Indianapolis, IN—Race car driver John Andretti died Thursday, Jan. 30 after a long, courageous battle with colon cancer. He was 56.
Andretti, a member of the famed Andretti racing family, drove and won at the highest levels of North American motorsports in Indy cars, stock cars and sports cars. He also competed in top-level drag racing and short-track open-wheel racing. His career included 12 starts in the Indianapolis 500 and 11 starts in the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
But his tireless, selfless work on behalf of various charities, even after his cancer diagnosis became public in April 2017, earned him even more respect and loyalty from a legion of worldwide admirers than his significant talent behind the wheel. Andretti co-founded the “Race for Riley,” an annual go-kart race in Central Indiana that has raised nearly $4 million for the Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis since its inception in 1997.
In a statement from Penske Entertainment Corp. President & CEO Mark Miles, on behalf of INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, about veteran driver John Andretti:
John Andretti’s skills behind the wheel of any kind of race car were admired by his millions of fans around the world, and he always returned that loyalty and kindness to become one of the most popular drivers of his generation. But John’s true mission was helping others, whether through his countless hours of charity work, especially with Riley Children’s Hospital here in Indianapolis, or by the colon screening campaign he started in April 2017 after he was diagnosed with cancer. John’s positive attitude and selflessness throughout his brave fight inspired all of us and will be a legacy that will continue forever. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Nancy, their three children and the entire Andretti family.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway paid tribute to Andretti with their pylon. Fans are encouraged to continue Andretti’s legacy through regular colon screenings and by sharing the #CheckIt4Andretti hashtag on social media.
