#1
Mario with a four-legged friend in his hometown of Montona, Italy in 1941
#2
Mario (left) and fraternal twin brother Aldo (right) with their mother Rina in Montona, 1941
#3
Mario in Montona, 1943
#4
Mario (left) and Aldo in Montona, 1943
#6
Having moved to a refugee camp in Lucca in 1948, the Andretti siblings acted in the school play that year. Anna Maria in costume is third from the left (top row), Aldo is seated second from the left and Mario in disguise is seated on the far right.
#5
The Famiglia Andretti -- parents Rina and Gigi, and from left, Aldo, Anna Maria and Mario -- in Montona, 1947
#7
Mario and Aldo's first "race car" was a three-wheeled buggy in Lucca.
#9
Aldo, Anna Maria and Mario in Lucca, Italy in the early 1950s
#8
Mario took to the streets of Lucca, Italy on a Lambretta scooter belonging to Don Renzo Tambellini, the priest in the refugee camp.
#11
Aldo (left) and Mario attended their first USAC dirt Champ Car race at the Langhorne, Pennsylvania track in 1956. Their cousin Carl Benvegnu took them, much to their delight. This gave the twins a taste of what "big-time American racing" was all about.
#10
When the Andrettis immigrated to the United States in 1955, they settled in Nazareth, Pennsylvania where a cousin lived. In short order, they owned their first family car.
#12
Michael (sitting), Jeff (standing) and younger sister Barbie grew up in the family home on Victory Lane, where Mario and Dee Ann lived for 30 years. Todi the schnauzer and Samantha the cat completed the fivesome in 1969.
#13
Mario and Dee Ann (here in 2006) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on November 25, 2011.
#14
Italy celebrated the legendary career of their native son October 23, 2006 when Mario was awarded the title of Commendatore dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana. Mario received the honor from Antonio Bandini, Consul General of Italy to New York in recognition of his remarkable career and good character, which have reinforced a positive image of Italians throughout the world. Celebrating the occasion with Mario are from left: Michael, Aldo, Dee Ann, Barbie, Jeff and Anna Maria.
#16
Two of Mario's five grandchildren, Miranda (left) and Marissa
#17
Miranda (left) and Isabella are daughters of Jeff and Angelica Andretti. Lucca, Michael's youngest son, is on the right (2009).
#18
Beloved for her incredible northern Italian cooking among many other attributes, the matriarch of the Andretti family, Nonna Rina, was only 4'10" but larger than life. She passed away in 2003 at age 90.
#15
Mario with grandson, and favorite copilot, Lucca are ready for takeoff in the ultralight in 2008
#19
Four generations of the Andretti family gather on their hometown track in the mid-1990s. When Mario and Aldo first started racing in Nazareth in 1959, they hid their activities from their parents, knowing they would disapprove. As time went on, their dad "Gigi" became an avid and proud supporter. He probably never imagined in the early years that his grandsons Michael and Jeff and great-grandson Marco would follow in the family business.
#20
Mario with his beloved pot-bellied pig, Martini, who was a part of the family for more than 17 years
#21
Gonzo, an Amazon parrot, is good at mimicking human speech, Mario's laugh and the ringing telephone. Part of the Andretti household since 1987, he keeps Mario quite amused.
#23
Mario with one of his youngest fans in Prosper, Texas (2011)
#22
The real king of the Andretti castle is their dog Max.
#24
Few fans are more ardent than Matt Stoudt, whose tattoos reflect his passion for the Yankees and admiration for Mario. (2011)
#25
Mario and his 1967 Daytona 500-winning car, a Ford Fairlane, had a cameo role in the 2006 animated Pixar film "Cars." Some of Mario's youngest fans know his name from that movie rather than his racing career...and he loves that!
#26
Michael and his wife, Jodi (2006)
#27
Barbie and her husband, Giuseppe Curto (2009)
#28
One of Marco's biggest fans is his younger sister, Marissa (2009)
#29
Stylin' sisters Isabella and Miranda (2010)