Posted on 01/31/2020 4:17:01 PM PST by mabarker1
John Andretti, a longtime competitor in NASCAR, IndyCar and sports-car racing, died Thursday. He was 56.
The Andretti Autosport team confirmed his passing after a long battle with colon cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2017.
“We will forever carry with us John’s genuine spirit of helping others first and himself second,” a statement from the Andretti team read in part.
“John Andretti embodied the spirit of a champion and inspired an entire fan base through his courageous battle with cancer,” NASCAR President Steve Phelps said in a statement. “He was a fierce competitor throughout his life, and we are saddened by his passing. The entire NASCAR family extends its deepest condolences and prayers to John’s family.”
Andretti won twice in 393 starts in NASCAR’s top division from 1993-2010, both victories coming with NASCAR Hall of Famers as his team owners. He prevailed in July 1997 at Daytona International Speedway for Cale Yarborough Motorsports, then won again two years later in car owner Richard Petty’s No. 43 at Martinsville Speedway.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.nascar.com ...
I was not aware that John and His Family lived here also.
John may You Rest in Peace. You are with God now and no longer hurting from that damned cancer crap. Prayers for Your Wife and Family. God please comfort and heal Johns Family in their times of grief.
AMEN
PING...
I’ve got to be away from the computer for a while so I won’t be Replying immediately but I will be back.
He seemed like a genuinely good guy from a wonderful family. May God comfort them in their grief.
I’ve always heard Lake Norman was a favorite spot for NASCAR drivers to reside. I think of that every time I drive by on I-77.
Condolences to his family and others close to him. Didn’t know or follow him, but it is sad when someone who is only 56 dies, and especially so from a painful disease.
RIP, may God bless
Sad, died yesterday. A very well liked person and a decent racer.
I’ve known about the Lake Norman thing for a good number of years - never once had the urge to go snooping around, they’re just people like everybody else.
I heard about it yesterday. Just a few days I was wondering how his battle was going.
RIP, Mr. Andretti.
I read about people getting colon cancer and I wonder why men just want go in and have the test.
Two years ago I had the Cologuard test in lieu of having another colonoscopy.
I recently had doubts about the test and consulted my GI doctor who told the false positive ratio was about 4%.
I made the decision to have another Colonoscopy and it was this past Monday. I don’t let them give me anything so I watched the procedure and had a running conversation with my doctor. End result a clean bill of health and no problems.
My advice is go get the procedure and don’t put it off. This guy could have been fine if he had done it.
So true. I just lost my Dad on 1-26-20 to colon cancer. While he was 88 years old, it’s likely that had he had a colonoscopy from age 50 onward, any polyps discovered could have been removed before they became cancerous. RIP Poppy, I miss you.
So true. I just lost my Dad on 1-26-20 to colon cancer. While he was 88 years old, it’s likely that had he had a colonoscopy from age 50 onward, any polyps discovered could have been removed before they became cancerous. RIP Poppy, I miss you.
I met him right after my first marriage to someone who was close to a family whose patriarch was a partner in one of Andretti’s businesses in California. Interesting guy.
My nephew plus a friend of over 50 years are both currently battling Colon cancer
Very sad.
Not just men.
A woman just died here the other day. She was 27 and diagnosed at 25.
Not matter your age if you are having issues or symptoms get it checked out and don’t let idiot doctors tell you are too young or just dismiss you.
I also had stage 1 cancer and I was supposed to go every 6 months for 5 years to check but wasn’t able to even go to my first appointment. I always call it my first cancer because I know the family history and the type I had makes another more likely. I actually suspect I already have at least one more now but with my other issues I really don’t care if I do.
Sympathies on the loss of your dad. No doubt you were one of his joys in this life.
In the traditional portrait taken of the front row qualifiers for the 1969 Indy 500, the driver listed as Mario Andretti is actually John’s father, Aldo, who also is Mario’s twin.
Mario’s face had been burned in a practice crash fire and he didn’t want the stigma of having crashed and burned in practice following him through the rest of his career. So he had his identical twin be his stand-in.
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