Dario Franchitti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dario FranchittiMBE |
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Franchitti in 2015
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| Nationality |  British |
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| Born | 19 May 1973 Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland |
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| Championship titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 IndyCar Series Champion 2007, 2010, 2012 Indianapolis 500 Winner |
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| Awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 McLaren Autosport Award 2001 Greg Moore Legacy Award 2017 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame inductee 2009 BRDC Gold Star 2019 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee |
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George Dario Marino Franchitti is a British former race car driver and current TV commentator from Scotland. He was born on May 19, 1973. Dario is famous for winning the IndyCar Series championship four times: in 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011. He also won the famous Indianapolis 500 race three times: in 2007, 2010, and 2012. In 2008, he won the 2008 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race.
Dario started kart racing when he was 10 years old. He quickly became very good at it. At 17, he moved on to racing cars. He won championships in 1991 and 1993. Later, he raced in touring car championships in Germany, winning two races. In 1997, Dario joined the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series. He finished second in the 1999 season, even though he tied for points.
In 2003, Dario joined the Indy Racing League (IRL). An injury kept him from racing much that year. He won two races in 2004 and 2005. In 2007, he won his first IndyCar championship and his first Indianapolis 500. After a short time in NASCAR, he returned to IndyCar in 2009. He then won three championships in a row from 2009 to 2011. He also won the Indianapolis 500 again in 2010.
In 2012, Dario won his third Indianapolis 500. His racing career ended in 2013 after a serious crash. He suffered broken bones and a concussion. After retiring, Dario became an advisor and coach for a racing team. He also works as a TV commentator for Formula E races. He has been honored in several Halls of Fame for his amazing career.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Dario Franchitti was born in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, on May 19, 1973. His mother, Marina, worked for a tourist board. His father, George, owned an ice-cream shop and was an amateur race car driver. Dario's family has Italian roots. Three of his grandparents came from Cassino, Italy.
Dario has a younger brother, Marino, who is also a racing driver. His cousin, Paul di Resta, and his godson, Sebastian Melrose, also race cars. When Dario was eight, his family moved to Whitburn. He went to a private school in Edinburgh but found it too traditional.
Junior Racing Career
Dario received a Honda-powered go-kart when he was three. He dreamed of becoming a race car driver after his father took him to kart tracks. He started kart racing at age ten. His first race ended early because of engine problems. He raced at the West of Scotland Kart Club and other tracks.
In 1984, at age 11, Dario won the Scottish Junior Championship. He also won the British Junior Karting Championships in 1985 and 1986. By 1988, he won the Scottish Senior Championship. Overall, Dario won over 100 races and 20 karting titles.
In 1990, at 17, Dario started racing single-seater cars. His father even remortgaged their home to help pay for his racing. Dario won the Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship that year. He had four victories and three podium finishes.
A racing team, Paul Stewart Racing (PSR), noticed Dario's talent. The team owner, Jackie Stewart, helped Dario find sponsors. Stewart also became Dario's coach. Dario finished fourth in the 1992 Formula Vauxhall Lotus Championship. He later won the Autosport BRDC Award. This award included a test drive in a Formula One (F1) car.
In 1993, Dario became a racing school instructor. He also won the Formula Vauxhall Lotus Championship. He had six wins and four podium finishes. He was named the series' Driver of the Year. In 1994, Dario raced in the British Formula Three (F3) Championship. He finished fourth overall with one victory.
Touring Car Racing
Dario did not have enough money to move up to Formula 3000. Instead, Mercedes-Benz signed him to their junior team. He raced in the German-based Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) and the International Touring Car Championship (ITC). Dario drove a Mercedes C-Class V6.
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In 1995, Dario finished fifth in the DTM championship. He had two pole positions and four podium finishes. In the ITC season, he won his first touring car race at Mugello. He finished third in the championship. In 1996, he stayed with AMG-Mercedes. He finished fourth in the ITC championship and won a race at Suzuka.
