that projects glamour just as he did during his prime as a race driver.

The day Mario was honored I ran into a former work associate Bill Bash at the Speedway. We talked for a few minutes. I hadn't seen Bill in five years. We weren't especially close friends but we were friendly and ran with the same crowd. I knew that Bill was a big fan of the Andrettis, both Mario and Michael. When I saw Bill, he was carrying a beautifully detailed (probably 1/18) scale die cast of Andretti's 1969 "Indianapolis 500" winning day glow red STP Brawner Hawk turbo Ford number 2 in hopes of getting Mario to sign the model.

Robin Miller calls Mario Andretti the "Elder Statesman" of Indy car racing. That's perhaps an accurate portrayal although I doubt if A.J. Foyt agrees. Perhaps in Foyt's mind the two drivers are still competing against one another as they did on the race track for so many years. When asked about Mario's unflattering comments about the Indy Racing League A.J. responded by saying that Andretti's words were a "bunch of crap." I tend to agree with A.J. Foyt about Mario Andretti's opinions on the IRL. Over the years and especially since the Indy car split I haven't agreed with too much that Mario has said. Mario Andretti was never one of the drivers I cheered for either.

However my personal opinions don't change the fact that Mario Andretti was truly one of the all time greats. Even in retirement he remains a hero to a lot of people. Bill Bash's admiration for Andretti is representative of the feelings of many who follow racing. To say that Mario has achieved the status of a legend is an understatement. Recently I was watching some video of the Speedvision coverage from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway presented during the Formula One weekend. Derek Daly did an interview with America's two World Champions Phil Hill and Mario Andretti during Saturday's qualification day programming. While Daly was doing introductions a group of fans were cheering Andretti and an embarrassed Mario commented, "I paid those guys."

Last December when motorsports writers were thrashing around trying to name the top racing driver of the 20th century, Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt were most often cited. Honestly I can't agree that either Andretti or Foyt was the greatest driver of the past century, which would make them best all time of course. But I do agree that both were somewhere near the top of the list. It's hard to compare racing drivers from one era to another. Think of all the great racing drivers you can name right off the top of your head. My own personal pick as the greatest racing driver of all time is Jim Clark. I mean it's almost an impossible task especially for writers who never saw some of the stars from earlier years compete.

ABC televised highlights of the USAC National Championship (Indy car) at Trenton, New Jersey in April 1964 on the network's Wide World of Sports program. Andretti was in the race, driving an old style dirt track car. I believe the car was the Iddings Special, an antique that had been raced as early as 1947 or something like that. Donald Davidson if you see this and I'm wrong please correct me. My recollection is that Chris Economacki was narrating the footage. I don't remember how Mario did in the Trenton race but it was the first time I heard his name or saw his face.

Andretti was named to replace veteran driver Chuck Hulse sometime after the "Indianapolis 500," in a 1964 model Dean Van Lines Offy roadster prepared by Clint Brawner. The Dean car is the only new roadster I can recall being built for the 1964 season. Perhaps Dean and Brawner weren't convinced rear engine cars were the way to go as they prepared for 1964. I believe Mario got the nod because Hulse was injured although I can't recall the exact circumstances. Andretti's 1964 performances impressed car owner Al Dean and Brawner and Mario was signed for the 1965 season.

Apparently they changed their mind about rear engine cars because Dean and Brawner tried to purchase a new rear engine Brabham for 1965 but were unsuccessful. Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac decided against going to Indianapolis. Brabham ran in the 1964 "Indianapolis 500" with financial backing from long time competitor John Zink. Zink put Texan Jim McElreath in the year old Brabham for the 1965 season. So the Dean Van Lines team did the next best thing and purchased the Brabham "blueprints" from which Brawner built his own copy for Andretti.

When Andretti came to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 1965 he looked like an eager, "fresh faced" dark-haired rookie. He was only 25 then. He was the most noticeable member of one of the greatest freshman classes in the history of the "Indianapolis 500." In all, 11 rookies started the 1965 "500." The group included Al Unser, Gordon Johncock, Billy Foster, Joe Leonard, Jerry Grant, George Snider, Bobby Johns, Mickey Rupp, Arnie Knepper and Masten Gregory. A collective seven "500" wins came from three members Andretti (one), Unser (four) and Johncock (two).

