Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Vip Experience for Two

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Vip Experience for Two ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH VIP EXPERIENCE FOR TWO The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach is offering a “priceless” VIP Experience for Two to the 2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach next April 18. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is America’s #1 Street Race, which will run for the 46th time in 2021. Its past winners read like a “who’s who” of Indy Car racing: Al Unser Jr. (6 wins), Mario Andretti (4), Paul Tracy (4), Sebastien Bourdais (3), Michael Andretti (2), Will Power (2), Scott Dixon, Alex Zanardi, Jimmy Vasser, Danny Sullivan and many more. The Acura Grand Prix takes place on the world-famous 11-turn, 1.97-mile track that winds through the downtown streets of Long Beach, Calif. It’s the second-largest event on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES calendar. We can’t wait to host you for another history-making event next April! As the auction winner, your Acura Grand Prix VIP Experience for Two will include these amazing amenities: SUNDAY ADMISSION FOR TWO IN THE GRAND PRIX ASSOCIATION VIP SUITE You’ll be able to watch the races in an elevated, canopied suite overlooking the exciting Turns 9, 10 and 11 of the racetrack (pictured above)! The Grand Prix Association VIP Suite includes a catered continental breakfast and upscale buffet lunch, flat-screen televisions with live race feed, luxury portable restrooms and complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks. TWO ACURA GRAND PRIX OVERPASSES Your two overpasses include admission into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock (pictured below) and Pit Lane access at posted times. In the paddock, you’ll be able to see the 200-mph Indy cars close-up as the teams tune them up for practice, qualifying and the race. In the pits, you’ll see some of the frenetic action while standing just a few feet behind the teams as they work! TWO SUNDAY PACE CAR RIDES Here’s your chance to take a ride around the world-famous Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach racetrack in an official Acura NSX pace car (pictured below)! A professional driver will whisk both of you around the course at speed. It’s one of the most coveted experiences at the seaside circuit! AN INVITATION FOR TWO TO THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES PRE-RACE GRID Walk the NTT INDYCAR SERIES grid before the race starts! You’ll be down in Pit Lane and on the racetrack right before the big race starts (pictured below), getting a close-up look at the teams and cars minutes before the action begins. .
Recommended publications
  • April 7-9, 2017 Gplb.Com 1
    APRIL 7-9, 2017 GPLB.COM 1 2 TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH Dear Members of the Media: Welcome to the Roar by the Shore…the 43rd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. We've designed this media guide to assist you throughout the weekend, whether it be to reference historical data, information on this year's event or information and statistics on our six weekend races. It also includes a section on transportation, hotels and restaurants to make your stay in Long Beach more efficient and enjoyable. Our three-day weekend is packed with activities on and off the track. In addition to the racing, two concerts will take place: on Friday night at 6:45 p.m., the Tecate Light Fiesta Friday concert will feature popular Mexican rock band "Moderatto," while on Saturday night, "SMG Presents Kings of Chaos Starring Billy Idol, Billy Gibbons and Chester Bennington" will entertain the Grand Prix crowd at the Rock-N-Roar Concert. The Lifestyle Expo, located in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, will see more than 180,000 Grand Prix fans walk through multiple times. Our annual media luncheon takes place on Thursday, April 6, and will feature drivers from many of the racing series that will be here over the weekend. Media interested in attending should contact us. If you have any questions or particular needs surrounding the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, please do not hesitate to contact our Public Relations Department at (562) 490-4513 or [email protected]. Our website, gplb.com, can be accessed at any time to find the latest news and information about the Grand Prix, plus the website's Media Center area has downloadable, hi-resolution photos for editorial use.
