Dario Franchitti

Dario Franchitti , born the May 19th 1973 with Bathgate in Scotland, the United Kingdom is a racing driver Scottish. After 11 seasons spent in the American championships of single-seaters (CART then IndyCar Series) and during which it in particular gained the edition 2007 of the titrates 500 miles of Indianapolis and it IndyCar Series the same year, it will join in 2008 the championship of NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Biography

Beginnings

After 5 years of karting, Dario Franchitti passed to the automobile sport in 1991, in the championship of Vauxhall Formula. Then, in 1994, it reaches the British championship of Formula 3 within the stable of Paul Stewart. From 1995, it returns in the bosom of Mercedes-Benz and disputes two years of continuation the championship DTM, as well as the championship ITC, international variation of the DTM.

Years CART

In 1997, following the disappearance of the ITC, it integrates, with the support of Mercedes-Benz, the rows of the championship CART within the stable Hogan Racing. After a first promising season (which it finishes better beginning from the year) although brouillone, it decides to turn the back on Mercedes-Benz to join in 1998 the Green stable, motorized by Honda. Affirming itself like a regular candidate with the victory, it finishes 3rd championship in 1998, then 2nd in 1999, with equality of points with the Colombian pilot Juan Pablo Montoya, losing the title because of its more reduced number of victories (3 compared with 7 in Montoya). As well as Montoya, Franchitti belongs to the favorites for the title in 2000, but a large accident which has occurred at any beginning of year wastes its season. This same year, it also carries out a test with the stable of Formule 1 Jaguar Racing, but the tests prove not very conclusive for Franchitti, which thus misses its chance to reach the discipline queen. Of return gradually to its best level in 2001 and 2002, it finishes respectively 7th and 4th championship CART.

The years IndyCar Series

In 2003, Franchitti follows its Green stable (become Andretti-Green) in the championship Indy Racing League, competitor of the CART. Its first season is largely disturbed following an motorbike accident which has occurred at the time of holidays in Scotland in April: seriously touched with the vertebrae, it misses the Indianapolis 500 and makes its return to the wheel at the end of only a few weeks. But fearing the consequences for its health of this premature return, he prefers to put a term at his season in order to be made operate. It is thus only in 2004 qu ' it disputes its first complete season in IRL. But in spite of several victories in 2004 and 2005, Franchitti never managed to be affirmed, for lack of regularity, like a true candidate with the title, contrary to his team-members Tony Kanaan and daN Wheldon.

Always engaged in IndyCar in 2007, it gains at the end of May the 500 miles of Indianapolis, stopped prematurely by the rain whereas it was at the head. Of a remarkable regularity at the time of the following tests, it takes the head of the championship, before being caught up with at the time of the last tests by Scott Dixon. It is in particular victim of two spectacular accidents during which its car is projected in the airs, but which it is left unscathed. It takes down finally the title at the time of the ultimate sleeve of the season on the oval of Michigan by exceeding Dixon, victim of a gasoline breakdown, in the last turn of the last turn.

Franchitti carries out in parallel of the appearances in the championship American Mans Series, at the wheel of a Acura LMP2 engaged by Andretti Green Racing. It could on this occasion find his younger brother Marino Franchitti, volunteer full-time in ALMS by AGR, and with which it already made team in the past at the time of the 24 hours of Daytona. March 17th, 2007, as a crew with Tony Kanaan and Bryan Herta, it finished 2nd 12 hours of Sebring, and first of category LMP2.

Passage in NASCAR

At the conclusion of the season 2007, Dario announces that it leaves IndyCar for the stock-car races. Recruited to take part in the championship NASCAR Sprint Cup 2008 within the Chip Ganassi Racing (where it will have in particular as a fellow-member Juan Pablo Montoya), it makes its beginnings in the stock car as of the end 2007 in tests of ARCA RE/MAX Series then of Truck Series.

Prize list

Victorious of the 500 miles of Indianapolis 2007 Victorious
of the championship IndyCar Series 2007

Private life

Dario Franchitti is married since 2001 with the American actress Ashley Judd.

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