Mario found speed in the white number 12 Dean Van Lines Brawner - Ford quickly. Within a week (there were more than two weeks leading up to qualifications in those days) Andretti moved into the group of the fastest drivers in practice. The Indianapolis media picked up on Mario right away. Perhaps you've seen the film footage of young Mario removing the blue stripes from the rear of his number 12 Dean Van Lines car upon completion of his "Indianapolis 500" rookie test.

On Pole day Mario was an early qualifier. Going into "500" qualifications the existing one and four lap records were 159.377 mph and 158.828 mph respectively. Both records had been set the previous year by Jim Clark. Andretti broke both of Clark's records with one lap at 159.405 mph and a four lap average of 158.849 mph. This was the first of five times that Mario would set the one lap record at Indianapolis. The other one lap records came in 1966 (166.328), 1967 (169.779), 1972 (188.758) and 1984 (209.687). This was also the first of four times that Andretti would hold the four lap record at Indianapolis. Mario's other four lap marks were set at the Speedway in 1966 (165.899), 1967 (168.982) and 1972 (187.617).

Ironically Jim Clark's qualification attempt followed Mario's 1965 run. The Scotsman regained both one and four lap records with speeds of 160.973 mph and 160.729 mph respectively. But Andretti had made his presence felt and from that moment on he became part of racing history.

By 1965, the "Indianapolis 500" was nearly at the end of its biggest transformation, the shift from front engine roadsters to Formula One style rear engine missiles. The switch had begun four years earlier when two-time defending World Champion Jack Brabham came with the Cooper F1 team to compete in the 1961 "500." Brabham's Cooper - Climax lacked the power of the larger roadsters and Jack finished ninth in the race. But the point had been made. Two years later in 1963 Ford Motor Company brought Colin Chapman's Lotus F1 team to Indianapolis. This time a rear engine car had enough power and Jim Clark led 28 laps on the way to challenge "500" winner Parnelli Jones and finishing second. A.J. Foyt managed to win the "500" in 1964 in another A.J. Watson built roadster, after Clark's Lotus - Ford left the race on lap 48 while leading.

The rear engine conversion at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was almost complete in May 1965. There were only seven front engine cars in the race. Talk about an unusual sight, seeing the small fragile cigar shaped rear engine cars racing the big "brutish" front engine roadsters was almost like watching a race with different classes of cars competing, like Le Mans.

It's such a big story that I'll save it for another day but Jim Clark was the closest thing to a racing god to me. Clark's 1965 "Indianapolis 500" win ranks right at the very top level of my racing memories. Jim Clark was in complete control of the 1965 race.

Clark's brand new Lotus 38 - Ford started from the middle of the front row. He was between pole sitter Foyt in a year old Lotus - Ford (161.230) and Dan Gurney in another new Lotus 38 - Ford (158.890). Mario Andretti placed fourth on the grid. Next to him in row two was Parnelli Jones (158.620). J.C. Agajanian purchased Clark's 1964 Lotus - Ford the previous summer for Parnelli. On the outside of row two was another rookie driving a year old rear engine Rolla Vollstedt built racer powered by an Offy. This was Canadian Billy Foster (158.410) who became Andretti's good friend over the next one and 1/2 seasons until he was killed at Riverside in January 1967.

When the 1965 race started Clark's dark green Lotus with the yellow stripe led Foyt's pearl white, candy apple red and metallic blue Lotus into the first turn. Foyt took the lead out of turn four to lead lap two. Clark went by to regain the lead after they passed the starting line however. Later Clark told reporters he let Foyt pass to see what he had.

Clark had a solid lead on Foyt when he made his first pit stop on lap 66. After A.J. made his first stop on lap 74, the Scotsman moved out to a full one lap advantage. Clark remained in the lead for the rest of the race. A.J. Foyt was only a lukewarm threat to Jim Clark during the 1965 "Indianapolis 500," but nevertheless he was the only suggestion of competition throughout the entire race. When Foyt lost the gearbox in his year old Lotus after 115 laps that was it. At the finish Clark held an advantage of over two laps over second place finisher Parnelli Jones.

