Editorial: Remembering a racing and business legend
Andy Granatelli was long retired from auto racing and from building and then selling his signature STP brand line of motor oils and lubricants. But the Santa Barbara resident, who died Dec. 29 at age 90, will not soon be forgotten.
His entrepreneurial drive turned STP from an also-ran into “The Racer’s Edge,” with sales of $100 million a year before it was sold. He introduced major innovations into Indianapolis 500 racing, so many that a turbine-powered car he championed was banned by officials. He later helped sponsor stock car legend Richard Petty’s remarkable run of championships and records. After selling
Tune-up Masters, a chain of auto repair shops, Granatelli retired to Santa Barbara, where he remained active in philanthropy.
He was quoted in 1969 as saying, “I can’t help myself. I was born supercharged.” That’s a fitting epitaph.
