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Tag: IndyCar

  • 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 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.]

  • Tony Kanaan Leaving KV Racing, Joining Chip Ganassi

    2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan is switching teams.

    The Brazilian race car driver is leaving KV Racing after this season and joining Chip Ganassi Racing. Kanaan’s contract with KV Racing expires this year.

    According to a couple of people familiar with Kanaan’s plan to move, he is currently finalizing a deal with Ganassi. The move has not yet been announced.

    But maybe a move isn’t actually happening. Kanaan said, “I don’t have a deal.” He added that he has spoken with multiple IndyCar team owners, but none have offered him a deal.

    The Ganassi team already includes Indianapolis 500 winners Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti, as well as Charlie Kimball. Something else Kanaan has in common with Dixon and Franchitti is winning the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship. Kanaan won the IndyCar in 2004.

    Kanaan would like to keep his KV Racing team together, but the economic hardships in IndyCar may make it difficult.

    KV Racing’s Jimmy Vasser said, “We have an offer in front of him to return (to KV Racing Technology). We’ve actually had two offers to him in the past two weeks because we sweetened the second one up. We’re on the road to signing, and he doesn’t have to bring any money. I’m proud of the offer; it’s a pretty solid deal, and for two years.”

    Though he admitted these deals have been offered, Kanaan hasn’t received any documents from KV Racing to sign.

    For 17 seasons, Kanaan has been racing in American open-wheel, spending the last 12 with IndyCar.

    It seems the 16-time race winner is looking to avoid a similar situation from his past which left him without sponsorship when he was with Andretti Autosport three years ago. Before the 2011 season a last-minute deal had to be put together.

    Leaving KV Racing may have been on Kanaan’s mind for a while. In early September he had an informal meeting with Joe Gibbs Racing, saying he wouldn’t rule out a move to NASCAR.

    The move to Ganassi won’t be new to Kanaan, who raced for them in the Grand-AM race in Indianapolis this past summer. However, at that time, he said he was just doing the team a favor, denying any future move to Ganassi.

    You can watch highlights of Kanaan’s Indy 500 victory in the video below.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El8na4bUduE

    By the way, is it just me or does Kanaan look like Vin Diesel?

    [Kanaan and Diesel images via YouTube.}

    [Image via Kanaan’s Twitter.]

  • Dan Wheldon Remembered By IndyCar Sponsor Bob Parsons

    On Sunday, the sports world was hit with the tragic loss of IndyCar champion Dan Wheldon. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner died after a massive 15-car crash at the Indy 300 race in Las Vegas. He was 33.

    Wheldon, who was born in England, was one of the sport’s young stars, and his death hit the racing community pretty hard. The wreck that cost Wheldon his life happened quite early in the race, and after the other drivers and owners learned of his death, they all decided to cancel the remaining lap and hold an on-track tribute to Wheldon.

    They circled the track 5 times while Wheldon’s number, 77, was displayed on the scoreboard.

    Bob Parsons, CEO of GoDaddy.com and race sponsor, issued a statement on the passing of Dan Wheldon:

    GoDaddy.com“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dan Wheldon’s family and friends on this sad, sad day. All of us in the IndyCar Series family feel an unexplainable sense of loss. Not just for the sport, but for all who knew Dan Wheldon. Dan was a family man, a father, a husband, a son and a brother. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner was also a competitor and a colleague … our deepest condolences go out to all who knew Dan.”

    – Bob Parsons
    Go Daddy CEO & Founder 13 hours ago · 340 likes · 37 comments

    Parsons and GoDaddy (along with Verizon) were sponsoring an IndyCar Challenge taking place at Sunday’s race. They offered to pay any driver who could start the race in last place and finish in first place $5 million. Wheldon stepped up to that plate and was prepared to split his winnings with a New Jersey woman, chosen via random drawing.