IZOD IndyCar Series - Dario Franchitti

Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
14th
16th
JR Hildebrand Panther Racing
Dario Franchitti
Dario  Franchitti
Target Chip Ganassi Racing
  • 10_Target
  • Scotland
15th
Dario Franchitti
Driver Info
Dario Franchitti
All-Time Career Statistics - IZOD IndyCar Series
  • Championship
    4
  • Indy 500 Wins
    3
  • Total Poles
    29
  • Race Wins
    31
10
Biography of Dario Franchitti

A Scotsman of Italian heritage, Dario Franchitti is known as one of the IZOD IndyCar Series' most intense competitors. Proof: He has four IZOD IndyCar Series championships and three Indianapolis 500 victories.

He also is tied with Sebastien Bourdais and Paul Tracy for seventh on the Indy car career victory list with 31.

Franchitti is a student of auto racing. In 2010, he had the opportunity to drive the 1965 Indianapolis 500-winning car of his racing hero and fellow Scot Jim Clark at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

He also is a helicopter pilot and collector of auto racing memorabilia.

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

First start: May 26, 2002 (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
First victory: July 25, 2004 (The Milwaukee Mile)
First pole: June 10, 2004 (Texas Motor Speedway)

2012
• Finished seventh in IZOD IndyCar Series standings for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.
• Won at Indianapolis for the third time.
• Recorded five top-five and seven top-10 finishes. Closed season with runner-up finish.
• Qualified on pole at Milwaukee, Iowa and Toronto -- all in a row.

2011
• Won IZOD IndyCar Series championship for the third consecutive year and fourth overall for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.
• Recorded four victories (St. Petersburg, Texas1, Milwaukee, Toronto).
• Earned two pole starts (Milwaukee, New Hampshire).
• Finished in the top five in 13 of the 17 races and in top 10 in 15 races.
• Was running at the finish in 16 races.

2010
• Won IZOD IndyCar Series championship for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, joining Sam Hornish Jr. as drivers with three series titles.
• Recorded three victories (Indianapolis, Mid-Ohio, Chicagoland). Indianapolis 500 victory was second of career.
• Posted 13 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.
• Earned pole starts at Brazil and Homestead -- bookends of season.
• Took points lead in finale at Homestead.

2009
• Won IndyCar Series championship for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.
• Recorded five victories and five pole starts.
• Won first IndyCar Series road course race at Long Beach.
• Became second driver in IndyCar Series history to lead every lap when he won from pole at Infineon.
• Led 53 laps at Twin Ring Motegi to surpass 2,000 in IndyCar Series career.
• Running at the finish in 16 of the 17 races.

2008
• Made debut for Target Chip Ganassi Racing in non-points-paying race at Surfers Paradise, Australia, in October after driving for Ganassi Racing in NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series.

2007
• Won IndyCar Series championship for Andretti Green Racing.
• Won four races, including the Indianapolis 500, and three poles.

2006
• Finished eighth in standings for Andretti Green Racing with best finish of second at Infineon Raceway. Recorded six other top-10 finishes.
• Did not compete in final event of the season because of concussion suffered in vintage auto race in England a week before.
• Started from the pole at St. Petersburg.

2005
• Finished fourth in standings for Andretti Green Racing with two victories (Nashville, California), eight top-five finishes and 13 top-10 finishes.
• Won the Marlboro Pole Award for the season-ending Toyota Indy 400 at California Speedway.

2004
• Finished sixth in standings for Andretti Green Racing.
• Earned his first two IndyCar Series victories (Milwaukee, Pikes Peak).
• Captured his first career pole position at Texas1.

2003
• Finished 25th in standings after competing in only three races for Andretti Green Racing. Started a season-best seventh at Homestead and Pikes Peak and finished a season-best fourth at Pikes Peak.
• Suffered back injury in motorcycle accident in April in his native Scotland, which caused him to miss races at Japan, Indianapolis and Texas. Returned to cockpit at Pikes Peak before having back surgery, which forced him to miss the remainder of the year.

2002
• Made IndyCar Series debut at Indianapolis 500, starting 28th and finishing 19th, three laps down.