    [Show full text]
  • Palmares 2015
    Palmares 2015 Work inspired by Fortunato Depero, Futurism. Illustration by Fabrizio Spadini. 71 BREMBO ANNUAL REPORT 2015 BREMBO Brake systems CARS “Open wheels” Championships f1 Drivers Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes Manufacturers Mercedes Gp2 Drivers Stoffel Vandoorne - ART Manufacturers ART Gp3 Drivers Esteban Ocon - ART Manufacturers ART World series by Renault Drivers Oliver Rowland - Fortec Manufacturers Fortec f3 Euroseries Drivers Felix Rosenqvist - Prema Manufacturers Prema verizon indycar series Drivers Scott Dixon - Target Chip Ganassi Racing Team Target Chip Ganassi Racing 500 miglia indianapolis Juan Pablo Montoya - Team Penske super formula Japan Drivers Hiroaki Ishiura - Tom’s Manufacturers Tom’s f3 championship Japan Drivers Nick Cassidy - Tom’s Manufacturers Tom’s 72 PALMARES 2015 BREMBO “Closed wheels” Championships CARS fiA World Endurance championship LMP1 Drivers: Hartley, Webber, Bernhard - Porsche Team: Porsche GTE PRO Drivers: Lietz - Porsche Manthey Team: Porsche Manthey GTE AM Drivers: Basov, Bertolini, Shaytar - Ferrari Italia SMP Racing Team: Ferrari Italia SMP Racing 24 Hours of le Mans LMP1 Bamber, Tandy, Hulkenberg - Porsche LMP2 Howson, Bradley, Lapierre - Oreca GTE AM Basov, Bertolini, Shaytar - Ferrari tudor United sportscar championship Prototype Team: João Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi - #5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP PC Team: Jon Bennett, Colin Braun - #54 CORE Autosport Oreca FLM09 GTLM Team: Patrick Pilet, Bill Auberlen - #25 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE GTD Team: Townsend Bell, Bill Sweedler - #63 Scuderia
    [Show full text]
  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES ACURA GRAND PRIX of LONG BEACH Streets of Long Beach, California Sunday, April 14, 2019
    NTT INDYCAR SERIES ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH Streets of Long Beach, California Sunday, April 14, 2019 CAR DRIVER HOMETOWN CAR NAME ENGINE TEAM 1 2 Josef Newgarden Nashville, Tennessee Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet Team Penske 2 4 Matheus Leist Novo Hamburgo, Brazil ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet A.J. Foyt Enterprises 3 5 James Hinchcliffe Toronto, Canada Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 4 7 Marcus Ericsson (R) Kumla, Sweden Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 5 9 Scott Dixon Auckland, New Zealand PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Chip Ganassi Racing 6 10 Felix Rosenqvist (R) Värnamo, Sweden NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Chip Ganassi Racing 7 12 Will Power Toowoomba, Australia Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet Team Penske 8 14 Tony Kanaan Salvador, Brazil ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet A.J. Foyt Enterprises 9 15 Graham Rahal New Albany, Ohio Total Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing 10 18 Sebastien Bourdais Le Mans, France SealMaster Honda Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan 11 19 Santino Ferrucci (R) Woodbury, Connecticut David Yurman Honda Dale Coyne Racing 12 20 Ed Jones Dubai, United Arab Emirates Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet Ed Carpenter Racing 13 21 Spencer Pigot Orlando, Florida Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet Ed Carpenter Racing 14 22 Simon Pagenaud Montmorillon, France DXC Technology Team Penske Chevrolet Team Penske 15 26 Zach Veach Stockdale, Ohio Gainbridge Honda Andretti Autosport 16 27 Alexander Rossi Nevada
    [Show full text]
  • Spotter Guide
    Supporting YOUR Mortorsports Family Supporting YOUR Mortorsports Family SupportingTo YOUR learn Motorsportsmore, get involved, Family ToTo learn learn more,more,or donate get get involved scan involved, QR or code or visit ordonate, donate scan www.indyfamilyfoundation.orgscan QR codeQR orcode visit: or visit www.indyfamilyfoundation.org www.indyfamilyfoundation.org@indyfamilyfnd @indyfamilyfnd @indyfamilyfnd 2012 IZOD INDYCAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS (Top 5 after 4 of 16 events) 1. WILL POWER Team Penske 180 2. HELIO CASTRONEVES Team Penske 135 3. JAMES HINCHCLIFFE Andretti Autosport 123 4. RYAN HUNTER-REAY Andretti Autosport 121 5. SIMON PAGENAUD Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports 118 WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEKEND: PENSKE SEEKS HISTORY: Team owner Roger Penske has won the Indianapolis 500 a record 15 times and brings three strong entries in 2012 with IZOD IndyCar Series championship leader Will Power, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and 2012 Indianapolis 500 polesitter Ryan Briscoe (right). Can the three drivers become the first team to lock out the podium and complete the Captain’s sweep? DIXON EYES SECOND WIN: Another former Indianapolis 500 winner has a shot at adding a second Baby Borg to his collection. 2008 winner Scott Dixon returns with the formidable Target Chip Ganassi Racing team. Dixon led the most laps in the 2011 race, but didn’t lead the lap that matters the most. Can the Kiwi score his second Indianapolis win? HINCH AND HUNTER-REAY ON HOT STREAKS: Andretti Autosport drivers and front-row starters James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay enter Indianapolis as two of the series’ strongest challengers to Team Penske’s dominance of the series.
