WebProNews

Tag: Dario Franchitti

  • Dario Franchitti to Drive Indy 500 Pace Car

    Retired, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti will be this year’s celebrity pace car driver, which will air live on ABC on May 25th. While Franchitti drove a Honda-powered car during his last nine Indy 500 appearances, his pace car will be an all-black Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.

    Franchitti confirmed his role in the role this morning on Good Morning America, and commented on the wreck he was involved in at the IndyCar Series race in Houston, which ended his career on October 6th. Franchitti stated that his memory “isn’t what it once was,” and that his broken ankle is “limiting.” Franchitti added, “But I’ll take that. The other options weren’t so good.”

    During the Houston race, Franchitti collided with Takuma Sato on the final lap, causing his car to fly into the turn 5 catchfence. The wreck injured 13 fans, and Franchitti suffered a spinal fracture, right ankle fracture and a concussion. After the crash, doctors told Franchitti that he wouldn’t be able to safely race again.

    Here’s a clip of the career-ending wreck:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QjA8k5WeGk

    Franchitti, who is presently separated from his wife, actress Ashley Judd, also mentioned that he has signed on as a consultant with his former team, Ganassi Racing, and will work alongside Verizon IndyCar Series drivers Scott Dixon, who is the reigning champion, Tony Kanaan , who won the Indy 500 last year, Charlie Kimball and Ryan Briscoe.

    Franchitti will become the 14th former Indy 500 winner to drive the pace car and the second in the past three years. In 2011, Donald Trump was set to do the honors, but backed out due to rampant fan protest. A.J. Foyt took his place at the last minute. Emerson Fittipaldi drove the pace car in 2008.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Dario Franchitti: Judd And Franchitti To Reconcile?

    According to actress Ashley Judd, love never did run smooth for her and her estranged husband, Dario Franchitti.

    Judd states, it is a complicated relationship — but complicated isn’t necessarily bad. Speaking about the state of their marriage in the April issue of Ladies’ Home Journal, Judd says they’re still very much each other’s family.

    “He’ll always be my loved one,” Judd, 45, tells the magazine. “Even before our wedding, we agreed not to tell people about our relationship, but to show them instead. What we’re showing them now is we’re human, we’re family, and this is what family looks like.”

    The couple separated in January 2013 after eleven years of marriage. In October, however, she was by his side after he suffered serious injuries in an accident at the Grand Prix of Houston. A source told Us Weekly later that same month that they planned to “give it another try” once he recovered.

    The accident involving Franchitti, the four-time IndyCar champion, caused him to suffer two broken vertebrae, a fractured right ankle and a concussion. The frightening crash found his car airborne into the catchfence during Houston Grand Prix, Sunday, October 6, 2013.

    Debris from his car vaulted into the stands, injuring 13 fans and an IndyCar Series official, according to the Associated Press.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ashley Judd Talks Split With Husband

    It’s been almost a year that Ashley Judd announced her separation from her race car driving hubby Dario Franchitti, but it’s clear the two are still close friends. And by the way it sounds, it’s possible they’re just taking a break, instead of getting an actual divorce.

    In an interview with Ladies Home Journal, the 45 year old said what her and Franchitti are going through is pretty normal and even though they’re currently separated they still care for each other deeply.

    In addition, Judd says she doesn’t feel a need to discuss either her marriage or her separation with others, nor does she have a desire to pretend that her life is perfect.

    “He’ll always be my loved one,” she said of her estranged husband. “Even before our wedding, we agreed not to tell people about our relationship, but to show them instead. What we’re showing them now is we’re human, we’re family and this is what family looks like.”

    And never to be one to hold her tongue, Judd also spoke out against photographers using Photoshop on women. She says it takes away their actual beauty and turns them into something fake.

    “It distorts images of women,” she said. “Trees turn colors and lose their leaves. That’s what they’re supposed to do, just like women are supposed to have their own seasons of life.”

    The actress also spoke a little about her teenage years and said she struggled to find herself, and believes it’s difficult for some young people to find that one person to offer encouragement or tell them they’re wonderful, and the character she plays in the highly anticipated film Divergent goes through something similar.

    “I play a woman who doesn’t fit with the group she was born into,” says Judd. “The film is really about the greatest fundamental human longing, which is to belong. But it’s also about that opposing desire to be an individual.

    “Adolesence was exceedingly difficult for me….Only when I got into therapy and started to understand what neglect looked like was I able to ask, ‘Where were the teachers? Where was everybody?’”

