updated 12:06 a.m. ET May 26, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been a part of 20-year-old Marco Andretti’s life since before he can remember.

“I’ve been here for 20 years, I really have,” said Andretti, who will run in his second Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

“I can remember at about 4 years old, playing with my matchbox cars back at the Speedway Motel, which was like my second home, just listening to the cars, watching the closed circuit on TV and seeing the (lap) times. I was really interested in how my grandfather, my father, my second cousin and my uncle were doing because, at that point, the whole family was in it.

“It was special and, since then, I’ve always hoped that I would be here and, fortunately, I’m here,” he added, smiling.

Indeed he is.

Marco had a remarkable rookie race last year, losing to three-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. on a last-straightaway pass. The youngster had grandfather Mario Andretti, the 1969 Indy winner, providing counsel. His father, Michael, was working with him as car owner and teammate, and finished right behind him in the race.

Making the race even more memorable for the Andrettis was Michael’s third-place finish after returning from a two-year retirement for the chance to race against his son here and another opportunity to finally win a race that has slipped away from him and his family too many times.

Dating to the first of Mario’s 29 Indy starts in 1965, five members of the family, including Michael’s younger brother, Jeff, and cousin, John, have raced in the 500 a total of 55 times. But the victory by the patriarch of the family in 1969 is the only time an Andretti has visited Victory Circle as a driver.

Michael’s best finish in 15 starts was second in 1991, losing an epic battle with four-time winner Rick Mears. Jeff’s top performance in three starts was 15th that same year as a rookie. John, making his eighth start this year, but first since 1994, also had his best showing in 1991, finishing fifth.

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“Indy is a special place for our whole family,” John said. “This track has hit all of us upside the head more than once. But it has also made our family famous and helped us all make a good living and helped us keep doing something we love — racing.”

Michael, co-owner of Andretti Green Racing, did get to celebrate in 2005 with driver Dan Wheldon, then with AGR. But that only whet his appetite to get a sip of the traditional victory milk here.

“Yeah, I know our family’s best chance to get (a win) here now is Marco,” his father said. “But the only reason I’m back here now is to win this race.

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