Big-name driver Dario Franchitti on Tuesday announced that he would rejoin the Indy Racing League next year after a failed attempt to find his niche in NASCAR.
This undoubtedly is a big win for America’s unified open-wheel series, but not necessarily a loss for NASCAR. There aren’t enough drivers of Franchitti’s caliber in the IRL, and too many in the Sprint Cup Series.
Perhaps Franchitti’s move will influence other former open-wheel stars like Sam Hornish Jr., A.J. Allmendinger and Jacques Villeneuve to return to their roots and help rebuild American open-wheel racing.
Franchitti, the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and IRL champion, will replace Dan Wheldon for Chip Ganassi Racing next year. Franchitti drove for Ganassi this year in NASCAR, qualifying for 10 races until the team folded because of poor results and lack of sponsorship.
Ganassi driver Scott Dixon is the IRL’s points leader with a series-most six wins, including this year’s Indy 500. Wheldon is fourth with two wins.
Combined, the Ganassi duo has captured half of the IRL’s 16 races.
“Part of the reason that I signed with Ganassi last year was because of how many options that Chip has at his disposal for a driver,” Franchitti said in a release. “You can do almost any form of racing that you want. With unification and the new schedule having more road and street courses, it made me think about this more and more.”
Franchitti has 180 starts in 10 years of competing in Champ Car and the IRL, with 18 wins and 95 top-10 finishes.
“I have always admired his competitive spirit when he raced against us and have really grown to see more of what he is about this season while he raced in NASCAR,” Ganassi said of Franchitti. “When there was a possibility of an opening on our (IRL) team, the only person I thought about was Dario. This is going to be a great move for Dario and for our team.”
In a related move, Wheldon signed on with Panther Racing.
Playoffs picture.
Fourteen Sprint Cup drivers remain eligible for the playoffs heading into this weekend’s regular-season finale at Richmond, Va.
Five drivers — Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton — have clinched spots in the 12-car, 10-race Chase, and Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick will qualify by simply starting Saturday’s race.
Here’s where the seven others must finish — at a minimum and without other finishes factored in — to make the field:
• Tony Stewart: 36th or better.
• Matt Kenseth: 26th or better.
• Jeff Gordon: 24th or better.
• Denny Hamlin: 21st or better.
• Clint Bowyer: win.
• David Ragan: win and lead the most laps.
• Kasey Kahne: no guarantee.
