The month of May for the Andretti racing family got off to a winning start this past weekend, and this time it was third-generation Jarett Andretti carrying the checkered flag for the first time in his young career. Jarett, the son of John Andretti and grandchild of Aldo Andretti won Saturday night’s 35-lap Ford Focus Midget feature at the famed Hickory Motor Speedway. The 18-year-old high school senior grew up watching his father race both IndyCar and NASCAR-sanctioned events along with other national series including NHRA, CART and professional sports car racing. Jarett decided in mid-summer of 2010 to get behind the wheel, first starting in a go-kart. He quickly advanced to a Ford Focus Midget and competed in only a handful of events at the end of 2010. This year, Jarett is competing for the Eastern Ford Focus Midget Championship sanctioned by USAC. Saturday night’s win came in only the second race of the season. The win compliments his runner-up finish earlier this year at Dillon Motor Speedway. Jarett will join his father and cousin Marco racing in Indianapolis later this month where he plans to compete in more midget races, but first will race his Ford Focus Midget at Ace Speedway located in Altamahaw, N.C. on Friday and back to Hickory Motor Speedway again this Saturday. Andretti also has plans to compete in sports cars, NASCAR modifieds and possibly the NASCAR Pro Series East later this season.(Breaking Limits)(5-12-2011)
