Marco Andretti thinks he’s in position to end curse at Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS — Marco Andretti thinks he’s poised to finally end the decades-long “Andretti Curse” at the Indianapolis 500.

The 26-year-old Andretti qualified third, so he’ll start Sunday’s race in the front row, and he was among the quickest drivers again Friday on the final day of practice.

“I just want to make sure I’m not getting overconfident, because I know how many elements can take you out of this race,” Andretti said. But it “would be huge to be able to break” the curse.

Time and again the Andretti family — including Marco’s grandfather Mario and his father, Michael — has come close to winning the Indy 500, only to see victory slip away.

The one exception: Mario’s victory here in 1969.

Mario tried 24 times after that to win the race a second time and failed. Michael was winless in 16 attempts.

Marco nearly won the race as a 19-year-old rookie in 2006. But Sam Hornish Jr. swept by him as the two raced to the checkered flag in one of the closest finishes in Indy 500 history.

Regardless, this month “I’ve been really pleased with our race car,” said Andretti, who drives for his father’s team, Andretti Autosport.

Andretti turned in the ninth-fastest lap at 224.293 mph in Friday’s one-hour practice on a cool day at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with temperatures in the mid-50s.

Simon Pagenaud ran the quickest lap at 225.827 mph, followed by E.J. Viso at 225.304 mph.

Defending race winner Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, his teammate at Target Chip Ganassi Racing and the Indy 500 winner in 2008, also picked up speed after they qualified in the middle of the 33-car field.

Dixon was fourth in practice and Franchitti was sixth. “The guys did a lot of hard work,” Franchitti said. “I now feel we’ve got a car we can fight with.”

Race security tightened

Spectators will see extra security this year in response to the deadly Boston Marathon bombings last month.

Oversized drink coolers have been banned, and a street that runs only a few yards behind the grandstands on the front straightaway will be closed, track spokesman Doug Boles said.

Spectators’ coolers will be checked at the gate and if they’re too big, “they’re going to be asked to take it back to their cars,” he said.

In addition, an infield parking lot at Turn 3, previously open to fans buying a general-admission ticket at the gate on race day, required an advance purchase this year.

“We presold all those so we have names, we have addresses, we have emails for all those folks,” Boles said. The lot holds between 1,500 and 1,700 vehicles.

Four-wide finish

In the second-level Firestone Indy Light series, Peter Dempsey won by inches in a dramatic four-wide finish to win Friday’s race at the speedway.

The others crossing the finish line nearly simultaneously were Gabby Chaves, Sage Karam and Carlos Munoz.

james.peltz@latimes.com