“I don’t know if anybody on this planet loves the sport more than I do — maybe as much, but no one more than I do,” racing legend Mario Andretti tells Local Profile. “I think that’s what has driven me in my life.”
At 84, Andretti shows no signs of slowing down. Whether that’s his involvement in his family’s namesake, Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, or his pro-motorsport advisory roles, he continues to be deeply involved in racing. On a fall afternoon, Local Profile caught up with Andretti at his indoor karting location in Fort Worth during a private VIP reception, complete with Italian coffee and cakes.
Andretti is hailed as one of the true greats — and for good reason: he’s the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the F1 World Championship. And despite all he’s achieved, what strikes you immediately is his humility. He genuinely seems like a good guy. He takes time to sign autographs and talk with fans, all of them, understandably, in awe. They say don’t meet your heroes. True — that is, unless yours is Mario Andretti.
Throughout his storied motorsport career, Andretti’s ability to adapt to various cars and tracks set him apart. But it wasn’t just his relentless pursuit of excellence and willingness to push boundaries that set him apart, it was his passion. This mindset, coupled with working hard and aligning himself with ambitious people, has been the cornerstone of his legacy. Andretti’s legacy extends to his family, with multiple generations involved in racing and business.
They say don’t meet your heroes. True — that is, unless yours is Mario Andretti.
“The sport still drives everything for us,” he says proudly. From his late twin brother, Aldo Andretti, to his sons, nephews and grandchildren, the Andretti name continues to thrive, on and off the track.
Have a Burning Passion
Andretti was born in 1940 in Montona, Italy (now part of Croatia), and his journey from a World War II refugee camp to becoming one of the most celebrated drivers in history is a story of passion, grit and unmatched ambition. Andretti’s early years were shaped by World War II and its aftermath. His family fled their Communist-controlled homeland in 1948, spending seven years in a refugee camp in Tuscany before emigrating to the United States in 1955. The Andrettis arrived with just $125 and no knowledge of English, settling in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
For Andretti, the seeds of a dream were planted even before arriving in America. His passion for racing was ignited at the age of 14 when he and his twin brother attended the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Shortly after the family arrived in the United States, fate intervened when the Andretti twins discovered a local half-mile oval track near their new home. With no resources to buy a car, the twins built their own — a 1948 Hudson Hornet Sportsman Stock Car — and began racing in 1959. Andretti’s career quickly took off, with 20 wins in his first two seasons. By 1965, he had won his first IndyCar Championship, becoming the youngest driver to achieve the feat. Over the next decade, Andretti expanded his dominance across disciplines, conquering stock car racing, endurance events and Formula One. When he called it a day on his racing career in 1994, Andretti took his place as one of the sport’s true greats.
“The sport has given me so much in my life that I could not begin to think that I could have done anything else that would have served me like the sport did,” he says. “But it started out with a burning passion and desire to do it.”
Stay Positive
Racing is a dangerous sport — and even more so in the decades when Andretti first made his name. Even now, with all the safety precautions, wrecks still claim drivers’ lives.
“I look to the bright side of life and never dwell on the negatives,” says Andretti. “That’s what kept me going in the sport when it was more dangerous than it is today. I just always look at the positive side; that’s what carried me over — every day, the sun shines, and that’s the way I like to live life.”
“I look to the bright side of life and never dwell on the negatives.”
Align Yourself With the Right People
Racing isn’t a solitary sport. You need a team you can trust with your life. You also need the right people in the world of business. Throughout his motorsport career and his business career, Andretti has worked with the best. “Align yourself with the right people with ambition, because those people are going to be carrying a project,” says Andretti. “And as leaders, they are obviously going to make the difference and dream up something.”
Those dreams might create successful racing teams or businesses. In 1999, the late NASCAR driver John Andretti, Andretti’s nephew, co-founded Andretti Thrill Park in Melbourne, Florida, with trusted family friend and businessman Edison Hamann. The first Andretti Indoor Karting & Games followed in 2001.
"Aligning yourself with the right people is a good start.”
“They had a dream, and I joined them and infused some capital there,” says Andretti. “And they starting impressing other people to join us — to take charge of our own destiny, if you will.” One thing led to another, and now Andretti Indoor Karting & Games has nine locations across the U.S., four of which are in Texas, including one at The Colony. Next year, five more locations will open.
“There’s no guarantee for anything — you know, you just hope,” says Andretti. “But like I said, aligning yourself with the right people is a good start.”
Do What You Love for As Long As You Can
Andretti officially retired from competitive racing in 1994, bringing a decades-long, legendary motorsport career to a close. But Andretti never really retired. His life continues to be fueled by his off-the-track ventures and his relentless dedication to motorsport. He transitioned seamlessly into entrepreneurship, leveraging his name and expertise to create enduring ventures, whether that’s indoor karting or his wines. Andretti channeled the precision and passion he gave to driving into his award-winning Andretti Winery. Located in California’s Napa Valley, the winery is a testament to his appreciation of life’s finer things.
As our conversation winds down, a father and son wait in the wings for a photo, an autograph and a brush with greatness. Andretti is only in town for a few hours before jetting off to his next destination. It’s a busy schedule for anyone, 84 or not. Will he ever stop working, slow down and retire?
“We have so many things going, and that’s what I like — that’s my life,” he replies. “I will never retire, because I always said that when I retire, they’re going to put me in a box. And the box better have wheels on it.”
