A historic first, and last, for Andretti at Long Beach

©TheCahierArchive

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©TheCahierArchive

Mario Andretti won the 1977 US Grand Prix West at Long Beach on this day 49 years ago.

The thrilling event was marked by a titanic three-way battle between the Lotus driver, Wolf's Jody Scheckter and Ferrari's Niki Lauda.

It took the better part of 76 laps out of the race's 80 for Andretti to prevail with the elegant Lotus 78 and secure his third career win in the F1 world championship.

Mario's triumph at Long Beach remains to this day the only victory for an American driver on home soil in the history of Grand Prix racing.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.