John Andretti

Born on March 12, 1963, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to “Corky” and Aldo Andretti, John Andretti was encouraged and supported by his family during his racing career. Starting with kart racing at a young age, he later progressed to junior stock car racing and USAC-sponsored midget car racing. Andretti attended Moravian College in Bethlehem, where he graduated in 1985 with a degree in business management. He later reflected that he likely would have pursued a career in investment banking or stock brokering if he had not started racing.

Andretti joined the BMW North America team for the 1986 IMSA GTP season, winning at Watkins Glen International with Davy Jones. The following year, in 1987, Andretti joined CART's PPG Indy Car World Series. In his debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1988, he reached as high as seventh place before mechanical problems caused him to finish 21st.

In 1989, Andretti drove the Miller High Life/BF Goodrich Porsche 962 to victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona, along with co-drivers Bob Wollek and Derek Bell. He and Wollek also won the Pontiac Grand Prix of Palm Beach driving the same Porsche 962. Andretti finished fifth in points (112) in the 1989 IMSA season, first among Porsche drivers. In 1991, Andretti won the only race of his CART career, the Gold Coast Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise, Australia. He finished a career-best fifth in the 1991 Indianapolis 500.

In 1993, Andretti drove the Taco Bell Express Top Fuel Dragster, reaching the semi-finals in his first national event at Atlanta. He defeated 1992 T/F Champion Joe Amato and Tommy Johnson Jr. before losing to Mike Dunn. In 1994, Andretti made history as the first driver to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He finished tenth at Indy and 36th at Charlotte after suffering mechanical failures. In 1997, Andretti secured his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at the Pepsi 400. He won again in 1999 at Martinsville Speedway, taking the lead with four laps to go after having lost a lap.

In 2001, Andretti teamed up with Kyle Petty to win the GT Class in the six-hour sports car race at Watkins Glen. In 2007, Andretti returned to the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since 1994. He crashed on lap 95 and finished 30th. In 2008, he qualified for his ninth Indy 500, finishing on the lead lap in 16th place. Andretti also returned to the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2008, finishing 25th. In 2009, Andretti rejoined the Sprint Cup Series full-time with Front Row Motorsports, and in 2010, he partnered with Richard Petty and Andretti Autosport for two events, including the Indianapolis 500.

In April 2017, Andretti publicly announced his diagnosis of stage four colon cancer, initiating the #CheckIt4Andretti campaign to promote preventative colonoscopies. After initial chemotherapy, he was deemed cancer-free in late 2017. However, the cancer reemerged in May 2018, and metastasized further. He underwent further treatment, but the cancer relapsed again in late March 2019. John Andretti died of colon cancer on January 30, 2020, in Mooresville, North Carolina, at the age of 56, eleven months before the death of his father. Following his death, #CheckIt4Andretti was established as a foundation to provide colonoscopies for those without health insurance.

Andretti participated in various racing disciplines throughout his career, including IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series, and NHRA drag racing. He also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona. His son, Jarett, continues to race professionally in IMSA.