Cook Racing Technologies (CRT) disclosed on Thursday that it had enlisted the services of the 36-year-old grandson of racing icon Mario Andretti to partake in various ARCA Menards and NASCAR Truck series races throughout the 2024 season.
Andretti is set to participate in 13 ARCA races, driving CRT’s No. 17 Chevrolet. His campaign will kick off at the season opener on February 17 at Daytona International Speedway. Having completed the pre-season test at the track last weekend, Andretti has been granted approval to compete at all the series tracks.
Apart from the ARCA events, Andretti will also be seen in action in seven Truck races, steering the No. 04 Chevrolet in collaboration with Roper Racing. His debut in the Truck series is scheduled for March at the Circuit of the Americas.
Over the past three seasons, Andretti has been a contender in the six-race SRX Series, featuring short asphalt and dirt oval tracks during the summer. His successful debut season saw him clinch a victory, while he secured the series championship in 2022.
Andretti’s most recent IndyCar appearance was in last year’s Indianapolis 500, where he claimed the 17th spot while driving for Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian.
Expressing his satisfaction with the 2024 racing schedule, Andretti commented, “I’m really happy with the program we’ve put in place for my racing schedule in 2024. This plan is a good mixture of races with the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series that provides maximum track time, which is what I’m after.”
He added, “It will answer a lot of my unknowns in stock cars. I also want to do it the right way and not go right to the top of their sport on my IndyCar and SRX merit, as I respect the amount of talent in all of the various stock car series. I’m looking forward to having a lot of fun with (team owner) Bruce (Cook) and the team. I’m confident that we can be pretty competitive right out of the gate.”
Andretti, who made his NASCAR national series debut in the Xfinity Series in 2022 and participated in three Truck starts with Spire Motorsports in 2023, expressed his enthusiasm for stock car racing. Team owner Bruce Cook, who is also serving as Andretti’s crew chief, believes in Andretti’s potential to compete at the forefront regularly.
In a previous interview, Andretti hinted at his affinity for stock car racing, stating, “I’m really loving the stock car stuff. So, who knows if it’ll keep going?”
Sponsors MMI Racing and Sun West Construction are set to support Andretti’s races, with additional sponsors to be unveiled at a later date.
Feb. 17 – Daytona (ARCA)
March 8 – Phoenix (ARCA)
March 23 – COTA (Trucks)
April 26 – Dover (ARCA)
May 4 – Kansas (ARCA)
May 31 – Portland (ARCA West)
June 7 – Sonoma (ARCA West)
June 14 – Iowa (ARCA)
June 21 – Mid-Ohio (ARCA)
July 19 – IRP (ARCA)
Aug. 11 – IRP (Trucks)
Aug. 25 – Milwaukee (ARCA)
Aug. 25 – Milwaukee (Trucks)
Sept. 13 – Watkins Glen (ARCA)
Sept. 19 – Bristol (ARCA)
Sept. 19 – Bristol (Trucks)
Sept. 27 – Kansas (ARCA)
Sept. 27 – Kansas (Trucks)
Oct. 26 – Homestead (Trucks)
Nov. 8 – Phoenix (Trucks)