    [Show full text]
  • 1911: All 40 Starters
    INDIANAPOLIS 500 – ROOKIES BY YEAR 1911: All 40 starters 1912: (8) Bert Dingley, Joe Horan, Johnny Jenkins, Billy Liesaw, Joe Matson, Len Ormsby, Eddie Rickenbacker, Len Zengel 1913: (10) George Clark, Robert Evans, Jules Goux, Albert Guyot, Willie Haupt, Don Herr, Joe Nikrent, Theodore Pilette, Vincenzo Trucco, Paul Zuccarelli 1914: (15) George Boillot, S.F. Brock, Billy Carlson, Billy Chandler, Jean Chassagne, Josef Christiaens, Earl Cooper, Arthur Duray, Ernst Friedrich, Ray Gilhooly, Charles Keene, Art Klein, George Mason, Barney Oldfield, Rene Thomas 1915: (13) Tom Alley, George Babcock, Louis Chevrolet, Joe Cooper, C.C. Cox, John DePalma, George Hill, Johnny Mais, Eddie O’Donnell, Tom Orr, Jean Porporato, Dario Resta, Noel Van Raalte 1916: (8) Wilbur D’Alene, Jules DeVigne, Aldo Franchi, Ora Haibe, Pete Henderson, Art Johnson, Dave Lewis, Tom Rooney 1919: (19) Paul Bablot, Andre Boillot, Joe Boyer, W.W. Brown, Gaston Chevrolet, Cliff Durant, Denny Hickey, Kurt Hitke, Ray Howard, Charles Kirkpatrick, Louis LeCocq, J.J. McCoy, Tommy Milton, Roscoe Sarles, Elmer Shannon, Arthur Thurman, Omar Toft, Ira Vail, Louis Wagner 1920: (4) John Boling, Bennett Hill, Jimmy Murphy, Joe Thomas 1921: (6) Riley Brett, Jules Ellingboe, Louis Fontaine, Percy Ford, Eddie Miller, C.W. Van Ranst 1922: (11) E.G. “Cannonball” Baker, L.L. Corum, Jack Curtner, Peter DePaolo, Leon Duray, Frank Elliott, I.P Fetterman, Harry Hartz, Douglas Hawkes, Glenn Howard, Jerry Wonderlich 1923: (10) Martin de Alzaga, Prince de Cystria, Pierre de Viscaya, Harlan Fengler, Christian Lautenschlager, Wade Morton, Raoul Riganti, Max Sailer, Christian Werner, Count Louis Zborowski 1924: (7) Ernie Ansterburg, Fred Comer, Fred Harder, Bill Hunt, Bob McDonogh, Alfred E.
