John Andretti wasn’t just any driver. He was a fighter, a guy who raced with his whole heart, whether it was in NASCAR or IndyCar. Back in 1998, he climbed into Petty Enterprises’ iconic No. 43 car, carrying the legacy of Richard “The King” Petty himself. He gave them their last NASCAR Cup win at Martinsville in 1999. Petty embraced him at Victory Lane, a moment frozen in time.

When John Andretti passed in January 2020, the loss rippled far beyond the track. He was a versatile race car driver who died at 56, while Indianapolis mourned a local hero who raced as hard for charity as he did for wins. He’d pushed #CheckIt4Andretti to raise cancer awareness, a cause born from his battle with colon cancer.

John Andretti was a gem for the sport, and to honor him this weekend at Darlington Raceway, Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones is reprising Andretti’s #43 with the #Checkit4Andretti slogan plastered on. Andretti drove this car in 1998 for Petty Enterprises, and seven-time Cup Series Champion Richard Petty recently spoke about his relationship with Andretti during those years as his team owner.

Richard Petty remembers John Andretti fondly

John Andretti was an incredible driver. He snagged his first Cup Series win at Daytona in 1997 with Cale Yarborough Motorsports, and over in IndyCar, he raced in the Indy 500 12 times, even teaming up with Petty in 2009 for a one-off shot that had everyone buzzing. Andretti was also the first driver to attempt ‘The Double,’ (Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day), starting the tradition in 1994. However, his time in the Cup Series was marred with inconsistencies, and Petty opened up about them.

Richard Petty, with all his 200 wins and seven championships, looked back and said something raw: “There was nobody out there that wanted to run and win races any more than John. John was just, he was so dedicated to doing his job. He was good for us, those years that he drove our car. We probably shoulda won more races, but sometimes the car wasn’t there.” Dale Inman, Petty’s legendary crew chief, chimed in, “Yeah, he carried on the Andretti family tradition. And I am repeating what Richard said… nobody wanted to do good any better than John, and what a likable person he was and the whole family.” That’s the punch—John gave everything, but the team couldn’t always give him the ride to match.

Petty Enterprises, the powerhouse built by “The King” Richard Petty and his family, racked up an incredible 268 NASCAR Cup Series wins over the years, according to NASCAR.com. Richard himself claimed 200 of those, leaving 68 for other drivers who carried the Petty banner. Of those, just 17 came from drivers not named Richard—guys like Lee Petty, Buddy Baker, and, yes, John Andretti.

John’s win at Martinsville in 1999 wasn’t just another checkered flag; it was the last time Petty Enterprises and John Andretti himself tasted victory in the Cup Series. That’s a heavy stat. It marked the end of an era for a team that once dominated, and John was the one who got them there, beating out Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt in a nail-biter, as NBCSports detailed.

But here’s the kicker: It could’ve been so much more, and it arguably should’ve been if the cars had held up under him. John joined Petty Enterprises in 1998, driving the famous No. 43, and he brought a fire that reminded everyone of the team’s glory days. Yet, after all the highs, the wins dried up. The equipment faltered, and by 2003, with reports that Petty Enterprises let him go after a string of tough finishes. You can’t help but wonder, what if the cars had matched his drive? How many more times could John have crossed the line first?

There were whispers of bigger things, too. A rumor in 2019 about a potential Petty-Andretti-Honda partnership, blending NASCAR and IndyCar legacies with a major manufacturer. Imagine that: John, with his Andretti roots, bridging those worlds again. It never came to be, but it wasn’t the first time the families teamed up. Back in 2009, Richard Petty and John Andretti made a bold Indy 500 play with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. It was hyped as a rare NASCAR-Indy crossover, with Petty’s name on the car and John behind the wheel. They qualified 28th but finished 19th after a late-race fade. It was a dream that flickered and faded—a one-off shot that left fans wanting more.

John’s Martinsville win might’ve been Petty Enterprises’ last, but his impact never stopped. The cars might’ve let him down, but he never let up. Those what-ifs—the extra wins, the Indy dreams, the Honda deal—linger like dust on an empty racetrack. He deserved more shots, and “The King” knows it. That’s what makes this story stick with you.