Marco’s Throwback livery inspired by 1969 win of Mario Andretti - Speedway Digest

Marco Andretti, U.S. Concrete and Andretti Autosport unveiled the No. 98 U.S. Concrete / Curb machine that the third-generation driver will pilot for the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500 next month. The day-glow red car closely resembles the 1969 race-winning livery of Mario Andretti, celebrating the 50th anniversary of his memorable Indianapolis 500 victory.

“I’m really happy we were able to pull this off, it’s a really cool way to honor Mario’s 50th anniversary,” said Marco Andretti, driver of the No. 98 U.S. Concrete / Curb Honda. “The color will be hard to miss on track and the car looks great. We’re all very thankful that U.S. Concrete was on board to run the livery and make this year’s car as special as possible. We can’t wait to have a shot at bringing this car to victory lane on May 26.”

The retro paint scheme highlights Dallas-based concrete company, U.S. Concrete as primary sponsor and features the black number block to identify the car number, along with the historical logo of Firestone Tires. In addition, the initials “FB” have been placed near the front suspension just as they were on the original 1969 livery, representing Frank Boeninghaus who provided the engine for Andretti’s 53rd Running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race win.

“Marco Andretti is not only a great ambassador for IndyCar racing but for our safety and hiring initiatives as well. His excitement to honor his grandfather continues to show how dedicated he is to honoring his family’s legacy,” said U.S. Concrete Chairman and CEO, Bill Sandbrook. “We knew that partnering with the Andretti Autosport team was the best vehicle for us to successfully deliver our sponsorship objectives and this tribute is a shining example of what the entire Andretti family means to auto racing.”

“I was full of pride when I learned that my son Michael was paying tribute to me this way,” said racing legend Mario Andretti. “The effort his team is going through to present this commemorative car is flattering. Thank you to the team for that effort and also for acknowledging my part in Indy 500 history. I am honored to have Marco carry the design from my 1969 car. I hope this winning paint scheme will be a good omen for him and that he’ll get his first 500 victory. When I see the car, it will definitely be an opportunity for reflection. It’s humbling. It is a tremendous compliment to me that this team would look back at my victory and find it worthy of recognition.”

The No. 98 throwback race car will first see the 2.5-mile oval of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Tuesday for the NTT IndyCar Series Open Test. Practice for the 200-lap race begins Tuesday, May 14, with a seven-hour practice session each day until two-day qualifying begins Saturday, May 18. The field of 33 will be set on Sunday, May 19, and the green flag will wave for the 103rd Running on Sunday, May 26.

Tickets can be purchased for the Indianapolis 500 by visiting tickets.ims.com. Each practice session will be available to stream with the INDYCAR Pass on NBC Sports Gold. Saturday qualifying will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network with Sunday qualifying and race day coverage on NBC.

Author
Recent Posts

Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.