American Open-Wheel Racing
Early CART Years (1997–1999)
In late 1996, Dario decided to race in the US-based Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series. He joined Hogan Racing for the 1997 season. Dario had his best result, ninth place, at the 1997 Sunbelt IndyCarnival. He also earned his first CART pole position at the Molson Indy Toronto. Hogan Racing let him go before the last race. Dario finished 22nd in points.
In 1998, Dario joined Team Green. He had six top-ten finishes, including a second place at Long Beach. He won his first CART race at the Texaco/Havoline 200. This was the first Champ Car win for a Scottish driver since Jim Clark in 1965. He won two more races that year. Dario finished third overall in the championship.
For the 1999 CART season, Dario stayed with Team Green. He won the Molson Indy Toronto and the ITT Automotive Detroit Grand Prix. He took the championship lead from Juan Pablo Montoya. Dario won the second-to-last race of the season. He went into the final race with a nine-point lead. However, he finished tenth, and Montoya finished fourth. They ended up with the same points, but Montoya won the championship because he had more wins.
Later CART Years (2000–2002)
Before the 2000 CART season, Dario had a crash during testing. He broke his hip and pelvis and had minor brain injuries. This accident affected his focus and memory. He worked hard in physical therapy to recover. His performance was not as strong that year. He finished second twice and had two pole positions. Dario ended the season 13th in points.
Dario stayed with Team Green for the 2001 season. He won his seventh career CART race at the Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland. He finished second in two other races. Dario ended the season seventh in the championship.
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In 2002, Dario continued with Team Green. He finished second at the first race of the season. He also had three third-place finishes. Dario won his first race of the season at the Molson Indy Vancouver. He won again at the Molson Indy Montreal. His only CART oval track victory came at the Sure for Men Rockingham 500. Dario finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship.
IndyCar Series and NASCAR
Early IndyCar Years (2002–2008)
Dario first raced in the Indy Racing League (IRL) in the 2002 season. He drove for Team Green in the Indianapolis 500. He finished 19th after a tire problem.
In 2003, Dario moved to the IRL full-time with Andretti Green Racing (AGR). He had to change his driving style for the new cars. In April, he broke bones in his back in a motorbike accident. This limited him to only three races that year.
Dario stayed with AGR for the 2004 season. He won his first IndyCar race at the Menards A. J. Foyt 225. He won a second race at Pikes Peak. He finished sixth in the championship.
In 2005, Dario continued with AGR. He won two races that year: the Firestone Indy 200 and the Toyota Indy 400. He finished fourth overall in points.
Dario almost left racing after the 2005 season. But he decided to stay with AGR for the 2006 season. He had a pole position at St. Petersburg but crashed out of the race. He finished seventh in the Indianapolis 500. Dario suffered a concussion in a vintage car accident later that year. He finished eighth in the points standings.
The 2007 season was a big year for Dario. He won the Indianapolis 500, becoming the first Scottish winner since Jim Clark in 1965. He also won two more races in a row. Dario won his first IndyCar championship in the final race of the season.
After his championship, Dario decided to try NASCAR. He joined Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) for 2008. He raced in some lower NASCAR series to get used to stock cars. He made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the 2008 Daytona 500. He raced in 10 Sprint Cup races but struggled with the new cars. His team was eventually closed down due to lack of sponsorship.
IndyCar Comeback and Championships (2009–2013)
Dario decided to return to IndyCar in 2009. He signed a multi-year contract with CGR. He won his second race back at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He won three more races that year, including the Honda Indy Toronto. Dario won his second IndyCar championship in the final race of the season.
In the 2010 season, Dario continued to defend his title with CGR. He won his second Indianapolis 500. He also won two more races. Dario won his third IndyCar championship in a row.
Dario rejoined CGR for the 2011 season. He won the first race of the year at St. Petersburg. He also won the first of the Firestone Twin 275s and the Milwaukee 225. He won the Honda Indy Toronto again. Dario won his fourth IndyCar championship after the final race was stopped due to a tragic accident.
Dario raced for CGR in the 2012 season. He found it hard to get used to the new car at first. His only win that year was his third Indianapolis 500 victory. He finished seventh in the championship.
