Which racer has the best career?

It seems cliché to say that people watch racing for crashes while completely ignoring the romantic aspects of motorsport. Race car drivers can operate incredible machines at high speeds in idyllic locales. For example, next Sunday, there will be a 500-mile race at the epic central stadium of a car-centric utopia that failed a century ago. Some drivers are skilled enough or lucky enough to have long careers spanning decades, continents and technology eras.

Today, I’m asking which racer has the best career? Who raced the cars you had posters on your childhood bedroom wall for? Who drove on the track that you dream of visiting in person? Keep in mind – that is Are not about being the fastest on the track. It’s about who has the most memorable stories to tell afterwards.

For me, the answer is Mario Andretti. First, he had a racing career that spanned 35 years. Andretti racing Ford GT at Le Mans, revolutionized the ground effects Lotus 78 in F1 and won the Pikes Peak Hill Climb while it was still on the IndyCar schedule. I almost forgot to mention that he won the Indianapolis 500 and Pikes Peak in the same year. Twenty years later, Andretti raced with his son and grandson at Le Mans in a porsche 962C. Andretti may have a string of big wins on F1, IndyCar and NASCAR, but his personal experiences are just surreal.

Many current drivers have had careers that rival Andretti in terms of coolness. Sebastien Loeb has become the greatest driver of all time by almost winning Le Mans, winning races in the World Touring Car Championship and almost trying his hand at a Formula 1 racing seat. Not to mention the joy happy that Fernando Alonso and Jimmie Johnson had in the later stages of their careers.