Local Motorsports Legend Dies
Andy Granatelli, the former CEO of STP motor oil company and Montecito resident has died.
His son, Vince said his father died on Sunday of congestive heart failure at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. He was 90 years old.
Granatelli was known as “Mister Indy 500”. He was a major figure in motorsports
Granatelli is a member of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame.
His cars nearly won the Indianapolis 500 in 1967 and 1968 with turbine engines. He broke through in 1969 with Mario Andretti driving his winning car with a conventional engine. Granatelli kissing Andretti on the cheek in Victory Lane is one of the most famous images in Indy history. In 1973, Gordon Johncock gave Granatelli another Indy 500 victory.
In recent years, Granatelli was a well-known philanthropist in Santa Barbara. Some of his charities included, youth, law-enforcement and cultural arts.
