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Marco Andretti interested in possible Xfinity race with JR Motorsports

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driver of the XXXX IndyCar during XXXX for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway on April 28, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona.

Christian Petersen

It’s been seven years since a member of the Andretti family competed in a NASCAR race.

Marco Andretti has again indicated he’s interested in giving stock car racing a try.

The son of Michael Andretti, the IndyCar veteran said on Twitter Thursday he’s had conversations with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, co-owners of JR Motorsports, about “maybe” competing in an Xfinity race.

Andretti was answering a fan question about a potential ride in NASCAR.

In April, the 30-year-old driver said he’d talked with Stewart-Haas Racing owner Tony Stewart about dipping his toes into NASCAR

“I don’t think I should jump right to Cup,” Andretti told the AP. “I think there’s probably some Xfinity stuff that could be a possibility. ‘Smoke’ hates restrictor plate races to begin with, so he’s not very high on me wanting to do it. But I think if we could put something together it would be fun.”

The topic was raised after SHR driver Kurt Busch, who drove for Andretti Autosport in the 2014 Indianapolis 500, said he wanted to see Andretti race in the Daytona 500.

“I think that would be a huge event for him, for our sport,” Busch said. “I think Marco would do real well at a Daytona-style track because he loves the draft and he loves to be around other cars. That’s what I would think would work the best.”

Andretti recently finished his 12th season in IndyCar. He has two wins in 200 starts.

If he were to show up on a Xfinity starting grid, he’d be the first Andretti in NASCAR since his cousin John Andretti competed in the 2010 Daytona 500.

A winner of the 1997 Pepsi 400 at Daytona, John Andretti earned two wins in 393 Cup starts beginning in 1993 and made 37 Xfinity starts.

But the Andretti name in NASCAR goes back to Marco’s grandfather, Mario Andretti.

The elder Andretti made 14 Cup starts from 1966-69. His lone win came in the 1967 Daytona 500. Two years later he earned the Andretti family’s only victory in the Indianapolis 500.

Follow @DanielMcFadin