Andretti's hope, Petty's faith write Sunday story at Indy

By Gary Graves, USA TODAY

John Andretti's world and racing career would've continued on even without the qualifying lap he waited for all month Sunday, the one that sealed his 10th Indianapolis 500 start and added excitement to Bump Day.

More important for the NASCAR Sprint Cup regular, he doesn't have to wonder how he would've handled the awkward prospect of explaining failure to his bosses, specifically seven-time Cup champion Richard Petty. As it turned out, e-mails from "The King" and his primary sponsor reiterating support for Andretti ended up taking heat off the driver as his team feverishly worked to find speed in the final 25 minutes of qualifying.

"They told me how much they knew this meant to me and not to let them pressure me," said Andretti, whose No. 43 Dallara/Honda went on to blast a four-lap average of 221.316 mph to claim the middle of Row 9 (28th).

"They really understood what was happening, and I couldn't have asked for a better situation. Though it did relieve some pressure, if it didn't happen it would've been devastating for me because of my pride."

Instead, Andretti will continue his pursuit of one dream while Petty's iconic career adds another chapter.

Petty was two years into retirement as a driver by the time NASCAR graced Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994 for its inaugural 400-mile race and has spent the years since attending the Cup event as a car owner.

That role will continue in Sunday's 93rd running, this time with Richard Petty Motorsports co-owning Andretti's Indy car in a partnership with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Andretti, nephew of 1969 Indy 500 champion Mario Andretti, joins teammates Davey Hamilton (22nd), British rookie Mike Conway (24th) and Venezuelan Milka Duno (31st) in the 33-car grid.

"We're going up to Indy to watch John race and take in all that up there," said Petty, 71, who will watch most of the race before flying to Concord, N.C., to watch his four-car NASCAR operation compete in the 50th Coca-Cola 600 that evening.

"He did an amazing job on Sunday. They cut it awfully close but had to overcome a lot. If he runs well, nobody will remember where he started. ...

"I don't know much about what goes on with those cars in Indy, but I am a fan and enjoy it."

During pole qualifying May 9, Petty described his fascination with the race starting with trips to Indy through then-sponsor STP but said it was not enough for the lanky legend to consider driving the cramped, low-slung vehicles. He attended his first Indy as a spectator last year, never thinking he'd return this spring as a car owner.

Andretti, who finished 16th last year at Indy while driving for Roth Racing, had been talking with North Carolina-based Window World about a sponsorship deal that finally led to this season's support of his No. 34 Chevrolet Impala Cup ride with Front Row Motorsports.

Andretti's associations with the window maker and Petty (for whom he won a Cup race at Martinsville Speedway in 1999) led to talks culminating in last month's announcement of an Indy ride.

"A couple of months ago he called and said, 'Hey, I finally got this together, how would you like to be involved?' " Petty said. "And I said, 'Show me what you got.' "

He was referring to business but ended up getting an on-track answer from Andretti, who arrived at Indy with goals of gaining one of the top 11 spots May 9.

He settled for qualifying the next day, grabbing 22nd before crashing in Turn 1 during practice and being bumped by Scott Sharp.

Andretti returned Saturday to qualify 31st but spent Sunday in and then out of the 33-car grid with good laps from Tomas Scheckter and Ryan Hunter-Reay. With a half-hour left in Bump Day, Andretti needed a miracle as his Honda lagged behind in practice and qualifying. Help came from all angles.

Co-owner Larry Curry showed Andretti a text from two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart suggesting a wider approach through Turn 1 to gain speed into the straightaway, while the team tinkered with the front and rear wings to adjust downforce.

The ensuing practice run yielded nothing, sending Andretti back in for more adjustments before a final qualifying attempt that ended up being one of the month's best recoveries.

Needing to run at least 220.4 mph to have a chance, he blasted through Turn 1 en route to a first lap of 221.571 mph and fell off little over the next three circuits to cap one of the most stressful days he can remember.

"They never gave up. That was pretty dramatic," Petty said.

Andretti and his team face more work during Friday's final one-hour Carburetion Day practice, but he has come to expect such challenges from Indy — none of which compare to answering to The King.

"Anytime you work harder for something, you appreciate it more," Andretti said Monday. "We're in the race now, and that becomes our focus, and the way it happened is the way Indy is.

"I don't want to do it again, though."

Andretti at Indy
This will be John Andretti's 10th running in the Indianapolis 500. A look at his record at Indy in May:

Indianapolis 500 career summary

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