June 16: Mario Andretti

Andretti: winning the 1969
Indy 500 race. Photo
courtesy of ESPNcdn.com

On this date in History .... June 16, 1955: 

The Italian ocean liner, Conte Biancamano, arrived in New York harbor with 15 yr old Mario Andretti & family aboard.  Andretti became one of the greatest race drivers in the world, becoming the only man to win all of the following races:

·         the Formula One World Championship,

·         the US Nat’l Championship (1965, 1966, 1969, 1984),

·         the Indianapolis “Indy” 500,

·         the Daytona 500,

·         the 24 Hours of Daytona,

·         the 12 Hours of Sebring (1967, 1970, 1972) &

·         the Pikes Peak Internat’l Hill Club. 

Mario Andretti won the last of his 52 Indy Car victories in 1993. He officially retired from racing in 1994, having competed in 407 Indy Car events.