BROOKLYN, Mich. (July 30, 2006) - Dario Franchitti drove the #27 Klein Tools/Canadian Club car to a 12th place finish at Sunday's Firestone Indy 400 at Michigan International Speedway.  With three races remaining on the 2006 slate, Franchitti is in eighth place in the IndyCar Series driver championship, but only one point behind teammate Marco Andretti for seventh place.

Franchitti, who fought an ill-handling race car for most of the 200-lap event, found himself battling mid-pack for positions on the race track.  During pit stops, the Klein Tools/Canadian Club crew was consistently sending the car back to the track in better position than it came in, however the loose conditions made the car difficult to drive.  Despite making several adjustments to the front wing and the cockpit controls, Franchitti fought his way to the finish and remained in the top 10 in the championship chase.  Helio Castroneves won the race and was followed by Vitor Meira and Dan Wheldon in second and third, respectively.  AGR teammate Tony Kanaan finished fourth and Tomas Scheckter finished fifth.

The IndyCar Series returns to action at Kentucky Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 13, following a weekend hiatus.  ABC Sports will provide live broadcast coverage of the Meijer Indy 300 beginning at 3:30 p.m. (EDT). The race can also be heard live by XM Satellite Radio subscribers on XM channel 145.

Dario Franchitti, #27 Klein Tools/Canadian Club Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"The first stint in the Klein Tools/Canadian Club car didn't feel too bad.  From the second stint onward, I was just trying to keep the thing out of the wall.  We had a terrible oversteer in one corner and a push in another.  Not only were we lacking grip but it wasn't quick either."

John Anderson, Team Manager, #27 Klein Tools/Canadian Club Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"The car was oversteering and tail-happy in traffic and to have that situation at a 200 mile-per-hour circuit is frustrating and there wasn't anything we could do about it.  Dario did everything he could with what he had in the cockpit of the Klein Tools/Canadian Club car.  Unfortunately it wouldn't come around.  We dropped front wing out on the last two stops to try and balance the rear but it was just diabolical in traffic."

2006 Firestone Indy 400 Results
Pos.    Name                             Laps         Pos.      Name                        Laps
1      Helio Castroneves             200           11      Bryan Herta                199
2      Vitor Meira                         200           12      Dario Franchitti            199
3      Dan Wheldon                     200           13      Buddy Rice                  199
4      Tony Kanaan                     200           14      Jeff Bucknum               198
5      Tomas Scheckter               200           15      Buddy Lazier               198
6      Scott Sharp                        200           16      Scott Dixon                  198
7      Ed Carpenter                      199           17      Danica Patrick              197
8      Marco Andretti                    199           18      Marty Roth                   192
9      Kosuke Matsuura               199           19      Sam Hornish Jr.              61
10     Jeff Simmons                     199