NASCAR Star, IndyCar Racer Dies
NASCAR star and IndyCar racer John Andretti passed away this week.
The 56-year-old’s death was confirmed by Andretti Autosport, the racing club owned by his cousin Michael.
“It [is] with the heaviest of hearts we share that John Andretti has today lost his battle with cancer,” the organization said in a statement.
“John was a loving husband and father, a devoted son and a trusted cousin. He was a philanthropist, an advocate for the sport, a dedicated teammate, a driven competitor and most importantly a dear friend.”
Andretti was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2017.
“He fought hard and stole back days the disease vowed to take away,” the statement continued.
“He helped countless others undergo proper screening, and in doing so, saved lives. We will forever carry with us John’s genuine spirit of helping others first and himself second.
“Our prayers today are with Nancy, Jarett, Olivia and Amelia, with our entire family, and with fans worldwide.”
Statement on the passing of John Andretti #CheckItForAndretti pic.twitter.com/ku3gX2neOq
— Andretti Autosport (@FollowAndretti) January 30, 2020
Andretti raced for 17 years before ultimately retiring from NASCAR in 2010.
His uncle, Mario, is the only man to have to have ever won the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the Formula One World Championship.
Over the course of his career, Andretti won two starts and came in fifth at the 1991 Indianapolis 500. His last victory came in the 1999 NASCAR Cup Series.
In 1994, Andretti made history when he became the first driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca Cola 600 in one day. He came in 10th place and 36th place, respectively.
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Michael Kyaw, initially a PR Manager, built up a valuable network of connections in the sports world that he then utilized to become an influential sports business reporter. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, Fansided, ESPN and the Wall Street Journal.
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