Michael Andretti hears the line repeatedly. Yes, he's led more Indianapolis 500 laps than any driver who never reached victory lane. He also knows it's a title that could have been avoided if the Championship Auto Racing Teams series and the Indy Racing League hadn't parted ways in 1996, splitting American open-wheel racing in two. For Andretti, it came with a heavy price. He missed five 500s in the prime of his career — five chances to end the dreaded Andretti curse. And he, like so many other drivers, had no choice. The big teams and big sponsors all went to CART and the top drivers followed in a bitter, 12-year divorce that nearly ruined the sport. “I felt cheated,' Andretti said....
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