    [Show full text]
  • CB IWSC 20-19 Sporting Regulations Update 091720 V1
    IMSA COMPETITION BULLETIN IWSC #20-19 To: All IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Participants One Daytona Blvd. From: IMSA Competition Daytona Beach, FL 32114 P: +1 (386) 310-6500 Date: September 17 Re: IMSA WeatherTech Championship Sporting Regulations Updates The following corrections, additions (where shown in red) or deletions are made to the 2020 IMSA Sporting Regulations & Series Supplementary Regulations for the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and are effective immediately. 1.60. Supervisory Official means the officers, employees or agents of IMSA as designated by IMSA. The IMSA Supervisory Officials include: Ed Bennett, John Doonan, Simon Hodgson, Paul Walter, Mark Raffauf, Geoffrey Carter, Ed Hall, Matthew Kurdock, Jeff Smallwood, Jeff Mishtawy, Eric Haverson, Rob Elson and Beaux Barfield. 7.1. Notice - Any Member charged with any violation of the law relating to alcoholic beverages or illegal substances, or charged with any felony, shall notify the IMSA Managing Director, Racing Operations Vice President of Competition prior to the next scheduled Event or within seventy-two (72) hours of being charged, whichever is earlier. 8.2. (SSR) 2020 Calendar of WeatherTech Championship Races: Daytona International Speedway, FL** (DPi/LMP2***/GTLM/GTD) Grand Prix of Long Beach, CA* (DPi/GTLM/GTD) (GTD Sprint Cup only) Detroit Belle Isle, MI* (DPi/GTD) (GTD Sprint Cup only) Watkins Glen International, NY** (DPi/LMP2/GTLM/GTD) Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, ON (CAN)* (DPi/GTLM/GTD) Daytona International Speedway, FL* (DPi/GTLM/GTD) Lime
    [Show full text]
  • PARTNERSHIP OVERVIEW Summary Panther Racing Is a Championship-Winning Motorsports Team in the IZOD Indycar Series
    2010 PARTNERSHIP OVERVIEW Summary Panther Racing is a championship-winning motorsports team in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Formed late in 1997, the team earned its first victory at Phoenix International Raceway The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier open-wheel series in the United States, competing with Scott Goodyear in 1999 and won back-to-back IndyCar Series Championships with on a challenging combination of superspeedways, short ovals, scenic Sam Hornish Jr. in 2001 and 2002. Panther has also participated in the Firestone Indy road courses and temporary street circuits. In 2010 the IndyCar Series will conduct 13 Lights developmental series, collecting a total of 13 victories and a championship crown races in the U.S., two in Canada and one both in Japan and Brazil, all available worldwide with Mark Taylor in 2003. through comprehensive, long-term agreements with ABC and VERSUS in high-definition. The team has finished runner-up in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race each of the past three The IZOD IndyCar Series continues to the be the fastest and most competitive racing se- editions, 2008, 2009 and 2010. ries, attracting a diverse lineup of drivers including Marco Andretti, Ryan Briscoe, In its history, Panther has collected a total of 28 race victories and three championships Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, during its 12 seasons of competition. Panther is the winningest team in the history of Texas Tony Kanaan, Danica Patrick, Graham Rahal and Dan Whel- Motor Speedway and has won Indy Lights races on both the historic oval and road course of don.
    [Show full text]
  • INDYCAR Grand Prix for the Second Time in His Career on May 13, Will Power of Team Penske Aims to Make History at Indianapolis
    POWER TRIES FOR INDIANAPOLIS SWEEP - After winning the INDYCAR Grand Prix for the second time in his career on May 13, Will Power of Team Penske aims to make history at Indianapolis. Power could become the fi rst Verizon IndyCar Series driver to win on both the IMS Road Course and Oval. Can Power complete a history-making Month of May? Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR PHOTO WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEKEND: WILL HELIO WIN FOURTH INDY 500?: Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves can join elite company should he win the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Castroneves, who won in 2001, 2002 and 2009, would join A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears as the race’s only four-time winners. FORMER CHAMPIONS RETURN IN SEARCH OF SECOND WIN: Five former Indianapolis 500 winners return with eyes on adding a second Baby Borg to their collection. 2008 winner Scott Dixon and 2013 winner Tony Kanaan return with the formidable Chip Ganassi Racing team. Ryan Hunter-Reay and reigning champion Alexander Rossi will aim to bring Andretti Autosport another win in the Indy 500 and Buddy Lazier returns with Lazier-Burns Racing 20 years after claiming his Indy 500 win. Can a former winner score a second Indianapolis win? FROM THE POLE TO VICTORY LANE: The winner of the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 has also won the race 20 times. Forty-three times, the winner has come from the front row, the last time in 2010 with Dario Franchitti. Who can establish themselves as a race contender by winning the pole position or qualifying on the front row this year? PENSKE SEEKS HISTORY: Team owner Roger Penske has won the Indianapolis 500 a record 16 times and brings five strong entries in 2017 with three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya, series points leader Simon Pagenaud, former Verizon IndyCar Series champion Will Power and rising star Josef Newgarden.
