NASCAR News: Michael Andretti eyes NASCAR entry (Update)

In a video released on Thursday, Andretti Global president JF Thormann announced that the team is planning to expand its operation into the NASCAR Cup Series. This comes as the team still has ambitions to join the Formula One grid.

“We’re the only ones that compete in the amount of series that we do,” Thormann said. “And then the ambition that Mike still has – we still have to close the loop obviously with Formula 1, that’s well-documented – and hopefully NASCAR. Then we’re going to have a race virtually every weekend and it’ll keep our name out there and keep us busy.”

Thormann said the expansion is appropriate given the Andretti name’s history in stock car racing.

“A lot of times when I travel if I have the branding on, the amount of people that will actually ask and say ‘do you work for the Andretti race team, is it Mario, is it Michael?’ You realize the power of the name and how recognized it is,” he added. “It represents that hard work, Mario’s story of coming over with just their shirt on their backs. It’s just pride to wear that.”

The Andretti NASCAR racing history began with Mario Andretti. He has competed in a handful of NASCAR races and won the Daytona 500 in 1967. His nephew, John Andretti, competed in 393 Cup Series races and earned two victories. Marco Andretti, Mario’s grandson, has competed in multiple NASCAR National and Regional Series races since 2022.

“I think the ship has sailed on me doing full-time IndyCar. I think what it takes to be competitive there, you need everybody pulling the same road there, and I think that ship’s sailed,” Marco said in a 2023 interview, per Motorsport.com. “You know, I’ll never say never (to NASCAR). I’m really loving the stock car stuff. So, who know if it’ll keep going?”

Michael Andretti, while still trying to get a team in F1, said he is also interested in expanding into NASCAR but believes his path there is likely partnering with an existing team.

He did the same thing to enter IMSA sports car racing by merging with Wayne Taylor Racing, which Andretti said would eventually move its operations into the Andretti shop under construction in Indiana.

He said entering NASCAR falls behind the F1 project in terms of organizational priorities.

Should Andretti find a team to merge with, the most likely current candidate is Spire Motorsports, which has heavy sponsorship from Gainbridge — a company owned by Andretti Global co-owner Dan Towriss.  Associated Press