Mario Andretti is one of Jarett’s biggest supporters. He likes the approach John’s son has taken by trying both sports cars in GT4 and sprint cars on dirt.
“He is one of the very few that goes from a dirt track to a sports car in racing like I did and like his dad did,” Mario Andretti said. “He is following in his father’s footsteps. He probably did not get into road racing early enough to take full advantage of it. He’s still young enough. He is determined. He is a very quiet kid. He is one of the really good kids. He is well-educated and smart. And he’s a hell of a racer. He stands on it. The way he took to road racing so quickly is so impressive to me. I’d love to see him get a break and get into a good Indy Lights team for the full season. I think he would be a natural to graduate to IndyCar quicker than you think.
“He doesn’t say anything. He lets his work do the talking for him. A good future for him would be more involved in a good stepping-stone to IndyCar. That is where he belongs.
“I’m all in,” Mario Andretti continued. “I ride with these kids. It’s a matter of pride to us. I live and breathe motor racing and that will never change. To have our own blood out there adds to pride. It’s what I live for.”
Jarett Andretti and co-driver Colin Mullan were leading the GT4 Sprint X standings in the Pirelli GT4 America Series when the season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s very competitive,” Andretti said. “In the Sprint X race at COTA there were 27 cars and in the Sprint race there were 16 cars. There are factory drivers involved with different manufacturers and plenty of paid pros. There is almost no aero in it so you can really race hard with each other. It feels like a big go-kart race. You can race side-by-side and next to each other and run hard. There are so many manufacturers. It’s really a cool series and the racing there is awesome. The car count keeps going up and that is unusual in motorsports.”
At press time, Andretti’s sprint car season had yet to begin.
“The thing about sprint car racing that is so cool is those cars are so hard to drive, it’s so intense, the racing is so good,” Jarett Andretti said. “It teaches you a lot. Whenever I’m driving in the sports car races, I tell them some of the best race car drivers in the world are involved in short tracks around the United States. Sprint cars, late models, track champions — those guys are all really good at their specific place. To race those in between my road races really keeps me sharp. And, it’s fun to do.”
Andretti has also been part of the family support system with his mother and sisters after John’s death.
“Both of my sisters are doing well,” Jarett said. “I put my youngest sister to work. My other sister is in medical school. It’s been non-stop projects for my mom. I really can’t say enough about my mom. She has been a rock for all of us during this time and has been fantastic. She has built a memorial garden for dad out back that is really beautiful and we have that to cherish his life.”
Andretti still has goals of competing in the Indianapolis 500 and driving an NHRA Top Fuel drag racer.
At 27, he believes he still has time to achieve those goals.
“Running the 500 and some Top Fuel drag cars are two bucket-list items for me and we want to make them happen at some point,” Andretti said. “I didn’t start racing until I was 17. Marco (Andretti) was at the Indy 500 when he was 19. I put timeframes away. I think you are at your peak in your mid-30s. I’m 27 right now. When I show up, I want to do a good job. If I get there by my mid-30s, I’d be pretty happy.
“I don’t have a timeframe. I take it day by day and year by year. Who knows, maybe it will be next year.”