Mario Andretti was having a great run. For a time he was in a battle with Al Miller's 1963 Lotus - Ford. After Foyt's retirement Mario moved into third. But Jones' crew was concerned about Parnelli's fuel consumption and asked that he ease the pace. This nearly resulted in Andretti catching Jones. As it turned out Parnelli ran out of fuel at the finish. I don't recall the exact circumstances but I believe Clint Brawner registered a protest claiming Mario had actually finished second. Brawner blamed a scoring mix up that occurred during pit stops for Jones and not Andretti being placed second in the official results.

With his third place finish Andretti was awarded the "Rookie of the Year" award. Among those who took special notice of Mario were Team Lotus maestro Colin Chapman and Bill McCrary who headed Firestone's world wide racing program.

Jim Clark and Colin Chapman returned to England after winning Indianapolis to resume their successful 1965 World Championship effort with Team Lotus. There were six different Indy car race winners in the first seven events of the 1965 season. Don Branson (Phoenix), Jim McElreath (Trenton), Clark (Indianapolis), Parnelli Jones (Milwaukee), McElreath (Langhorne), Al Unser (Pikes Peak hill climb) and A.J. Foyt (Trenton) had all won races going into the 150 mile event on July 25 at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

I was there to see Mario Andretti win his first Indy car race at IRP. The event was historic in that it was the first time in modern history that American Indy cars raced on a road circuit. The venue was a shortened version of the flat, pastoral 2.5 mile 13 (or 14) turn circuit at IRP. It was probably more of an oval than a real road course. But there were right as well as left hand turns and the feeling among the few spectators who showed up was this was something new and different.

Foyt was strong and he dominated with Andretti following. However on the final lap of the 150 mile race A.J.'s Lotus - Ford ran out of fuel. Mario was the beneficiary and he crossed the finish line with the win. I wish I could remember more about that race. I'm sure Mario remembers it well because it was the first big win of his career.

There were a few things that stand out from the race at IRP. Two-time "Indianapolis 500" winner Rodger Ward (1959, 1962) failed to qualify at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May. Shortly after, Ward ended his six year association with Bob Wilke's Leader Card Racers team headed by A.J. Watson the mechanical genius of the roadster era. Rodger was replaced by Johnny Rutherford while he moved to a new team owned by John Mecom. Ward's cars were being prepared by George Bignotti who'd just split with A.J. Foyt after more than five years together. The race at IRP was the first race for the new Mecom - Bignotti - Ward combination.

In the late 1950's and early 1960's there was a type of road racing event called Formula Libre. In Formula Libre racing cars of different size and shape raced together. I saw Roger Penske (1961) and Dan Gurney (1963) win Formula Libre events on the full 2.5 mile road circuit at IRP. Seeing rear engine Indy cars, front engine roadsters and even a couple old style dirt track cars (they call them Silver Crown cars now) race together seemed like a Formula Libre event. Even though all three types of cars were legitimate Indy cars at the time, it still looked strange. This was a time of huge change in racing unlike the standardized environment today!

During the 1965 season Foyt and Andretti put on another show at Indianapolis Raceway Park and I was at that race too. The two battled on the 5/8 mile oval in a USAC Sprint Car event. I wish I could remember more about that race. I can't even remember who won although I believe it was Foyt or Andretti. I wrote recently about the Foyt - Andretti battle at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in the 1965 "Hoosier Hundred."

Apparently Foyt liked his new association with Johnny Pouleson who replaced George Bignotti as crew chief on the Sheraton Thompson cars. A.J. won four of the ten remaining races on the USAC Indy car schedule after Andretti's win at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The winners in the final ten events were Johnny Rutherford (Atlanta), Jim McElreath (Langhorne), Joe Leonard (Milwaukee), Foyt (Springfield), Gordon Johncock (Milwaukee), Don Branson (DuQuoin), Foyt ("Hoosier Hundred"), Foyt (Trenton), Branson (Sacramento) and Foyt (Phoenix).

In 1965 USAC awarded National Championship points in proportion to the distance of each race. Neither CART nor the Indy Racing League follows that practice today. The USAC formula obviously awarded the most points for 500 mile events. In 1965 the only 500 mile Indy car race was the "Indianapolis 500." Andretti's third place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in contrast to Foyt's "pointless" 15th place finish proved to be the difference in the 1965 title chase. By the end of the season Mario accumulated 3110 championship points. Foyt was his nearest challenger with 2500 points.

Although Mario Andretti might've won a local racing championship somewhere along the way during the early part of his racing career the 1965 Indy car title is the first Andretti championship I'm aware of. Think of all the championships and victories that came his way over the next 29 seasons in which Andretti competed as a driver.

