About Dario Franchitti
Driver - #10 Target car in the IZOD IndyCar Series for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Dario Franchitti, the winningest British driver in U.S. open-wheel history, returned full-time to the IndyCar Series with Target Chip Ganassi Racing in 2009 and picked up right where he left off; winning the IndyCar Series Driver Championship for the second time in his illustrious career.
After transitioning to the Ganassi team’s NASCAR program in 2008, the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series Champion returned to open wheel racing alongside teammate and reigning Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series Champion, Scott Dixon. Dario captured five race wins (Long Beach, Iowa, Toronto, Sonoma and Homestead) and posted five pole positions during his 2009 campaign. He finished 16 of the 17 races, recorded 13 Top-5 finishes, 15 Top-10 finished and led 495 laps. Not bad for a driver who spent a year away from IndyCars...
Before trying his hand in the world of stock car racing, Franchitti posted four wins and four pole positions in 2007, en route to his first IndyCar Series championship with Andretti Green Racing. 2010 will be his second full season with Target Chip Ganassi Racing.
Since the open-wheel merger and with the IndyCar Series schedule comprised of an equal blend of ovals, street & road courses, Franchitti was an odds-on-favorite to again contend for the series championship and he did. For the first time since 2002, Dario returned to Southern California for the Grand Prix of Long Beach and won the race he was previously a runner-up at in 1998 and 1999. The series also traveled to the familiar downtown streets of Toronto in July and once again Franchitti recorded a race win just like he did in 1999 during his racing days in CART.
Over the course of his open-wheel career, Franchitti has accumulated a wealth of experience and trophies in his time on the track. He has almost 200 starts under his belt between the CART and IndyCar Series resulting in 23 wins, 24 poles, 122 top-10 finishes (1997-2010). He's won races on road courses, street courses, short ovals and superspeedways and he is one of only 12 drivers to win a race in the IndyCar Series and CART.
With his immeasurable drive and a renewed excitement to be back in the unified IndyCar Series, no one doubts Franchitti can again vie for the Borg Warner Trophy and win his third driver’s championship in 2010.
Read over Dario's career highlights
Get Up Close with Dario
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