Story By: CAMDEN PROUD / OSWEGO SPEEDWAY – OSWEGO, NY – Jarett Andretti, a former Novelis Supermodified Rookie of the Year Award winner at the Oswego Speedway, will fulfill his father’s dream and compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time next month.
Andretti has signed on with cousin Michael and Andretti Autosport to compete in the Freedom 100 for the Indy Lights Series on Friday, May 24. This event will mark the very first of Andretti’s career at the famed Brickyard.
“To say I’m excited to run the Freedom 100 this year would be an understatement,” Andretti said in a team press release. “Anytime you get a chance to race at Indianapolis it’s pretty special and obviously Andretti Autosport has a great track record there. I’m excited to get started.”
Back in the 2012 season, Andretti joined his grandfather Aldo and great uncle Mario as members of the family to turn laps at the Oswego Speedway. Aldo and Mario had both done so in USAC Sprint Cars back in the 1960’s with Mario winning two feature events.
Andretti got his feet wet in a closed testing session with the Strong Racing No. 99 which Joey Payne had campaigned in the season prior. A successful test lead to backing from Boomerang Bay Mixers and eventually a full-time ride in the Snyder Racing No. 0.
As part of his bid for Supermodified rookie of the year honors, Andretti was able to enter a total of eight events throughout 2012 with a career best Oswego finish of tenth place. He was also able to secure an eleventh place run in the 26th annual Mr. Novelis Supermodified event.
“If I could draw any experience from any car I’ve been in over the years and apply it to Indy, that would probably be running Supermodifieds up at Oswego,” Andretti told the IndyCar Radio Network this past weekend.
When Oswego Speedway ‘checked it for Andretti’ on Classic Weekend in 2017, requiring all competitors to use a #CHECKIT4ANDRETTI decal on their cars in support of Jarett’s father John, who is battling colon cancer, Andretti left the door open for a Supermodified return.
“It is definitely still on my bucket list to come back to Oswego and compete in the International Classic,” Andretti stated. “The Torrese family, competitors, staff and fans are some of the best in the country and we really enjoyed our time there.”
John Andretti has used #CHECKIT4ANDRETTI as a platform throughout his continued battle with colon cancer. #CHECKIT4ANDRETTI encourages anyone and everyone to schedule a colonoscopy, or to go to the doctor and get checked out.
With a plan now in place to participate at Indianapolis, Andretti will join his Dad, uncle Adam, great-uncle Mario, and cousins Jeff, Michael, and Marco as the seventh member of the legendary racing family to compete there.
Andretti is also one of several current and former Oswego competitors to venture out to Indianapolis including Joe Gosek, Doug Didero, Davey Hamilton, Bentley Warren, Gordon Johncock, and more.
Fans can watch the Indy Lights Series Freedom 100 LIVE using NBC Sports Gold. For those outside of the United States, it will be streamed live at IndyLights.com.
Oswego Speedway’s 69th season of racing opens on Saturday, May 25 with Jim Shampine Memorial Twin 50’s for the Novelis Supermodifieds plus the Tony White Memorial 35 for the Pathfinder Bank SBS along with a full program for the 350 Supers.