"I don’t regret saying that at all": When Michael Andretti's son Marco stood by his bold statement after Indy 500 heartbreak

Indianapolis 500 Opening Day - Source: Getty
Indianapolis 500 Opening Day - Source: Getty

Michael Andretti's son, Marco Andretti, once made a seemingly defiant statement after his 2006 Indy 500 miss. The then-19-year-old came agonizingly close to winning the prestigious race on his debut, only to settle for second place in the race's then-second-closest finish in its history.

Marco started the race on the outside of the third row, in P9, driving for his family-owned team, Andretti Green (now Andretti Global). On lap 198 of 200, he overtook his father, Michael, who had come out of retirement to compete in the race, to take the race lead and elicit a raucous reaction from the crowd. However, the 'Andretti Curse' struck in the final lap.

Pole-sitter Sam Hornish Jr., who had failed to complete his previous six Indy 500s, found one last burst of pace to pass Marco Andretti near the chequered flag and win the race by 0.063 seconds, the then-second-closest finish after 1992, when Al Unser Jr. beat Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds. After the race, the teenage Andretti was heartbroken and said second place meant nothing to him. He said via ESPN:

"Second place is nothing. They don't remember people who finish second here. They really don't. You gotta take advantage of every shot. How many times did my dad finish second? He never won it and neither did I."

This statement landed him in trouble and drew criticism in the media. Three months after the event, he was questioned about his intent behind the statement. He wasn't apologetic for what he said and reiterated it for the IndyCar world.

"I don't regret saying that at all. At Indy, second place is nothing. You're either an Indianapolis 500 winner or you're not," Marco said (via the NY Times).

The race was Dan Wheldon's to win, who led 148 laps overall, but a tire puncture cost him positions.


Michael Andretti was shattered after son Marco Andretti's Indy 500 "fairytale" got crushed

Michael Andretti, Formula E 2022-2023: London ePrix I (Source: Getty)
Michael Andretti, Formula E 2022-2023: London ePrix I (Source: Getty)

Sam Hornish Jr's late overtake to win the 90th Indy 500 was unexpected, so much so that Michael Andretti, running in third position, had already pumped his fist from his cockpit when he thought his son, Marco, won the race.

The 1991 CART champion shared his thoughts after the race, saying (via ESPN):

"I really put my hand in the air, thinking he won the race. I couldn't believe it. It's like -- where did Hornish get that speed? It's like he had a button in there to push. It's a heartbreak, another one. But in a couple of days, I'll probably sit back and think, 'Oh wow!' I thought he had won. It was a fairy tale, a dream."

That second-place finish for Marco Andretti turned out to be his career best. He stood on the podium three more times (third place in 2008, 2010, and 2014) and also took the pole at the 2020 edition of the "Greatest Spectacle of Racing," but never emerged victorious. His father, Michael, competed in his last Indy 500 in 2007 before hanging up his boots again.

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Edited by Prathik BR
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