He started 49 consecutive IndyCar races from 1990-92 before moving to NASCAR, where he made 29 or more starts every year from 1994-2003. He was the first driver to attempt the Memorial Day double. And when his driving career was winding down, Andretti still found a way to give something back to the fans and the sport. Now, the 54-year-old former racer is fighting for his life against stage four colon cancer that has spread to his liver.
‘It’s tough because me and John are close, former IndyCar driver and current team owner Michael Andretti said Thursday in Indianapolis. ‘It was devastating for the whole family when they got the news and on top of that it’s very frustrating because it could have been prevented. If he’d gone a year ago, we wouldn’t be here. The first indication of his condition came Monday. By Thursday, team officials had scheduled a news conference with Michael and Jarett Andretti, John’s 24-year-old son, to confirm a diagnosis. Their message was simple: Don’t wait to get a colonoscopy. They’ve even started a campaign called #CheckIt4Andretti. John Andretti has scheduled a news conference for Monday [May 8] in Charlotte, is expected to take questions from reporters in Indy on May 18 and Michael Andretti is planning an announcement before race day, May 28, to announce what the team will do to honor his cousin.(Associated Press)[More]
