LEXINGTON, Ohio — Dario Franchitti was preparing for a restart during Sunday’s IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio when a Target Chip Ganassi crew member came over the radio with a little breaking news about friend Juan Pablo Montoya, who drives for Ganassi’s NASCAR team.
“They said something like ‘News flash, Montoya just won at (Watkins Glen), so it’s up to you now,’ ” Franchitti said. “I thought, ‘Oh, God, no pressure now.’ “
None indeed.
Franchitti used two sparkling pit stops to overtake series road warrior Will Power and capture his 25th career open-wheel win, tying him with Gordon Johncock for 12th all time.
It’s a heady milestone, though the two-time Indy 500 winner admits he was just trying to keep his boss, owner Chip Ganassi, happy. It was the second time in three weeks Ganassi cars have won both an IndyCar and NASCAR race on the same day.
“He just works so bloody hard at it, it’s nice to see him get this kind of success,” Franchitti said.
