IndyCar and NASCAR race winner John Andretti has lost his battle with colon cancer.
Part of the Andretti dynasty, John was nephew to 1978 Formula 1 world champion Mario Andretti, and cousin to IndyCar champ Michael.
He raced in IndyCar from 1987 until 1994 before returning to the series for selected outings in 2007.
Andretti made his NASCAR debut in 1993, his final start coming at the 2010 Daytona 500.
“It with the heaviest of hearts we share that John Andretti has today lost his battle with cancer,” read a statement on Andretti Autosport’s Facebook page.
“John was a loving husband and father, a devoted son and a trusted cousin. He was a philanthropist, an advocate for the sport, a dedicated teammate, a driven competitor and most importantly a dear friend.
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“Through Race4Riley, John spent decades dedicating his time and fundraising attention to Riley Hospital for Children.
“When first diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017, John vowed to fight back and use his voice to help spread the word of prevention and early detection.
“He fought hard and stole back days the disease vowed to take away. He helped countless others undergo proper screening, and in doing so, saved lives.
“We will forever carry with us John’s genuine spirit of helping others first and himself second.
“Our prayers today are with Nancy, Jarett, Olivia and Amelia, with our entire family, and with fans worldwide.”
Andretti claimed his sole IndyCar win on the streets of Surfers Paradise in 1991, and was also a victor at Daytona in July 1997.
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