    [Show full text]
  • Spotter Guide
    FAST FACT The highest recorded temperature in the U.S. was 134° F (56.7° C) in Death Valley, Calif., on July 10, 1913. The highest recorded track temperature during an Indy car race was 137° F (58.3° C) on July 7, 2013 at Pocono Raceway. Graham Rahal raises his fist in celebration after taking the checkered flag at his home track of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, putting him within nine points of championship frontrunner Juan Pablo Montoya. John Cote/IMS Photo WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEKEND: MONTOYA LOOKS TO TIGHTEN GRASP ON LEAD: With wins at St. Petersburg and the Indianapolis 500, Juan Pablo Montoya remains atop the Verizon IndyCar Series point standings. The Colombian, who has won four of his previous 10 500-mile races, leads Graham Rahal by nine points and Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves and Will Power are within striking distance. Can Montoya repeat at Pocono and strengthen his hold on the series championship lead? ANDRETTI SEEKS BREAKTHROUGH WIN AT HOME TRACK: Marco Andretti will compete in a virtual hometown race at Pocono. Andretti can lean on family ties for some advice as Pocono is one of two tracks where all three generations of racing’s most famous family have had success. Andretti’s grandfather, open- wheel great Mario Andretti, won the 1986 race, while his father Michael won pole for the race in 1986. Marco claimed the pole for the race in 2013. KARAM RACES AT HOME: Like the Andretti family, Sage Karam hails from nearby Nazareth, Pa., and will be racing in front of friends and family.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 INDIANAPOLIS 500 2016 STATE FAIR Ofindianapolis, TEXAS Indiana Dallas, Texas
    PREVIEW Titles VERSION ENIGMA INDEPENDENT EVENT AUDITS ENIGMA INDEPENDENTUnbiased Intelligence EVENT for SeniorAUDITS Marketers Unbiased Intelligence for Senior Marketers 2017 INDIANAPOLIS 500 2016 STATE FAIR OFIndianapolis, TEXAS Indiana Dallas, Texas May 28, 2017 September 30-October 23, 2016 P2 Highlights P3 Event Experience P4 Sponsor Recall and Appreciation P5 Activation Evaluations PageP8 2:Beverage ActivationHighlights Evaluations P9 Beverage Consumption PageP10 3-Product4: andEvent Brand ExperiencePreferences CONFIDENTIAL PageP16 5-Demographics8: Sponsors and Activations For paid subscribers only. P17 Tourism and Economic Impact Unauthorized duplication or sharing strictly prohibited. PageP19 9-Comments12: Auto and Methodologyand Truck Show Exhibits Page 13: Beverage Consumption Page 14-19: Product and Brand Preferences CONFIDENTIAL Page 20: Demographics For paid subscribers only. Page 21-22: Tourism and Economic Impact Unauthorized duplication or sharing strictly prohibited. Page 23-24 Comments and Methodology PREVIEW Highlights VERSION Favorite drivers Most recalled sponsors 1 Helio Castroneves (3) 1 Verizon Wireless 2 Tony Kanaan (10) 2 Penngrade 3 Fernando Alonso (29) 3 Fuzzy’s Vodka Most visited brand activations Top beverages purchased on-site 1 Chevrolet 1 Beer 2 Firestone 2 Soda 3 Honda 3 Bottled water Most appreciated brand activations Top preferred brands of attendees 1 Nerf Nitro Kids Zone Wireless services: Verizon 2 Disney Vehicle: Chevrolet 3 Crown Royal Liquor: Fuzzy’s Vodka Least visited brand activations Tourism
    [Show full text]
  • By the Numbers the 40Th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
