Michael Andretti: Difference between revisions

===Early careerlife===

Andretti was born in [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania]], in the [[Lehigh Valley]] region of eastern [[Pennsylvania]] to race car driver [[Mario Andretti]], a four-time [[IndyCar Series|IndyCar]] champion and one-time [[Formula One]] champion, and his wife, Dee Ann (née Hoch).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2018/07/04/motorsports-matriarch-dee-ann-andretti-dead-mario-marco-indycar/758025002/|title=Motorsports matriarch Dee Ann Andretti dies at 76}}</ref>

Following a successful career racing karts, winning 50 of his 75 races over eight years, Andretti moved into racing cars. He obtained his [[Sports Car Club of America|SCCA]] National License in 1980, then won six races to claim the SCCA's Northeast Division Formula Ford championship in 1981. He also drove in a number of [[Formula Vee]] races in regional SCCA events.

In 1982, he won six of the 11 races on his way to winning the [[Super Vee|Robert Bosch US Formula Super Vee Championship]]. He also won the opening race of the 1983 Super Vee season before he moved up to drive in [[Formula Atlantic]], and won his second title by winning the [[Formula Mondial|FIA Formula Mondial North American Cup]] the following season. Although he made his international sports car debut at the [[1982 24 Hours of Le Mans]], he was denied the opportunity to race, as the Mirage M12 he had chosen to race with his father was disqualified 80 minutes before the race was due to start. The father and son partnership returned to the [[Circuit de la Sarthe]] the following year, and were joined by [[Philippe Alliot]] in the [[Kremer Racing|Porsche Kremer Racing]]'s [[Porsche 956]], taking third place. Andretti also raced alongside his father in the Riverside 6 Hours where they were joined by [[A. J. Foyt]] and [[Preston Henn]], but the [[Porsche 935]] failed to finish. The father and son duo paired up again the [[1984 24 Hours of Daytona]], this time in a full-works [[Porsche 962]], which made its race debut. They took pole position, but during the race, the engine broke.<ref name="teamdan.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.teamdan.com/archive/www2/superv/82svrob.html|title=1982 Robert Bosch US Formula Super Vee Championship|work=teamdan.com|access-date=January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name="champcarstats.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.champcarstats.com/atlantic/year/1983.htm|title=1983 FIA Formula Mondial North American Cup|work=champcarstats.com|access-date=January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Texaco/Havoline CART History Michael Andretti |url=http://www.texacohavoline42.com/media/history/cart/michael_andretti.asp |access-date=December 20, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231010720/http://www.texacohavoline42.com/media/history/cart/michael_andretti.asp |archive-date=December 31, 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/results/Michael-Andretti-USA.html|title=Michael Andretti (USA) - All Results|publisher=Racing Sports Cars|access-date=January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Le_Mans-1982-06-20.html|title=Le Mans 24 Hours|publisher=Racing Sports Cars|access-date=January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Le_Mans-1983-06-19-photo.html|title=Le Mans 24 Hours|publisher=Racing Sports Cars|access-date=January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Cotton">Martin Cotton, "Directory of World Sportscars GROUP C and IMSA Cars from 1982" (Aston Publications, {{ISBN|0-946627-38-X}}, 1988)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Riverside-1983-04-24.html|title=Riverside 6 Hours|publisher=Racing Sports Cars|access-date=January 26, 2016}}</ref>