Highlights

Andrettis look to end family's Indy 500 drought

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-05-23 13:06

The Andrettis came agonizingly close to ending the famous racing family's 37-year drought in the Indianapolis 500 last year, and say they have a better chance to conquer the 2007 edition of the classic on Sunday.

Marco Andretti as a 19-year-old rookie finished second behind winner Sam Hornish, Jr by 0.0635 seconds last year with his father, Michael, another whisker back in third place in the second-closest finish in the race's 90-year history.

"I'm really excited about our chances," Michael Andretti, who will compete in his 16th Indy 500, told Reuters on Monday.

"Over the winter the team did a lot of work to try and find the speed that we were lacking last year and I think we've done a pretty good job. I'm more excited going into it this year than I was last year."

Marco echoed his father's optimism at a New York gathering of the 33 drivers in the field.

"I think we have a little more speed and that's what lost us the race last year was a lack of speed," he told Reuters. "Hopefully we have everything we need."

Since family patriarch Mario Andretti won at the Brickyard in 1969, members of the Andretti family including his son, Michael, and grandson Marco, have had 50 unsuccessful runs at winning the title.

John Andretti, cousin to Michael and Marco, qualified in 24th position and will drive in the Indy 500 for the first time since 1994.

Last year Michael Andretti looked in control until a late yellow flag slowed his charge. Marco Andretti surged into the lead but was overtaken in the last straight of the final lap by Hornish -- the race's first final-lap pass for victory.

CRAZY LAST LAPS

"It was a crazy last couple of laps," the young Andretti said. "For a while it looked like Dad was going to win and if there wasn't a final yellow flag he was going to.

"And then it looked like I was going to win, and then unfortunately there was a third party involved."

Michael Andretti had the Indy 500 within his grasp before.

"In 1992 I think I led 170 laps and with 10 laps to go the drive belt on the front engine broke and that was it," he said. "I was just cruising, I was literally coasting, trying to bring it home. I had a lap lead. It wasn't my day."

Andretti Green Racing has five cars in the top 11 spots on the grid with their Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti starting alongside polesitter Helio Castroneves of Team Penske. Danica Patrick starts in eighth position next to Marco Andretti, with Michael Andretti in the fourth row at No. 11.

Michael Andretti, one of the team's co-owners, gushed about his son's ability.

"He's an incredible talent," he said, adding that his son was thinking about a future in F1. "He would like to do it but he's only going to do it if he can get with a team he knows he can win with."

For now the focus is all on Sunday's race.

"We've been trying to win this thing as long as I've been alive, our family," Marco Andretti said. "I would say Indy owes my father one, for sure."

Said Michael: "I've been trying for a long time. This is probably my last shot so hopefully it will be the one that gets it done.

"I think the whole family would be ecstatic if either myself or Marco were to bring it home."