Watch Mario Andretti recall his “biggest test”

Mario Andretti

The great Mario Andretti celebrated his birthday Thursday (February 28th). He turned 79.

While for the NASCAR Grand National stock car race at Riverside in early 1967 Andretti was next in line to qualify after the fatal accident of Billy Foster – with whom Andretti was close friends and roommates with.

And in an In Depth interview with American sports broadcaster Graham Bensinger, Andretti explores that harrowing experience; describing it as his "biggest test".

An emotional Andretti also explores in the interview his own approach to dealing with motor sport’s ever-present danger and possibility of death in action. "If you’re going to do it you have to be prepared to take that risk," he says. "And you cannot dwell on that side of it…that’s the worst thing you can do.