Happy Birthday Mario Andretti

[CIRF]

A hearty happy birthday to one of, if not, THE greatest driver in the history of American motor sports, Mario Andretti. I feel extremely fortunate to have seen Mario race It Indy and at Milwaukee.

[ss12]

Happy birthday Mario Andretti!!

[Clayton_Wetter]

In 1955 the Andretti family emigrated to the United States of America, settling in Nazareth in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley with just $125 to their name.[4] Mario and Aldo were surprised to find a half-mile dirt racing track when they moved to Nazareth.[4] The twins worked on a 1948 Hudson Commodore modified funded by money that they earned in their uncle's garage in 1959.[4] They took turns racing the old Hudson on oval dirt tracks near Nazareth in 1959. They did not tell their parents that they were racing.[7] The twins each had two wins after their first four races.[14] Aldo was seriously hurt near the end of the season, and their parents were unhappy to find out that the twins were racing.[7] Mario had 21 modified stockcar wins in 46 races in 1960 and 1961.[4]

USAC stock car
Andretti became a naturalized United States citizen in 1964. He competed in United States Automobile Club (USAC) stock car events in 1965, and finished twelfth in the season points.[7] He won a USAC Stock Car race in 1967, and finished seventh in the season points.[7] He won three 1974 USAC stock car races on road courses, and won four road course races in 1975. See more at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Andretti[7]

[CIRF]

In 1955 the Andretti family emigrated to the United States of America, settling in Nazareth in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley with just $125 to their name.[4] Mario and Aldo were surprised to find a half-mile dirt racing track when they moved to Nazareth.[4] The twins worked on a 1948 Hudson Commodore modified funded by money that they earned in their uncle's garage in 1959.[4] They took turns racing the old Hudson on oval dirt tracks near Nazareth in 1959. They did not tell their parents that they were racing.[7] The twins each had two wins after their first four races.[14] Aldo was seriously hurt near the end of the season, and their parents were unhappy to find out that the twins were racing.[7] Mario had 21 modified stockcar wins in 46 races in 1960 and 1961.[4]

USAC stock car
Andretti became a naturalized United States citizen in 1964. He competed in United States Automobile Club (USAC) stock car events in 1965, and finished twelfth in the season points.[7] He won a USAC Stock Car race in 1967, and finished seventh in the season points.[7] He won three 1974 USAC stock car races on road courses, and won four road course races in 1975. See more at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Andretti[7]

Clay, in addition to his success in USAC Stock Cars in 1967 he won the Daytona 500 that year, as well, driving for Holman-Moody.

Mario was more than a little wild in the sprints, midgets and Championship Cars. So wild, in fact, that at the time he first got started driving the open wheel cars other drivers, race officials, owners and crew members would send him Christmas cards in June and July because they didn't think he'd live to see Christmas!!