Andretti Indy Car to be Featured at SAMs NY International Auto Show Exhibit

When the Saratoga Automobile Museum sets up its exhibit of antique & classic cars along with historic race cars at the 2018 New York International Auto Show, the centerpiece of the highly anticipated exhibit will be the 1994 Newman/Haas Lola T9300 Indy Car piloted by American racing legend Mario Andretti in his final year of competition.

Mario is loaning SAM the K-Mart/Texaco Lola from his personal collection. The car marked the culmination of Andretti’s 12 seasons with the Newman/Haas Team and was given to him by Paul Newman and Carl Haas as a retirement gift. During his tenure with one of the Indy Car series’ premier teams, the Pennsylvanian named Driver of the Century by both the Associated Press and Racer magazine scored some 18 wins, claimed 26 pole positions and won the championship in 1984, his fourth Indy Car Championship. He remains the all-time record holder for Indy race starts with 407 and his 52 Indy Car wins rank second on the all-time list.

Additionally, Andretti’s five-decade career is highlighted by 111 race wins including the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500, three wins at Americas oldest sports car endurance race The Twelve Hours of Sebring, a Pikes Peak Hill Climb win, and winning the Formula One World Championship.

The Saratoga Automobile Museum exhibit, it’s second at the world-renowned auto show, will also feature one of SAM’s state-of-the-art Distracted Driving simulators. The simulators, which are transported to programs at high schools in the Saratoga region by museum staff, provide “real world” experiences that highlight the dangers of texting, drinking, smoking, eating and personal grooming while at the wheel of an automobile. Students see not only the crashes that may result, but other serious consequences, including interaction with law enforcement agencies.

Visitors to the SAM exhibit at the New York International Auto Show will be able to acquire information on the second annual Saratoga Auto Auction, September 21 & 22, 2018 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center adjacent to the museum. The auction, a fund-raiser for SAM’s many educational programs, is expected to offer some 300 vehicles in an event that received rave reviews following its inaugural running.