R.I.P. John Andretti

One week ago today, the sports world was rocked by the death of Kobe Bryant and understandably so.  The Black Mamba was certainly one of the true greats of his profession, was equally beloved by fans, and was cut down at an age far too young, with a daughter who barely had time to live.  All in all, it was a devastating situation that truly makes one take a step back and think. 

Now, I've never been a huge basketball fan - my interest in the sport died when Michael Jordan retired (the second time) and, even before then, it was casual at best.  Thus, tragic though Bryant's sudden death was, it didn't affect me the same way it did a lot of my peers.  When news dropped about the accident, my wife and I were at a baby shower and the festivities ground to a halt.  I was sad to hear about the loss of life, but I didn't feel as personally attached to Bryant as did many of those party guests and other sports fans across the world.  That's not to say that I wasn't grieved by the loss of life - I'm not a monster - but I've just never paid all that much attention to Kobe's sport of choice.

However, just a few days later, there was another loss in the world of athletics that I felt on a much more personal level.

I maintain a small collection of NASCAR cards and I am passively working on obtaining one for each driver who has one.  This card of John came paired with a 1:64 die-cast model of his #43 Cheerios Dodge that was released by Hot Wheels in (I believe 2002).  That toy car has long since disappeared, but this card remains in my binders.  Once a relic of my childhood, it now holds a more poignant significance.

On the following Thursday, it was announced that veteran racer, John Andretti, had lost his battle with colon cancer and passed away at the age of 56.  Andretti, of course, hails from the most famous racing clan in the history of motorsport and, like his uncle Mario, he was one of the most versatile competitors of his generation.  During the halcyon days of my NASCAR fandom, John was a fixture on the circuit as the pilot of one of the most famous cars in the game, driving the famous blue #43 for Richard Petty.  Two family dynasties working together under one roof, it was almost poetic.

Seeing as Petty was and is my favorite driver in the history of stock car racing, I naturally rooted for John every weekend.  While he was never a front runner, he was able to get a couple of wins under his belt before the NASCAR phase of his career ended in the mid-aughts.  However, that did not mark the end of his time behind the wheel.

Like I said, Andretti was a versatile driver.  Once he was done in stocks, he simply pivoted.

John Andretti returned to the circuit which provided him his first break into the big leagues of auto racing - Indy Car.  In fact, he even brought the legendary blue #43 over with him for a couple of years, in a partnership between Richard Petty Motorsports and Andretti Autosport, as exemplified by this picture I snapped during Indy 500 time trials in 2009.  If you'll permit me a humble brag, I'm impressed I was able to capture such a crisp, clear image of an Indy Car, at speed, with a simple Canon Powershot.

Of course, the Andretti name is synonymous with open wheel racing, so it was a natural move.  Not to mention, John's biggest claim to fame is when, in 1994, he became the first man to attempt "The Double" - competing in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coke 600 in the same day.  That's 1,100 miles in just one day, split between Indy and Charlotte, NC - only a handful of brave souls have even entertained the thought.  Even before that, John had been a regular on the Indy Car (then sanctioned by CART) circuit throughout the late 80's/early 90's, even notching a win in '91 at Queensland.

His return to the open wheel ranks was not earth shattering, but I was irrationally excited to see him show up at the Brickyard from 2007-11.  After I began to grow tired of NASCAR, like John, I too pivoted to Indy Car and have been present for Indy 500 time trials nearly every year since 2003.  seeing a name from the early days of my auto racing fandom show up in my new preferred discipline was a nostalgic thrill.

This is John during Indy time trials in 2006, driving for Marty Roth and a year before partnering back up with Petty.

Beyond NASCAR and Indy Car, John also competed in NHRA drag racers, USAC midgets, and sports cars.  Also, besides his famed double, he's also the only person to have ever competed in a NHRA, Indy Car, and NASCAR event during the same season.  Plus, he's had the opportunity to compete in three of the crown jewels of the entire the racing scene - the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans - as well. Needless to say, John Andretti's racing career was full of intrigue.

Off the track, Andretti was well-liked and well-respected in the garage area of whatever track he happened to be competing at in a given weekend.  Furthermore, he spent a great deal of time volunteering with charities, both with the Petty Victory Junction Gang camp and for Riley Children's Hospital through his own initiative, Race 4 Riley.

In short, the sudden loss of John Andretti hit me pretty hard, as I had followed his career with great interest since the earliest days of my auto racing fandom.  it's never easy to see one of your childhood heroes pass on, whether they make larger than life dunks on the hardwood or guide sleek machines 200 miles per hour through a curve.  In the end, it's important that we appreciate our brief time on this earth, as you never know when it's going to end, no matter if you're a random sports card blogger or among the greatest athletes of all time.

R.I.P. John Andretti.