I had my first idea that Mario Andretti had moved to the top of the heap in December 1965. I was in my freshman year at Ball State University. One idle evening when I should've been studying, during the two or three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks I loaded up some schoolmates into my 1958 Chevrolet for the one hour trip from Muncie, Indiana to Indianapolis. There wasn't any particular reason why we were going to Indianapolis, probably just to stretch our legs and make some noise.

A couple weeks earlier just before Thanksgiving, the Beatles had come out with their smash single record "We Can Work It Out" and "Day Tripper." The single record was followed by the LP "Rubber Soul" a few days after Thanksgiving weekend. "Rubber Soul" was one of the three or four greatest albums from the Beatles. So with all this new Beatles music being played by "Ringo" Ron Riley and Art Roberts on WLS (in Chicago) and the radio in my old Chevy blasting, our free spirited group headed down the new and unfinished Interstate 69.

None of us we're old enough to drink legally but there were some package liquor stores near downtown Indianapolis where I'd been making illegal purchases since earlier in the year. I'm sure I was successful in this latest purchase and our bunch was probably driving around downtown Indianapolis passing a pint of peppermint schnapps or cherry flavored vodka between us.

Indiana Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance used to have one of those digital neon signs with news headlines something like you'd expect in Times Square in New York City, at the corner of Illinois and Market streets one block west of Monument Circle. While my car was carrying our group around downtown Indianapolis that night the headline I recall seeing was that Mario Andretti had turned a lap in excess of 164 mph earlier that day during Firestone tire testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That was a big deal since the existing record speed was only 161 plus mph.

The first thought that crossed my mind upon reading the headline was that Mario Andretti would be the guy Jim Clark would probably have to beat to defend his 1965 "Indianapolis 500" win successfully. I desperately wanted Jim Clark to win the "500" again in 1966! In other words, in my mind Mario Andretti had made the big time.

I saw Mario Andretti's first Indy car win on July 25, 1965 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Nearly 28 years later I saw Mario's final Indy car win on April 4, 1993 at Phoenix International Raceway. I'm a nervous flyer but I made the trip to Phoenix to visit my old pal John Dailey and to see Nigel Mansell run his first race on an oval. I got to see Nigel for all of about five practice laps on Saturday morning before he wiped out going into the treacherous first turn at Phoenix. The crashed knocked Mansell out for a few moments and put him in the hospital for the weekend.

After that from a racing standpoint the weekend was a letdown. From the view of getting to share time with John Dailey it was great however. I almost fried under the hot sunny Arizona skies watching the 1993 Phoenix race. For the next week after I returned to Chicago I was peeling sunburned skin off my face.

I recall that Paul Tracy and Emerson Fittipaldi had the cars to beat on race day in Phoenix. The two Marlboro Penske - Chevrolets were running away and hiding from the pack. But both Penskes fell out in the final quarter of the race. Almost unnoticed Mario Andretti beat Raul Boesel, Jimmy Vasser and Al Unser Jr. to the checkered flag. It was the 52nd time that Mario won an Indy car race, placing him second to his old rival A.J. Foyt (67) on the all time Indy car racing winners list.

What about the 1988 "Indianapolis 500" during which the photo of Mario Andretti on this web page was taken? 1988 was Andretti's sixth season with Newman Haas Racing. It was the final season Mario would run without a teammate as son Michael joined him the following year at Newman Haas. Mario was coming off the 1987 season in which he won two races (Long Beach and Road America). He should've won at least five or six more races including the "Indianapolis 500" where he led 170 laps before breaking with 20 to go.

Mario's 1988 Lolas were carrying the white colors of his new sponsor K Mart. He started the season well with a win in the season opener at Phoenix. He carried speed into May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For most of the week of practice leading up to qualifications for the "Indianapolis 500" Andretti was engaged in a daily 220 mph fight with Rick Mears for high speed honors. On Pole day however Mario had to settle for fourth place on the grid with a 214.690 mph qualifying run. Ahead of him in row one was Roger Penske's trio of Rick Mears (219.190), Danny Sullivan (216.210) and Al Unser (215.270). On race day the three Penske cars led 192 laps between them. Mario's car suffered electrical problems and he was out after 118 laps.

Happy Thanksgiving.