It’s a matter of when more than if Andretti Global will pursue entry into the Cup Series.
JF Thormann, who serves as president of all things racing for the organization, released a video on Thursday detailing where things stand with both the pursuit of a two-car Formula 1 team but also its longstanding flirtation with NASCAR.
Andretti Global currently competes in the IndyCar Series, Formula E and the Australian Supercars Series.
“We’re the only ones that compete in the amount of series that we do,” Thormann said. “And then the ambition that [Michael Andretti] 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.”
Andretti is synonymous with North American motorsports with Mario winning the 1969 Indianapolis 500 and the 1978 Formula 1 world championship. Michael Andretti, in addition to the 1992 CART championship and 42 Indy car wins, is one of the most successful racing business in modern times.
Thormann said his job is, in part, furthering that legacy.
“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,” Thormann 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.”
All told, Andretti Global has won 18 championships and six Indianapolis 500s.
It is currently mired in a multiyear attempt to enter the Formula 1 grid, potentially by 2026.
What about NASCAR?
Andretti Global is co-owned by Dan Towriss, of Group 1001 and Gainbridge Financial, who also has equity in the Spire Motorsports NASCAR organization. Group1001 has allowed Spire to invest in a great deal of resources from the Kyle Busch Motorsports building and an additional charter, reportedly purchased for $40 million from Live Fast Motorsports. It’s added high level personnel like executive Doug Duchardt and championship winning crew chief Rodney Childers.
That’s one potential avenue into the category, Andretti taking on a formal partnership with Spire.
Andretti Global has also had numerous discussions with manufacturers over the past decade, evaluating the right time to jump into the discipline independently and it’s always been a matter of right time and place. The Formula 1 entry is the top priority for the organization but NASCAR absolutely makes both business and identity sense for the Andretti name.
Mario Andretti won the Daytona 500 in 1967. His nephew, John, competed in 393 Cup races for two decades with two wins. Marco Andretti, Mario’s grandson, has started to transition into Stock Cars after 15 years racing in IndyCar.
