Written by Dan Jones
Marco Andretti will make his usual appearance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 'Month of May,' as he attempts his 20th Indianapolis 500 in the No.98 Andretti Global entry, and will continue to finally break the long-standing 'Andretti curse.'
Andretti, 37, has not driven full-time in the series since 2020, the year that he took his only Indianapolis 500 pole, with the Nazareth-native appearing in one-off entries ever since. Andretti raced in both the NASCAR Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series throughout the course of 2024.
It's been a disappointing few years for Andretti at Indianapolis, not being able to claim a top ten finish since 2017, and no top five finishes since 2014. Andretti came remarkably close to winning on debut in 2006, as a 19-year-old, when Sam Hornish Jr. made a last-lap overtake on the straightaway - in the first case of a driver making the winning move on the final lap (which has happened three times since in 2011, 2023 and 2024).
Andretti would also claim top three finishes in 2008, 2010 and 2014 - but is still yet to win the 'Greatest Spectacle in Racing,' and finally break the 'Andretti curse.' The curse stemmed from a feud in 1970 when Mario Andretti's team owners Andy Granatelli and Clint Brawner were involved in a feud, with Brawner's wife, Kay, casting a hex on the Andretti surname at Indianapolis.
In 78 attempts since, Mario was unable to add to his 1969 success, Michael Andretti never won the race despite his great success, as well as no luck for Jeff and John Andretti - can Marco finally break that in 2025?
It will be the first Indianapolis for Andretti without the team being under the guise of his father, Michael, who stepped away from his executive role at the team at the conclusion of the 2024 season, with Dan Towriss filling the void left by Andretti in his leadership position.
This meant that Andretti's confirmation at the race was less inevitable as usual, with suggestions that Jamie Chadwick may make an appearance - but her priorities now lay in the European Le Mans Series.
Today's confirmation now means the field is set at 31 drivers, with both Dale Coyne Racing drivers to be announced. Andretti joins Ed Carpenter, Hélio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Jack Harvey and Kyle Larson as the Indy-only entries, with potential further entries to be announced at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Abel Motorsports.
It is one of the more expected announcements in the build-up to the 'Month of May,' but an important one as that - will the 109th Running finally be the one that breaks the Andretti curse?
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