Motor sports icon Mario Andretti presented his namesake trophy to 2012 Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel as this years SPEED Performer of the Year on the Sunday night edition of SPEED Center. ‘You are going up against the best of the best for this award’ said Andretti, the only driver to ever win the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the Formula One World Championship. ‘Were considering every major discipline in motor sports. Thats what you are up against & thats the grandeur of this award.” Vettel, who captured his third consecutive Formula One title in dramatic fashion to become the youngest triple champion in series history, came out atop five SPEED Performer of the Year finalists, including NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski, versatile youngster Kyle Larson, IndyCar champ Ryan Hunter-Reay and WRC legend Sebastien Loeb. Ten of this years 16 nominees earned at least one first-place vote in the balloting. Racer Alex Zanardi, who continues to personify the heart of a racer despite an accident that robbed the Italian of both his legs in 2001, was recognized on SPEED Center with the Dan Gurney Spirit of Racing award for his success last year as a paracyclist. The two-time CART champion won two gold medals and a silver medal in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London.( SPEED )
