Andretti Transitions to ARCA Menards Series

Marco Andretti is in the middle of a transition. Admitting a few years ago that he would no longer race full time in the NTT Data Indycar Series Andretti has set forth new racing goals for 2024. Mario’s grandson has his racing plate full as he is set to run 20 combined events in the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His season starts on February 17th at Daytona International Speedway for the first round of the Menards ARCA Series. It is noted that his calendar is open for the month of May. It is pretty much a given that he will return for his 19th consecutive Indianapolis 500.

Andretti had immense shoes to fill when he showed up in the Indycar Series in 2006. He lost out to an Indianapolis 500 win as a rookie by mere feet to Sam Hornish Jr. and ended the season with one win. There were flashes of greatness, but his career did not compare to his father Michael or grandpa Mario. Honestly, how many other drivers have outside of Scott Dixon? Marco has 251 career Indycar starts to date along with six poles and 20 podium finishes. Andretti finished his career with 42 top fives, 107 top tens and spent he 1032 laps in the lead. For one reason or another those never transitioned into victory. He has only been able to snag two wins in that time.

If his name was other than Andretti, many would say he carved out a great Indycar career. Many consider Roberto Guerrero a great racing driver, and he was in his time. He finished second in his first Indy 500 in 1984, then followed that up with finishes of third, fourth, and second from 1985 to 1987. He snagged the pole for the Indy 500 in 1992 and he also finished his career with two wins. Funny how social media circles praise Guerrero as a great driver and Andretti as a disappointment. Along with the aforementioned two career wins and his runner up finish in his first Indy 500, Andretti also sat on the pole of the great race in 2020. Andretti also has three third places finishes along with a fourth place finish at Indianapolis.

This transition to the ARCA Menards Series has been in the making for awhile now. Andretti made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 2022 on the Charlotte Road Course where he would finish 36th. He followed that up in 2023 with three starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His best finish was a 19th at Mid-Ohio.

Not only did he race in those NASCAR sanctioned events but he has also spent the last three years racing in Tony Stewart’s SRX Series. Andretti really shined in the short track racing stock car series. The third generation driver won two heat races in the short lived series. There was also one overall win at Slinger Speedway in 2021.  finished fourth in the series overall in 2021. He would take the Championship in the six race series in 2022 and finished second in the points to Ryan Newman in 2023.

One can only wonder how he will do in NASCAR’s feeder series.  The ARCA Menards Series is a great place to start.  His cousin John jumped in with both feet when he made his NASCAR debut in 1993 at North Wilksboro Speedway. He would finish his career with four poles and two wins which included a victory in the 1997 Pepsi 400 at Daytona, Marco has talent. He is more like his grandfather than his father in that he isn’t afraid to try different types of racing. While Andretti is in the middle of a transition and set to run the ARCA Menards Series in 2024 it sure makes one wonder if there is a NASCAR career in his future.