Andretti Close to re-signing with Petty, including Indy 500 UPDATE: #45-Kyle Petty said that the team is close to signing #43-John Andretti to a contract extension and Andretti would be allowed to attempt to drive in the Indianapolis 500 next May. “It’s one of those deals where you’re 99.9 percent,” sure it will happen, Petty said of the contract extension. “It’s just nobody’s name is on a piece of paper.” Petty said he has no problems letting Andretti run in the Indy 500 next year. The problem this year, Petty said, was that Andretti asked on such short notice and did not allow the Petty sponsors to possibly put together a sponsorship package for that race. Andretti said he’s hopeful that his cousin, Michael Andretti, will have an extra car for him next May. Michael Andretti, who bought into an Indy car team, will run three cars in the Indy Racing League next year.(Roanoke Times)(9-21-2002) UPDATE: John Andretti knows where and for whom he plans to race in 2003 has known, in fact, for some time but he’s not telling. ”I’ve made up my mind,” he said Saturday following ”Happy Hour,” practice at Dover. ”But I haven’t signed anything yet. The ball’s not in my court now. I actually made up my mind a little bit ago and I’m just waiting on a response. ‘It’s not really going to be up to me and, in my mind, it’s never been up to me. The formal announcement comes from the team and from the sponsors, so I’m just a participant. They’re just waiting to do that, they’re just waiting to get everything sewed up.”(Morning Call)(9-23-2002)