ROAD TO THE IZOD INDYCAR SERIES

2002
• Scored three wins and one pole for Team Green en route to fourth-place finish in CART standings.

2001
• Finished seventh in CART standings. Won at Cleveland and earned three additional top-three finishes driving for Team Green.

2000
• Finished 13th in CART standings, scoring four top-three finishes and two poles.
• Suffered fractured pelvis and brain contusions in single-car accident during pre-season testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

1999
• Finished second in CART standings driving for Team Green. Tied with champion Juan Montoya with 212 points, but Montoya was awarded the championship based on his seven wins to Franchitti's three.
• Scored three victories, two poles and 11 top-three finishes.

1998
• Joined Team Green and finished third in CART standings on strength of three victories and five poles.

1997
• Made CART debut driving for Hogan Racing. Finished 22nd in standings with best finish of ninth at Australia.

1996
• Finished fourth in the FIA International Touring Car Championship, scoring one win and six podium finishes.

1995
• Earned one win and three podium finishes en route to third place in the FIA International Touring Car Championship.
• Finished fifth in the German Touring Car championship.

1994
• Finished fourth in British Formula 3 championship with Paul Stewart Racing, scoring one win.

1993
• Captured British Formula Vauxhall Lotus championship in his second season with Paul Stewart Racing, scoring six victories. Named series Driver of the Year.

1992
• Joined Paul Stewart Racing and finished fourth in the British Formula Vauxhall Lotus championship.
• Named McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year.

1991
• Captured the Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship with four victories.

Early Career
• Competed in karts, winning 1984 Scottish Junior Karting Championship, consecutive British Junior Kart championships in 1985-86 and Scottish Kart championship in 1988. Finished second in British Senior Kart championship in 1989.

 

Year Series Starts Wins Poles** Top 5 Top 10 Laps Led RAF
2013 IZOD IndyCar Series 4 0 1 1 2 27 2
2012 IZOD IndyCar Series 15 1 2 5 7 112 13
2011 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 4 2 13 15 843 16
2010 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 3 2 13 15 552 17
2009 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 5 5 13 15 495 16
2007 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 4 3 13 16 719 16
2006 IZOD IndyCar Series 13 0 1 3 7 40 12
2005 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 2 1 8 13 448 14
2004 IZOD IndyCar Series 16 2 1 5 8 349 10
2003 IZOD IndyCar Series 3 0 0 1 2 0 2
2002 IZOD IndyCar Series 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
2002 Champ Car 19 3 1 8 12 252 11
2001 Champ Car 20 1 0 4 11 53 13
2000 Champ Car 20 0 2 5 7 50 9
1999 Champ Car 20 3 2 12 16 272 16
1998 Champ Car 19 3 5 9 11 243 11
1997 Champ Car 16 0 1 0 1 47 10
Total 251 31 29 113 158 4502 189
Year Series Starts Wins Poles** Top 5 Top 10 Laps Led RAF
* Under INDYCAR sanction RAF = Running at Finish
** Includes all poles, including those awarded based on entrant points
Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Chip Ganassi stormed onto the national racing scene at the 1982 Indianapolis 500, where he became the fastest rookie qualifier and finished 15th. Following a successful career as a driver, highlighted by an eighth-place finish in the 1983 Indianapolis 500, Ganassi set his sights on ownership in 1988.

Ganassi created his own Indy car team in 1990 and established a partnership with Target that endures to this day.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver Jimmy Vasser captured the CART championship in 1996. Alex Zanardi followed Vasser's lead and earned CART titles in 1997 and 1998. With rookie driver Juan Montoya's championship in 1999, Ganassi became the first owner to earn four consecutive CART championships.

Montoya won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, which was making its first appearance at the Brickyard since 1995. In 2002, Bruno Junqueira earned the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 and led 32 laps before engine problems ended his day.

The team joined the IndyCar Series full time in 2002 with driver Jeff Ward. It's gone on to win the series championship in 2003 and 2008 with Scott Dixon and 2007, 2009 and 2010 with Dario Franchitti. Franchitti (2010) and Dixon (2008) also have added to the team's Indianapolis 500 victory total.