PHOENIX – Mario Andretti. The name alone signifies the pure definition of speed.
On Thursday night at the Phoenix Art Museum, a 25th anniversary celebration of the iconic legend’s final Indy car win, which came on April 4, 1993, at ISM Raceway, welcomed a flood of memories and appreciation.
Paul Tracy retraced his thoughts on the race, when he looked on the way to his first career victory. After starting fifth, he quickly made his way to the front, dominating for Team Penske while leading 151 laps and holding a two-lap advantage over the field. All hopes were dashed after an incident with Jimmy Vasser sent Tracy into the wall just 39 laps from the end.
Soon after, Tracy’s teammate, Emerson Fittipaldi, crashed from the lead as well, paving the way for a 54-year-old Andretti to claim the 52nd and what would be the final win of his illustrious career.
“I kind of gave it away,” said Tracy. “I was leading the field by two laps and crashed with 40 to go or something like that. I gave away my first win, but I went the next week to Long Beach (and won). It was a great place to get my first win.”
Lyn St. James was making her second career start at Phoenix in 1993 after a sensational 11th-place effort at the Indianapolis 500 the year before. Having watched Andretti back in the 1960s, St. James said that when it came time to race against him, she had to turn off her admiration for him and other greats so she could do the job.
“I knew that if I walked around in awe, I wouldn’t have been able to dig deep enough in my confidence,” St. James said. “Even though I didn’t have as much confidence as I wished I’d had in a way because it was all new, but at the same time I realized that if I don’t do this, if I don’t switch and become this race car driver who’s got something to learn and respect and just drive the race car on the racetrack, then I’m going to screw up.
“I can’t tell you how I did it, but I just had to subconsciously execute what I consciously said that, ‘This is what you’ve got to do.’”
The accolades for Andretti include winning the 1969 Indianapolis 500, and being the last American to capture the Formula 1 championship, in 1978. Alexander Rossi, who drivers for the team owner by Mario’s son Michael, holds the elder Andretti in as high of regard as racing fans everywhere.
“It’s something that we take for granted being able to drive for him and his team, his family’s team, because you see him on a week-to-week basis,” Rossi said. “So you forget the legacy that he had and the impact that he had on the sport. It’s very cool to come to events like this and it seems there’s someone or some organization every couple of months praising him and what he did. I think that is a testament to what he accomplished.”
Additionally, Saturday night’s Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix will feature Marco Andretti doing a throwback livery to honor his grandfather’s No. 6 Newman/Haas Racing Kmart/Texaco Havoline Ford-powered Lola that won in 1993. Marco, driving the No. 98 Oberto Circle K / Curb Honda, is going all out for the retro look with the firesuit and helmet as well. The third-generation driver realized what it would mean if he could take the car to victory lane.
“It’d be humongous,” said Marco Andretti, who will need to come from the 20th starting position to win the race. “I’m going to approach it like any other race weekend. I just think back to the (February open) test and I think if we build on that just a little bit, we’re where we need to be.”
For Michael Andretti, the mention of Marco winning Saturday night drew a smile and elevated emotion while trying to stay even keel.
“I don’t even want to think about it,” Michael Andretti said. “I think it’d be the coolest thing in the world. It would be so cool. If it does, we might have to run that livery for the rest of the year!”
The Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix airs live at 9 p.m. ET Saturday on NBCSN and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network.