In the 2013 season, Dario had some tough races early on. He earned pole position at Long Beach and finished fourth. He had ten more top-ten finishes and three third-place finishes. Dario was tenth in the final championship standings.
Career-Ending Accident
On October 6, 2013, Dario had a very serious crash at the 2013 Shell-Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston. His car hit another car and then crashed into a safety fence. Debris from the crash went into the stands, injuring some fans. Dario's car spun many times before stopping.
Dario suffered a concussion, two broken bones in his spine, and a broken ankle. He had surgery to fix his ankle. Doctors told him that his injuries meant he should stop racing. They warned that another big crash could cause permanent paralysis or brain damage. Dario's memory and focus have been affected by the crash.
Since 2014, Dario has worked for CGR as an advisor and driver-coach. He helps the team's drivers and engineers. He decided not to become a team owner because of the financial risks.
Other Racing and Ventures
Dario has also raced in other types of events. He competed in endurance races like the 2005 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2007, he won the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) category at the 2007 12 Hours of Sebring.
In 2008, Dario won the 2008 24 Hours of Daytona with his teammates. He also raced in the 2010 Armor All Gold Coast 600 in Australia. He continued to race in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2011 and 2012.
Dario had plans to race in the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans and the all-electric Formula E series. However, his career-ending injuries in 2013 stopped these plans. Doctors have medically cleared him to enter amateur classic car events since 2019.
Life Outside Racing
Dario has worked with the Dutch watch brand TW Steel since 2010. He has also volunteered for charities. He helped the Bethany Christian Trust by delivering food to homeless people. He also supports Mission Motorsport, which helps former military personnel.
Dario has appeared on American TV shows like Late Show with David Letterman. He had a small role as a racing driver in the 2001 film Driven. He also voiced characters and gave technical advice for the 2013 animated film Turbo. Since 2014, he has been a TV commentator for Formula E races. In 2019, he co-hosted a TV show called Mission Ignition. He also helps design high-performance cars for Acura and Gordon Murray Automotive.
Dario was part of a group of CART drivers called the "Brat Pack." They enjoyed spending time together and talking about life. Dario met actress Ashley Judd in 1999. They got married in 2001 and divorced in 2013. They are still friends. Dario has since married Eleanor Robb, and they have two children.
Awards and Honors
Dario Franchitti has received many awards for his racing. He won the Autosport British Club Driver of the Year in 1993. He also won the Autosport British Competition Driver of the Year in 1998 and 2010. In 2001, he received the Greg Moore Legacy Award.
In 2007, Dario was named the BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year. He also received the Gregor Grant Award and the Jackie Stewart Medal. In 2009, he won the BRDC Gold Star.
A photographic portrait of Dario from 2010 is held at the Scottish National Gallery. In 2014, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to motor racing. Dario has been inducted into several Halls of Fame:
- Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame (2014)
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame (2017)
- Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2019)
- Scottish Sports Hall of Fame (2022)
- Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame (2023)
Images for kids
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Dario Franchiiti, Thruton British F3 1994
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Franchitti competing in the 1995 International Touring Car Series round at Donington Park
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Franchitti racing for Team Green in the 2002 Sure for Men Rockingham 500
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Franchitti after qualifying for the 2006 Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead–Miami Speedway
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Franchitti practising for the 2007 Indianapolis 500
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Franchitti driving the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Charger in the 2007 Ford 300
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Franchitti driving in the 2008 Daytona 500
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Franchitti celebrating his victory in the 2009 Honda Indy Toronto
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Franchitti during qualifying for the 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma
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Franchitti competing in the 2011 Indy Japan: The Final
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Franchitti at the 2012 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
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The No. 1 Riley-Lexus Franchitti shared with Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas to win the 2008 24 Hours of Daytona.
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Franchitti in the pit lane of the Silverstone Circuit at the 2014 British Grand Prix.
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Franchitti en route to winning the 2007 Indianapolis 500
See also
In Spanish: Dario Franchitti para niños
