European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Michael Andretti got a taste of it racing at an Early age. At age 3, he joined his father Mario on a Victory Lap after the elder Andretti had won the 100-mile Rex Mays classic in Milwaukee wis., in 1966. By Kay Bartlet associated press i n a world of Speed and More Speed in a world a.  Given Day death May be the Only sur Winner family dynasties flourish even though fathers  and sons Bury fathers. A 1 Heso dynasties Are part of the mystique of the world of Auto racing.  never seen a race have heard of the Andretti the users the Allison the a pettys a a a a 1 a. A the Yare the Royalty in a kingdom  a a refuse to acknowledge that death runs the race wit them too _ Thov downplay the danger. They Point to the a -. A a a increasing safely of the  say they Are safer on a the track than on the interstate. Death to them is a a reserved Tor someone else a a a a a. A \ a a Bobby Unser sr., now retired from Indianapolis 500--. Racing. But Stilt racing in other circuits  think Ohl Henanger a to a Quot you know people get killed but you always  or be the other Guy it won t be you says Unser. One of the first men to drive a car Over 200 Mph and a three time a Winner of the Andy 500 if i were standing Vith just one a a other car and Vyp were told one  would be killed m the race. I d still race ,1-Woutd be Jure it would be the a a other guy.&Quot-. M i a a a a a a a. T Quot Quot it s a Amity sport a which the wives and children of the a Drivers trave with them in the Summertniel-it1le_chrldren play m the Mike to  cars car around the Oval they am too Young to understand , Are doing.   cheer later still. They May work in the pits Beucie begin Ying to drive competitive v a a they see the  the too Anve s receive the. A a a a ,. They a so Lue had a backs me \ new of to Mcgeoy sometimes they see  do Over Ano Over. And the a  unscathed other times the ambulances come  Eider son of  Foyt or. Ca to Tony was turned. Of by a mess my a fee e acc out at a Yum neral a age a a hers now a successful horse . A a. Those Rac no Echo the answer a of Michael Andretti. Son of sure stat Wane acre str. And one of the second a a a. Ceneia on  Emo has achieved Fame in is own a t a. A a a a a j v. I a a. A a. A a a Ever s Nee i can Rei Rembeck if  Odd thing i Ever a wanted to do says Michael a Noretty. -. It Ste it  left Andresh i  younger brother -. K a Al Unser or. Is another second Genera con Driver who has achieved tame in his new night. He often competes Agath Sims famous a her._as., indy a tour  r be Gong for a record break my fifth the s Yea a a a d. D a Quot. A a i Besses the Andie ies and users. Arsons and retried a there Are other and is w to Hoo and    the a Beytien Hauses the Parsons of carted cos a a. One Swan by a As y Aco v ende Jast november �we1 b v \ . Was k de during a up Mca practice Iao at save c s Nafesa  n  a a it is perhaps the Saddest Day in racing when a father. A must Bury his son. In this Case it was a son who showed great Promise a Young Man everyone seemed to like. That death hit me pretty hard  Carter son of Duane Carter and half brother of Johnny Parsons both . A we just got Macx from  Chat tour in Australia and t had gotten to know no wed  it was. Rough a -. F a u. Asked How Many  and acquaintances have been cled Ever the years. Carers 40-Yeahoid voice. Seems to take on an Addona 2.0 years As he answers. Quietly Quot probably a Ore than t o care to sit i Kwh and _ count a a. A t a y a Naho Andretti when asked a a a a same quest on. I ans yers pm  too Many Quot easy on m h s career he says tour close Denis were hed and a Ter that he de be rarely eroded  close Wuntner. Or vers d d a a. A f a k Auoe a Ide Toai two Borren Aido was j a  a Quot 1> its a 0 a sols Etc or0 a o o. A. He was t As Good As l a o and me accidents Ioc. A. B Vit a a Vuz r a a it r i a a m a v a w w w. Pcs a. We. M Izro c of b b quoth 2.s t is a. B t f c z s 5 a 5 o m 00 a a o o o to i. Was growing up Quot says john.1 he was just Uncle Mario to me later at races i saw How everyone held him in . A. ,. Andretti says that while he did not discourage his sons _ from becoming Drivers he did not encourage them  guess i indirectly encouraged them by driving _ myself Quot he says. A  other Drivers who. Lost their sons to the sport were Trdy a Ruttman or. Whose son Troy jr., was killed when a he was just 18 in his first professional race. He was racing Supen modified Stock cars at Pocono pa., in 1969. Jim Mcelreath who ran in the indy 500 15 times. A witnessed the 1977 Accident that took id life of his 23 year old son James assisting As a ,.the father got to him quickly. A. -. When t got to him add looked in his eyes1 knew he. A was  Mcelrea Tii said at Ihn Tivinis. U a / Andretti says that when his Quot on Mii Lini i Bohjan racing a he. Fat the first time Trad Rin Inu Inq of Whir his wite had gone through allot those yetis. A -. Of course i Vav Xiy Abdill  Aiki Relli says Quot worry about Jeff too for some  Sony As much a As when i m running against them ask Lien i a watching i Quot Ake a Lousy Spectator v. Quot Quot it ? a sport a there Fathi is. Compete again sons. Emf a s against to Notheis and less Distant relatives a Ccu ass Hab Oti i i in Law s. Against each other. The in Are also some Drivers who were in such horrible. Accidents that they can no longer drive but they stay in the family business which is car racing. Tony Bettenhausen or remembers sitting in the third Grade on a Friday when his Uncle came to pick up the 9year old and give him the tragic news. His father Tony. Or was killed in a practice run for the 1961 Indianapolis 500 a. A.,. A. Tony jr., now 39, still races As does brother Gary but their brother Merle retired after losing an Arm to the  Tony or. Says that As a child he never worried about his father. Quot. A a -. A. Quot a a i thought he could walk on water Quot recalls. 