ANDRETTI, MARIO

born Feb. 28, 1940, Montona, Italy in full Mario Gabriel Andretti automobile racing driver who drove stock cars, U.S. championship cars, and Formula I cars. Mario and his twin brother Aldo studied automobile mechanics, frequented racing-car garages, and participated in a race-driving training program in Italy. In 1955 the family came to the United States and settled in Nazareth, Pa.; Mario became a U.S. citizen in 1964. By 1958 the brothers were racing stock cars. Aldo was severely injured in an accident and gave up racing after 1959. In the early 1960s Mario drove sprint and midget cars in races and in 1964 began racing in the championship-car division of the United States Automobile Club (USAC). He won USAC championships (196566, 1969). He also won the Daytona Beach (Fla.) 500-mile stock-car race (1967) and the sports-car Grand Prix of Endurance race at Sebring, Fla. (1967, 1970). Andretti won the Indianapolis 500 race in 1969 with a then-record speed of 156.867 miles per hour (252.11 km/h), which was later broken. An apparent victory in the 1981 race was ultimately given to Bobby Unser. Andretti was the second American driver to win the Formula I world driving championship in 1978. (Phil Hill was the first in 1961.) He retired from competition in 1994.