All eyes on Marco Andretti at Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS — Marco Andretti will lead the Indianapolis 500 field to green Sunday as the first Andretti on the pole for the Indy 500 since grandfather Mario in 1987.

His father never won a pole at Indy, same for his uncle and his cousin. Five racers over three generations have a combined 1-74 record at the 500. They say the Andretti family is cursed at famed Indianapolis, something Marco refuses to believe.

The burden is on him to get the Andretti name back to the winner’s circle and the pressure is palpable.

But Marco Andretti has been relaxed since the speedway opened in early August, and he seems comfortable with himself and the 500. The pressure is good, he insisted, because it means he’s in the game.

He’s still in the shadow of his family, though, as the spotlight has been widened to include Mario and Michael. Mario will drive Michael in the IndyCar two-seater before the race as all three generations will be on track for the first time together at the 500.

“It’s special,” Andretti said at Saturday morning’s driver meeting. With a laugh, he then conceded that “even if I’m on pole, I still start behind these guys. It’s unbelievable.”

Whatever Andretti does Sunday will be in front of empty grandstands, and he has been denied his moment to hear the speedway crowd roar for another Andretti. But the 500 means everything to the Andretti family.

“Am I going to play the victim? Absolutely not,” Marco told the Associated Press. “Outside of the sport, I live the best life with the best wife and family. But the sport has been challenging for me. I mean, I’m not complaining, and no, it’s not hard to be me.”