Another Dawn
There is the old story of Mario Andretti following his young son down the backstretch at Pocono Raceway. Michael, aged about nine years at the time, was driving a cart with Mario following behind in a van. The realization of the son’s destiny lie on the van speedometer, which read 100 MPH.
From that moment, the father realized that the son possessed the willingness to race just as he did. Fear and consequence were buried beneath the burning desire to win, and no matter how much the father wished it, the kid wasn’t going to slow down.
Cycle forward to Sunday’s IRL event at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California and one gets the sense that the son went through his own moment of realization, the one where he realizes that his child possesses the same speed and desire that has become synonymous with the family name. Forget the shenanigans that surrounded the win itself; that’s what having four cars in the race buys you. No, if not now, then next week or the next, Marco Andretti was going to have his day.
Those too young to have seen the grandfather race might still be in luck. Young Marco seems unencumbered by the trappings that limited his fathers potential. No, this kid is simple, like the grandfather. He’s pure racer with all of the brash attitude and balls to match. He wants to race, he wants to win. Anything else is a wasted day.
It wasn’t surprising that the first triumph came at the Infineon road course. The way Marco thrilled them at Watkins Glen earlier this Summer indicated that this kid is more than a circle jerk. He excels at the twists and turns, overcoming a spec absent of road course grace. He’s aggressive, yet proved on Sunday that he can be patient, saving fuel while holding off rivals, real and imaginary.
Two big questions lie ahead for young Marco. Of the more immediate variety, how will he and his team adapt when IRL superstar Danika Patrick arrives as his teammate next season? Will AGR be able to handle the demands of having TWO budding racing stars in the same camp, or will it crack under the pressure?
Then, the more obvious question, one which carries the weight of the IRL series itself upon it:
Is Marco’s next step Formula 1?
Better heads than me have that last question figured out. It’s too early to say whether Marco is considering it, or even if he’s got what it takes to race in the world’s premiere form of motorsport. But you can bet that starting today, that question will be seriously considered in more important places than here.
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