[Racer Duck]

One of the most famous racing families in world motorsport will again be in Surfers Paradise next October for the Gold Coast 300 – and it cannot wait!

Michael Andretti was the inaugural pole sitter for the Gold Coast race back in 1991 and went on to win it in his first ever start in a Reynard chassis in 1994.

Andretti’s son Marco raced on the Gold Coast for the first time in October as part of a one-off Indy Racing League event and is set to be a starter in 2009 if he gets his way.

After an 18-year association with American-based open-wheel racing, it has been announced that the Gold Coast 300 will by highlighted by a round of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport in 2009 as well as the home-grown V8 Supercar Series.

Andretti Green Racing recently took up the US team franchise for the A1GP Series and Marco made his debut in China before his second A1GP race weekend (held in Malaysia, November 23) saw him take his first podium finish.

Michael Andretti said that the Surfers Paradise event was one of the true great spectacles in world racing and he believed he was fortunate to have a reason to return to the Gold Coast in 2009.

Ironically, Michael’s father Mario, possibly the most versatile driver of the modern era, had his last ever open-wheel podium finish at the Gold Coast along with Michael in 1994.

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