Born February 28, 1940 - Mario Andretti - American racing driver

[Number9Dream]

Mr. Andretti was named Driver of the Century by the Associated Press (1999) and RACER magazine (2000). In 1992, he was voted the U.S. Driver of the Quarter Century by a panel of journalists and former U.S. Drivers of the Year. He was named the U.S. Driver of the Year in 1967, 1978, and 1984, and is the only driver to be Driver of the Year in three decades.

Mr. Andretti has been inducted into a variety of motorsports hall of fames, including the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2000.

Mr. Andretti continues to reside in Nazareth, PA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Andretti

[Clouds Passing]

1. The Naz

[House of Roberts]

2. From the Wikipedia page:

On October 23, 2006, the Italian government made Andretti a Commendatore of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (OMRI), the most senior Italian order of merit, in honor of Andretti's racing career and commitment to his Italian heritage

What the link doesn't mention is that only one other motorsports personality holds that honor, one Enzo Ferrari. That alone should tell you how highly Mario Andretti is thought of in his country of birth.

[OldBaldy1701E]

3. He has always been a driver I had great respect for.

I became a fan while watching him race NASCAR... which was not called that at the time. LOL.

[House of Roberts]

5. What was it called 'at the time'?

[ms liberty]

4. One of the greats. His grandson, not so much.