Andretti curse

The Andretti Curse, sometimes referred to as Andretti Luck, is a sports-related curse in a string of bad luck the Andretti racing family has experienced in their efforts to win the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Patriarch Mario Andretti won the Indianapolis 500 in 1969. In victory lane, prolific car owner Andy Granatelli planted a kiss on the young Andretti's cheek. Following the win, despite a Hall of Fame career in Indy cars, Formula One, stock cars, and sports cars, Andretti never managed to win the race again before his retirement in 1994. The misfortune has extended to his sons Michael and Jeff, nephew John, and grandson Marco, totaling 80 starts. The reasons for defeat have included a bevy of mechanical failures, crashes, and a last-lap pass in 2006.

According to Robin Miller, the curse started in 1970 when Mario Andretti, Andy Granatelli, and Clint Brawner were involved in feud over the team. Partners Granatelli and Brawner split, and Andretti sided with Granatelli. Brawner's wife Kay supposedly cast a hex upon them, promising never would an Andretti ever again win the Indianapolis 500.

Success has not completely eluded the Andretti family. Michael Andretti won the Indianapolis 500 five times as a car owner of Andretti Autosport. The racing team, formerly known as Team Green also won the race in 1995, prior to Andretti's involvement. Mario, Michael, Jeff, and Marco were all winners of the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award. Marco, meanwhile, is the only family member besides Mario to win a race of any kind at the Speedway, the Liberty Challenge for the Infiniti Pro Series on the combined road course at the Speedway in 2005.

Mario Andretti was the first of the Andretti family to experience success in the top levels of motorsports, going on to have a long and storied career. Mario became one of the most successful drivers of all time, winning four Indy car titles, the 1978 Formula One World Championship, and IROC VI. Andretti amassed 109 career wins on major circuits including, along with the aforementioned disciplines, wins in IMSA, USAC Stock Cars, and the NASCAR Daytona 500. He was the first driver to exceed 200 miles per hour while practicing for the 1977 Indianapolis 500.

In addition to his individual wins, Andretti has been enshrined in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, Long Beach Walk of Fame, and Automotive Hall of Fame. He was named Driver of the Year three times, and Driver of the Quarter Century as well.

Mario competed 29 times in the Indianapolis 500, with only a single victory in 1969 to his credit, which occurred very early in his career. His unsuccessful quest for a second victory was documented by television, radio, media, and fans. A prevailing opinion in racing circles began to grow that a perceived bad luck "curse" had overcome him (and his family) at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Andretti himself said that "Lady Luck" seemed to be against him at times. Meanwhile, fellow "Brickyard" legends of his era (A. J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., Al Unser Jr., Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Gordon Johncock, and Rick Mears) all racked up multiple Indy 500 wins. Andretti's perceived curse became such a popular "watercooler topic" during the month of May that some fans were known to have betting pools to guess which lap he would drop out of the race.

In 29 total starts, Andretti finished the full 500 miles just five times: his rookie year (1965), his lone victory (1969), his two runner-up finishes (1981 and 1985), and 1993.