After more than five decades of Brickyard frustration the “Andretti Curse” has become as much a part of the Indianapolis 500 as the command for drivers to “start your engines.”
American motor racing royalty, the Andrettis have ruled over open-wheel racing in the US with a string of victories that have connected generations — father Mario, to son Michael, to grandson Marco.
Yet for all their success at circuits around the world, Mario Andretti’s Indy 500 victory in 1969 stands alone.
Photo: AP
Over the years what was first shrugged off as bad luck, became cruel misfortune then later a full-blown jinx that now ranks right up there with the Boston Red Sox’s “Curse of the Bambino” and the Chicago Cubs’ “Curse of the Billy Goat.”
For those looking for signs that whatever voodoo planted on the Andrettis could be lifted this year, there were hints on Sunday that something was different when 33-year-old Marco Andretti grabbed pole position 33 years after his grandfather was the last Andretti to start from the front.
The Andrettis have happily played along when it comes to the curse, neither embracing or dismissing it.
Marco Andretti routinely turns the tables, saying his family is not cursed but blessed, while at the same time conceding the results suggest darker forces at work.
A theory this year has the curse thrown out of whack by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the Indy 500 to move from its traditional May 24 date to Sunday.
“I don’t think it [the curse] exists in August, so we are good,” Marco Andretti said with a laugh. “As a family we would talk that we are blessed not cursed, but it is a cool media story and we have been running with it.”
“Results wise, yeah, maybe there is something to it because man the three of us have been so dominant here,” he said. “We have a bunch of podiums, but this is one place where that doesn’t matter.”
Certainly, the relationship the Andrettis have with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been more star-crossed than aligned.
Michael Andretti has been a five-times winner of the Indy 500 as a team owner, but 16 times as a driver could not get to Victory Lane.
In his 2006 rookie season Marco Andretti finished second, but has never been that close again.
A US driver winning the Indianapolis 500 would have fans waving the Stars and Stripes, and Marco Andretti winning the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” would bring fireworks.
Fans, drivers and anyone connected to motor racing understands what the Andretti name means to the sport.
When Marco Andrettis’ name flashed at the top of the timing tower on Sunday social media exploded and the pit lane applauded. Fellow drivers ran to his vehicle to offer congratulations, while his father hugged him and fought back tears.
Due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols there are to be no spectators in grandstands that normally would be packed with close to 300,000 motor racing fans.
Either way, Marco Andretti said that he would still feel the support.
“Just feeling the support from the pole, I can’t even imagine what it would be like if we won the race,” he said. “You would see a few grown men cry.”
“Just seeing the videos of fans across the street wearing my jersey, that’s so cool and the unwavering support on social media,” he added.
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
Taiwanese e-sports veteran Lin “ET” Chia-hung yesterday successfully defended his King of Fighters XV title at this year’s Evolution Championship Series: Japan (EVO Japan), securing his second consecutive championship. Lin claimed victory with a 3-1 win over Japanese pro gamer “mok” in the grand final, repeating his earlier 3-1 win against the same opponent in the winners’ final. The 40-year-old earned a ￥1 million (US$6,897) cash prize at the two-day tournament, which drew 294 competitors. Mok, Lin’s toughest rival in the bracket, took home ￥400,000 as runner-up. Lin remains undefeated in match sets against mok in King of Fighters XV, holding a 10-0 record,
RSS