    Image via YouTube

  • Dario Franchitti Replaced by Alex Tagliani in Finale

    Scottish IndyCar Series driver Dario Franchitti has had quite a week. In an abrupt turn of events, Franchitti went from the race track at Houston’s Reliant Park to Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center. Now, he’s being replaced by Alex Tagliani in the upcoming IndyCar season finale.

    Target Chip Ganassi announced on Wednesday that veteran IndyCar driver, Alex Tagliani would replace Franchitti in the season finale at Fontana, USA Today reported.

    Tagliani released an official statement in wake of the recent changes to the season finale line-up. “As a driver you never want an opportunity like this to come under these circumstances, but I’m up for the challenge and looking forward to working with my friend Scott and the whole Target team,” said Tagliani.

    Tagliani also sent well wishes to Franchitti and posted a picture of him on Twitter as he was discharged from the hospital. The tweet made a light-hearted reference to Franchitti’s injury and his dogs that were photographed with him.
    https://twitter.com/tagliani/statuses/388398380461740032

    For those who aren’t aware of how the turn of events took place, here’s the gist: On Sunday, Franchitti was involved in a serious auto crash that occurred during the IndyCar series at Reliant Park in Houston, TX. During the race, the left side of Franchitti’s car made contact with Takuma Sato’s.

    The impact sent the front end of Franchitti’s car airborne, crashing into the catch-fence. Debris from the fence and Franchitti’s car flew into one of the grandstands, hitting several fans and spectators. A total of 14 people, which was comprised of 13 fans and an IndyCar official, were hurt as a result of the accident.

    The four-time IndyCar champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was placed on a stretched and taken by ambulance to the Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center. It was later revealed that Franchitti suffered two spinal fracture, a broken ankle, and a concussion.

    However, Franchitti has maintained high spirits. Franchitti took time to issue a short statement via Twitter. He shared his concern for the injured spectators and thanked the fans for their support.

     
    Image via Twitter | Dario Franchitti

  • Ashley Judd Comforts Husband After Horrific Crash Despite Separation

    Ashley Judd Comforts Husband After Horrific Crash Despite Separation

    Ashley Judd and her husband, Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, may have announced their separation earlier this year, but that didn’t stop her from running to his side in the hospital after a horrific crash on Sunday during the Grand Prix in Houston.

    Franchitti went airborne during the race and hit a fence, leading to a broken ankle, a concussion, and two fractured vertebrae. With the news that her husband had broken his back, Judd left immediately for Texas, keeping her fans updated along the way. Many are now wondering if the two are headed for a reconciliation after announcing their separation in January. The pair said the split was mutual and amicable, but neither have filed for divorce officially.

    “We have mutually decided to end our marriage. We’ll always be family and continue to cherish our relationship based on the special love, integrity, and respect we have always enjoyed,” the couple said in a statement.

    The crash also injured 14 people in the crowd after debris from the car flew into the air; Franchitti took to social media on Sunday to thank fans for the well wishes and to express concern for those who were injured.

    Image: Fox Sports

  • Dario Franchitti Hospitalized in Houston Race

    An airborne crash during an Indy car race in Houston has left 13 spectators injured and driver Dario Franchitti in fair condition. Franchitti was driving the car that crashed and he is apparently awake and alert at Memorial Hermann hospital where he will be held overnight. Most of the other injured parties were treated at the scene, a few were transported to the hospital. One series official was also hospitalized.

    The crash happened in the final lap of the Grand Prix of Houston (pre-crash footage of the opening and Franchitti above). Japanese driver Takuma Sato’s car bumped Franchitti’s, launching Franchitti into the air and into the protective fencing around the track, spinning, shearing off part of a side and spewing fragments toward the grandstands. As of the latest report, crews were removing the wreckage and clearing the scene.

    Jenna Fryer of Associated Press tweeted on Franchitti’s status at around 6pm (ET):

    Younger brother, Marino Franchitti, tweeted that he was en route to his brother:

    Will Power won the race, Scott Dixon, Franchitti’s teammate, coming in second, but neither celebrated. According to reports, both had to drive through the refuse from the crash and past Franchitti who was still inside the car waiting for medics.

    Power reported that the scene reminded him of the Las Vegas 2011 accident when Dan Wheldon was killed and Power broke his back. “I just saw Dario’s car and him sitting in it with a lot of damage, and yes, that’s what it reminded me of,” Power said, “I hate seeing that. We try to keep these cars on the ground.”

    Franchitti is closing this year having split from wife of 11 years, Ashley Judd. He is a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and holder of Indycar’s top prize in 2012, 2010 and 2007.

    [Image and Video via YouTube.]