1 . His two older Brothers 21 and 17 at the time perhaps had a More realistic sense that there is always the Chance that once you get in that car you might never get out again. But maybe not. The users have probably had the most members to racing atone time but the Allison Are enclose Quot Competition. -. A. A the users have a Boulevard named after them in a their native Albuquerque a City where they Are still stopped and asked for autographs. A. Quot when you take on one Unser you take them All on Quot says Bobby jr., currently not racing but doing precision and stunt driving for movies and television. But he May a return to the sport on which he was weaned. \ Quot i just burned out too quickly Quot he says. Quot now that i be a Quot a been away a while or maybe i la come  a the users have had their share of tragedy but none _ recently. The first to be killed was Joe Unser the Uncle of Bobby sr., Al or. And Jerry he died on a dirt track in Colorado in the 30s while jesting a car. The next was Jerry Unser. Brother of Bobby and Al who was killed in-1959 in a practice run for the indy 500. His son John currently races. A for the younger generation a Freak Accident killed Al Unser s daughter. When a Dune buggy hipped she hit her head the wrong Way on the Sand and died. Quot we seem to lose one every generation Quot says Robby Unser the second son of Bobby or. To race. Richard Petty son of Lee Petty and father of Kyle Petty a All racers a says most fathers try to talk their children. Out of following them into the sport. It is too rough a life  move a Long season.  you re not running you re called upon for Public appearances by the sponsors. Quot although it looks like there Are a lot of families in this there really Arentt that Many a a says Petty a Lascar. _ racer who has probably won More championships and races than any other Driver. Quot a his son Kyle has achieved Fame in his own right but a has a far  go to catch dad  53 is still racing. Quot when Kyle first started racing i used to worry More but think i be outgrown Home of that paternal instinct Quot Petty says. A. All of the racers have been in accidents some worse thar rothers. A. Quot when you get into this business you expect to do a fair amount of Sheet time Quot says Johnny Parsons or. By a Sheet time Quot he Means time Between Hospital sheets. Recuperating from injuries. A you be grown up backstage my father was pretty Lucky  20 years he raced. To probably up sided Only five times the whole time lie  a k a a k a Johnnie Parsons is now dead. The 46-year-Otd Parsons who finished fifth at indy twice and third once has jumped Over to the Lasca circuit and is now driving midgets apr Iris and Slock cars. Quot k a. It a k. A k a a. Quot financially racing has not been particularly  me although it allowed me. To put two boys through. College Quot Parsons says. Quot i d Rathor they do something. Else but they seem pretty serious about it -. Quot it s not so much the danger As it is the tremendous difficulties now to get financial . But a Star like Mario Andretti can command $10,000 to $15,000 for one Public appearance. A a. Pancho Carter was 7 Days old when to attended his Quot first car race. K k _ a. F Quot Quot his Mother Agra Mitchell married two race Drivers. And atone time h and three sons racing As Well. She first married Johnnie Parsons and. From that Union came k Johnny Parsons jr., who was always called Junior. Quot despite the fact lather and son spelled Johnny differently next she married Duane Carter Pancho s fal Heru. K she sees nothing unusual in marrying two men engaged in such a daredevil occupation. Quot a. Quot its what All men want to do Quot she says simply. A a her third husband just for the record did hot race. He was a Jet fighter Pilot for the . Marine corps. Two of her sons Are still racing Johnny Parsons or. And Pancho Garter. A third son Dana died of a heart attack at 30 two grandchildren 24 and 22, the  Are giving racing a whirl but Pancho s children 7 and 12, Are split. The 7-year-old says it s too a a a dangerous. To tie 12-year-old wants to race. A. Mitchell concedes that her maternal instincts took Over a Little bit when tier boys raced Quot i worked More about. Them than i did their  she says. She was watching once when Johnny spun out of control in front of Pancho but neither was injured r Quot there have been a few times when i be hold my. Breath Quot Mitchell  14 the stars and strikes wednesday february 6,1991 the stars and stripes a Page 15