    BY THE NUMBERS THE 40TH TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH SOME NUMBERS OF NOTE ENTERING THE 2014 TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH: DAN GURNEY’S NO. 48 JORGENSEN EAGLE FORMULA 5000 CAR WAS THE FIRST RACE CAR TO TAKE TO THE CITY STREETS ON SEPT. 16, 1975, DRIVEN BY VERN 1SCHUPPAN. MOST POLES EARNED BY MARIO ANDRETTI (1984, ’85 AND ’87), MICHAEL ANDRETTI (1991, ’92 AND ’95), GIL DE FERRAN (1996, ’97 AND 2000) AND MOST RECENTLY (AND CONSECUTIVELY) BY WILL POWER OF TEAM PENSKE (2009, 2010 AND 2011). POWER WON THE 2012 RACE AND THE 2008 RACE (THE LAST CHAMP CAR-SANCTIONED EVENT). AL UNSER JR. WAS DOMINANT AT LONG BEACH, WINNING SIX TIMES: 1988, ’89, ’90, ’91, ‘94 AND ’95. HE ALSO WAS RUNNER- UP IN 1986 AND ’87 AND FINISHED THIRD IN 1996 IN THE RACE WON BY KV RACING TECHNOLOGY CO-OWNER JIMMY VASSER. NEWMAN/HAAS RACING HAS THE MOST VICTORIES BY A TEAM WITH SIX (1984, ’85, ’87, 2005-07). SINCE THE FIRST INDY CAR RACE AT LONG BEACH IN 1984, EIGHT DRIVERS HAVE WON THE RACE AND GONE ON TO WIN THE SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP. DARIO FRANCHITTI (2009) IS THE MOST RECENT. OTHERS ARE MARIO ANDRETTI, AL UNSER JR., JIMMY VASSER, ALEX ZANARDI, JUAN MONTOYA, PAUL TRACY AND SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS. THE RACE CIRCUIT HAS BEEN ALTERED NINE TIMES SINCE THE FIRST RACE IN 1975 (2.028 MILES, NINE FEATURING THE “LINDEN LEAP” WHEN CARS WOULD BARREL DOWN OCEAN BOULEVARD AND MAKE A HARD RIGHT ONTO LINDEN – OCCASIONALLY BECOMING AIRBORNE). THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION (SINCE 2000) IS 1.968 MILES AND 11 TURNS (SIX LEFT AND FIVE RIGHT IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION).
    [Show full text]
  • Happy 75Th Birthday to Legendary Driver Mario Andretti! BRUCE MARTIN / FOX SPORTS FOXSPORTS.COM
    Happy 75th birthday to legendary driver Mario Andretti! BRUCE MARTIN / FOX SPORTS FOXSPORTS.COM FEB 28, 2015 4:53p ET Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images Mario Andretti has dominated in nearly every form of racing, making him one of the most iconic drivers of all time. As Mario Andretti celebrates his 75th birthday on Feb. 28, one of the most magical names in international racing history chooses not to pause and reflect on his extraordinary accomplishments or his remarkable life. He doesn't think back to the long days when he grew up in a displaced persons camp in what is now Croatia from the darkest days Europe ever experienced during World War II. That is when Andretti's native Italy was under siege as a member of the Axis powers during the war. During the Istrian exodus of 1948, Andretti's family was confined to an internment camp in Lucca, Italy, along with other families trying to flee communism in post-World War II Europe. But there is one day that Andretti will remember on this milestone birthday, and it came on June 16, 1955. The ocean liner carrying Luigi and Rina Andretti's family cruised into New York Harbor, and the 15-year-old Mario saw the Statue of Liberty gleaming like a beacon of hope at dawn of a glorious summer day. "That was one memorable morning," Andretti told FOXSports.com from his home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. "It was June 16, 1955, at 5 a.m. We were sailing past the Statue of Liberty on a beautiful, radiant morning, and we were celebrating my sister Ana Maria's 21st birthday.
    [Show full text]