Adam Andretti
Encyclopedia
Adam Andretti is an American race car driver
. He is the younger brother of veteran NASCAR
racer John Andretti
, nephew of Indianapolis 500
winner Mario Andretti
and first cousin to IndyCar
champion Michael Andretti
and Jeff Andretti
. He is the first cousin
once-removed to IndyCar
driver Marco Andretti
. His father, Aldo Andretti
, retired from driving a race car after he nearly died in an accident. Andretti is a graduate of the Skip Barber Racing School
.
Andretti's racing career started in 1994 at the age of 15 with the help of his brother John, who helped Adam obtain a ride in the new half-scale Mini Cup Stock Car series, driving for Terry Lingner of Lingner Group Productions at the Velodrome in Indianapolis
. He showed promise by winning four races in 1995 and finishing fourth in the series championship. After his stint in the Mini Stocks, Andretti raced karts
. His brother Mark bought him a 125cc shifter kart and they raced for the next two years in the SKUSA series. In 1998, he finished second at the Formula C World Karting Championship held in Charlotte, North Carolina
. He also ran in the 24 Hours of Daytona
, an event sponsored by the Grand American Road Racing Association
.
In 2000, Andretti drove the #12 car in the short-lived United States Formula 3 Championship for Duesenberg Brothers Racing. He won a race and finished third in the series points championship. Then in 2001 and 2002, he drove in NASCAR
's Featherlite Southwest Series
. In 2003, Andretti drove a Corvette
at Sebring Raceway
in the SPEED World Challenge
Series. He drove in the 2004 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona
.
Since then, he has served as a racing instructor for Road & Track
magazine and some driving schools, including the Richard Petty
Driving Experience.
Andretti made his Indy Pro Series
debut at Chicagoland Speedway
on September 9, 2007. His race ended with an altercation with IndyCar veteran Jimmy Kite
. Andretti announced after the race that he would compete in a full Indy Pro Series season in 2008. On December 17 he announced that he had signed a deal with the new FuZion Autosport team for the upcoming season. However, the team nor Andretti failed to participate in any league-sponsored test sessions or enter any races.
Adam got married on November 3, 2007 to Tabitha Eve and they currently reside in Brownsburg, Indiana.
Driving
Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a land vehicle, such as a car, truck or bus.Although direct operation of a bicycle and a mounted animal are commonly referred to as riding, such operators are legally considered drivers and are required to obey the rules of the road...
. He is the younger brother of veteran NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
racer John Andretti
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
, nephew of Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
winner Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
and first cousin to IndyCar
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
champion Michael Andretti
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
and Jeff Andretti
Jeff Andretti
Jeff Andretti is an American race car driver. He competed in CART, and was the series' Rookie of the Year in 1991.-Racing career:...
. He is the first cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
once-removed to IndyCar
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
driver Marco Andretti
Marco Andretti
Marco Michael Andretti is an Italian American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti...
. His father, Aldo Andretti
Aldo Andretti
Aldo Andretti is the twin brother of Mario Andretti and the father of John Andretti and Adam Andretti. He is the uncle of Michael Andretti and Jeff Andretti, and great-uncle of Marco Andretti. Aldo and Mario are identical twins...
, retired from driving a race car after he nearly died in an accident. Andretti is a graduate of the Skip Barber Racing School
Skip Barber Racing School
The Skip Barber Racing School is one of the largest racing schools in the world. It conducts racing schools, defensive and high performance driving schools, amateur and professional racing championships and corporate entertainment schools. Skip Barber started the school in 1975 with two borrowed...
.
Andretti's racing career started in 1994 at the age of 15 with the help of his brother John, who helped Adam obtain a ride in the new half-scale Mini Cup Stock Car series, driving for Terry Lingner of Lingner Group Productions at the Velodrome in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. He showed promise by winning four races in 1995 and finishing fourth in the series championship. After his stint in the Mini Stocks, Andretti raced karts
Kart racing
Kart racing or karting is a variant of open-wheel motorsport with small, open, four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits...
. His brother Mark bought him a 125cc shifter kart and they raced for the next two years in the SKUSA series. In 1998, he finished second at the Formula C World Karting Championship held in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. He also ran in the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
, an event sponsored by the Grand American Road Racing Association
Grand American Road Racing Association
GRAND-AM Road Racing or GRAND-AM is an auto racing sanctioning body that was established in 1999 to organize road racing competitions in North America...
.
In 2000, Andretti drove the #12 car in the short-lived United States Formula 3 Championship for Duesenberg Brothers Racing. He won a race and finished third in the series points championship. Then in 2001 and 2002, he drove in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's Featherlite Southwest Series
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series
The SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series is a Late Model racing league operating since 1985, originally with NASCAR sanction as the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour and later AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series, and before being sanctioned by a group of West Coast racers under the premises of...
. In 2003, Andretti drove a Corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
at Sebring Raceway
Sebring Raceway
Sebring International Raceway is a road course auto racing facility located near Sebring, Florida.Sebring Raceway is one of the oldest continuously-operating race tracks in the United States, its first race being run in 1950...
in the SPEED World Challenge
SPEED World Challenge
The Pirelli World Challenge is a North American auto racing series that is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America . Founded in 1985, it consists of four classes: grand touring, touring car, a "GTS" class since 2010, and a "touring car B-spec" since 2012...
Series. He drove in the 2004 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
.
Since then, he has served as a racing instructor for Road & Track
Road & Track
Road & Track is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, and is published monthly. The editorial offices are located in Newport Beach, California.-History:...
magazine and some driving schools, including the Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
Driving Experience.
Andretti made his Indy Pro Series
Indy Pro Series
Firestone Indy Lights is a developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar. Previously, another series named Indy Lights filled the same role for CART and ran from 1986 to 1993 as the American Racing Series and Dayton Indy Lights from 1991 to 2001...
debut at Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
on September 9, 2007. His race ended with an altercation with IndyCar veteran Jimmy Kite
Jimmy Kite
Jimmy Kite is an American race car driver. He debuted in the Indy Racing League in 1997 and has competed in over 30 IRL races, including five Indianapolis 500s...
. Andretti announced after the race that he would compete in a full Indy Pro Series season in 2008. On December 17 he announced that he had signed a deal with the new FuZion Autosport team for the upcoming season. However, the team nor Andretti failed to participate in any league-sponsored test sessions or enter any races.
Adam got married on November 3, 2007 to Tabitha Eve and they currently reside in Brownsburg, Indiana.