  • Ashley Judd Splits From Husband Of 11 Years

    Ashley Judd has announced that she and racecar-driver hubby Dario Franchitti are divorcing after eleven years of marriage.

    The couple married in 2001 and Judd has been a supportive presence during Franchitti’s career, cheering him on at the dangerous races where he made his living. Indeed, the news comes as something of a surprise to Judd’s fans, as there has been no sign of trouble for the star’s marriage. But the two said in a joint statement that the split is amicable.

    “We’ll always be family and continue to cherish our relationship based on the special love, integrity, and respect we have always enjoyed,” the statement read.

    Of course, this may factor into Judd’s decision on whether or not to pursue a career in the Kentucky Senate; the actress has spoken a bit about it and seems anxious to prove she has what it takes to be a leader for the state she grew up in.

    “I am incredibly honored and frankly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support — that the people of Kentucky are interested in having me represent them is the greatest honor of my life so far, and I am certainly taking a close look at it,” Judd said recently. “The people of Kentucky need a fighter and certainly going back 10 generations, I’ve got some fighters from those hills in my family and as soon as I know anything — after I’ve told the family members to whom I’ve made my promises that they’ll be the first to know — you will be up to date in real time.”

  • Ashley Judd Celebrates Husband Dario Franchitti’s Indy Win

    Ashley Judd’s husband Dario Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, making it the third time the talented driver has seen the checkered flag wave as he crossed the finish line. Of course, Judd, who is easily Franchitti’s biggest fan, knew her spouse would come out on top. Before the race began, Judd reportedly whispered in her husband’s ear, “I’ll see you in Victory Lane.” 500 laps later, her prediction had come true.

    Not only does Franchitti have the honor of being only the tenth driver to win the popular race three times, he also gets to bring home $2.4 million for finishing in the top spot. Not bad for a hard day’s work, especially when you’ve got Ashley Judd on your arm, as well. To celebrate Franchitti’s achievement, the couple took a victory lap around the track in one of the open-top pace cars.

    However, Franchitti’s victory was almost derailed during the last lap by driver Takuma Sato. In a daring move, Sato attempted to pass Franchitti, only to crash his car into the wall as a result. Naturally, the Japanese wheelman seemed to blame his opponent for the wreck, claiming Franchitti didn’t move up to give him room.

    Here’s a look at the incident in question:

    Joining the couple for their celebratory lap was Susie Wheldon, wife of Franchitti’s close friend Dan Wheldon, who died last October in a crash on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “What a race, what a race! I think D-dub [Dan Wheldon] would be proud of that one. I just want to dedicate this to two of Indianapolis’ finest, Dan Wheldon and Michael Wanser [son of Barry Wanser of Target/Chip Ganassi Racing]. Thanks to all of the Indianapolis fans for their tribute to Dan today,” Franchitti said after the race.

    Judd and Franchitti met at a wedding for actor-turned-race car driver Jason Priestley. According to People, the two had no idea they were being set up by their friends. After the event, all Franchitti could talk about was the lovely lass he’d met. Judd, meanwhile, was quite giddy herself, reportedly spending several long hours on the phone with her new beau. The pair were married at Skibo Castle near Dornoch, Scotland in 2001.

    (image)

    What do the folks who labor furiously over each and every Twitter post think about Ashley Judd, Dario Franchitti, and his win at this year’s Indianapolis 500? You can find a small collection of reactions to the news below.

    (image) ashley judd
    @AshleyJudd     Thanks, everyone, for the good wishes & congragulations. Your enthusiasm in celebrating w/ @dariofranchitti has made it even more special!
    5 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
     Reply  · Retweet  · Favorite

    (image) David Alan Grier
    @davidalangrier     So, who won the Indy 500 again? Was it Ashley Judd or her husband Dario Franchitti?
    28 minutes ago via Echofon · powered by @socialditto
     Reply  · Retweet  · Favorite

    (image) Keith Huewen
    @KeithHuewen     Emotional #Indy500 stat for @dariofranchitti – The only other driver to win from 16th on the grid? His friend Dan Wheldon 2005 #lionheart
    18 hours ago via Twitter for Android · powered by @socialditto
     Reply  · Retweet  · Favorite

    (image) Frank Warren III
    @FrankWarrenIII     Pretty awesome Indy 500. Great win for Dario Franchitti, and courageous try by Sato.
    19 minutes ago via HTC Peep · powered by @socialditto
     Reply  · Retweet  · Favorite

    (image) Jeremy Lord
    @jeremy_lord     Many congratulations to former British F3 drivers Mark Webber & Dario Franchitti on winning two of the most prestigious races in the world.
    35 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
     Reply  · Retweet  · Favorite