Results from Michigan International Speedway

1.  Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet
34. Reed Sorenson, No. 41 Target Dodge
38. Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Wrigley's™ Big Red® Dodge
43. Dario Franchitti, No. 40 Wrigley's™ Juicy Fruit® Dodge

BROOKLYN, Mich. (June 15, 2008) - Dario Franchitti and his No. 42 Juicy Fruit Dodge were poised for a successful Sunday when a broken valve spring ended their day after just 30 laps at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). 

 Franchitti and his Crew Chief Steven Lane were the quickest of the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) Dodges on Friday and sat ninth on the speed charts before qualifying.  Franchitti and his team were confident they would start well inside the top 10 for the 200-lap event, but rain dampened their day and qualifying was cancelled forcing the team to start 41st.

The team continued to top the speed charts for CGRFS on Saturday and were optimistic heading into the race on Sunday.  The green flag waved for the race and Franchitti worked his way up to 39th when the caution waved on lap three.  He brought the Juicy Fruit Dodge down pit road for a quick adjustment to tighten up the car, four tires and a splash of fuel.  Racing resumed on lap five with Franchitti in 42nd.

By lap 16, the yellow No. 40 was up to 33rd, passing a car a lap.  Unfortunately on lap 25 he reported the engine was misfiring.  He brought the car down pit road to check the plug wires and engine.  The team determined there was a broken valve spring.  Franchitti returned to the track, but eventually pulled the Juicy Fruit Dodge behind the wall and in the garage on lap 30.  The team had to settle for a 43rd-place finish. 

Franchitti and the No. 40 team remain 39th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings heading to the first road course race of the 2008 season at Infineon Raceway.  The team had a successful test two weeks ago at Virginia International Raceway in preparation for Franchitti's first event on the road course in a stock car.

 Franchitti Quote:
“It's disappointing. We broke a valve and eventually broke a piston which ended the day for our Juicy Fruit Dodge. It was a real shame because our Juicy Fruit Dodge was running pretty well the first part of the race. We were coming through the field with the changes we made on our first pit stop. We felt that we easily had a top-20 car today.”