John Andretti made some comments last weekend that showed he wasn’t happy about his cousin, IRL team owner/driver Michael Andretti, selecting Robby Gordon to replace Dario Franchitti in the Indy 500. John thought Michael would select him to drive for the injured Franchitti, but John hasn’t driven in the Indy 500 since 1994 when he became the first person to complete the double of the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. “I’ll be there that week and I’ll qualify the car, because he [Gordon] will be in the hospital by then,” John Andretti told Speed Channel. Gordon responded to John’s comment: “All I want to say is I never would wish one of my fellow competitors get hurt so I could get a ride.” Andretti realizes sponsor considerations were a factor in the selection of Gordon. Motorola, the sponsor on Franchitti’s car, supplies cell phones for Cingular Wireless, the sponsor of Gordon’s Winston Cup car.( Dallas Morning News – may need to register to read)(5-1-2003)
