Dario Franchitti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dario FranchittiMBE |
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Franchitti in 2015
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| Nationality |  Scottish |
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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 MBE (born May 19, 1973) is a Scottish motorsport commentator and former race car driver. He is known 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 24 Hours of Daytona race. Dario raced for teams like Andretti Green Racing (AGR) and Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR).
Dario started kart racing when he was 10 years old. He quickly became successful. At 17, he moved on to car racing. He won championships in 1991 and 1993. In 1995 and 1996, he raced in touring car series in Germany. He won two races there. Dario joined Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in 1997. The next year, he finished third in the championship with three wins. In 1999, he tied for first place in points but finished second overall. Over the next three years, he won four more races.
In 2003, Dario joined the IndyCar Series with the renamed AGR team. An injury limited his races that year. He won two races in 2004 and 2005. He finished fourth and sixth in the overall standings. Dario won his first IndyCar championship in 2007. He had four wins, including his first Indianapolis 500 victory. After this, he joined CGR for a NASCAR program. In 2009, he returned to IndyCar. He won three championships in a row from 2009 to 2011. He also won 12 more races, including the 2010 Indianapolis 500.
In 2012, Dario found it hard to get used to a new car. But he still won his third Indianapolis 500. In 2013, he had a big crash in a race. He broke his back and ankle and had a concussion. This crash ended his racing career.
Dario raced in 265 American open-wheel car racing events. He won 31 races and finished on the podium 92 times. After retiring, Dario became an advisor and coach for CGR. He also works as a commentator for the Formula E racing series. He has been honored in several Halls of Fame. These include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame. He was also named the 2007 BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year.
Contents
Dario's Early Life and Family
Dario Franchitti was born in Bathgate, Scotland, on May 19, 1973. His mother, Marina, worked for the Tourist Board. His father, George, owned an ice-cream shop and was an amateur racer. Dario's family has Italian roots. His younger brother, Marino, is also a racing driver. His cousin Paul di Resta and godson Sebastian Melrose also race.
When Dario was eight, his family moved to Whitburn. He went to Stewart's Melville College in Edinburgh. He didn't like the school's old-fashioned ways. He also didn't enjoy the focus on cricket and rugby union for fitness.
Starting His Racing Journey
Dario got a go-kart when he was three years old. He wanted to be a racing driver after his father took him to kart tracks. He started kart racing at age ten. His first race ended quickly because of engine trouble. He raced at clubs in Scotland. In 1984, at age 11, he won the Scottish Junior Championship. He also won the British Junior Karting Championships in 1985 and 1986. In 1987, he crashed out of the Karting World Championship final. In 1988, he won the Scottish Senior Championship. He was runner-up in the 1989 British Senior Karting Championship. Overall, Dario won over 100 races and 20 karting titles.
In 1990, racing driver David Leslie's father suggested Dario join Leslie's team. Dario would work on cars and race. At 17, Dario started racing a single-seater car. His father had to mortgage their home to pay for it. Dario won the championship with four wins. He also had three podium finishes. Paul Stewart Racing (PSR) offered Dario a test. Team owner Jackie Stewart promised to find sponsors for him. Stewart became Dario's coach. He taught him to race faster and more consistently. In 1992, Dario finished fourth in the Formula Vauxhall Lotus Championship. He had many second and third-place finishes. Later that year, he won the £20,000 Autosport BRDC Award. This included a test in a Formula One (F1) car.
The next year, Dario taught at a racing school. He also ran circuit days for car companies. He returned to the Formula Vauxhall Lotus Championship. He won the championship with three races left. Dario had six wins and four podium finishes. He was named the series' Driver of the Year. He also raced in the British Formula Three (F3) Championship. He finished fifth in one race. In 1994, Stewart moved Dario to the British F3 Championship. Dario finished fourth overall with one win and six top-three finishes.
Touring Car Racing Adventures
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Dario didn't have enough money for the next step in open-wheel racing. So, Mercedes-Benz signed him to their junior team. He would race in the German-based Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) and International Touring Car Championship (ITC). Dario drove a Mercedes C-Class V6 for the AMG-Mercedes team.
In 1995, Dario raced in both DTM and ITC. In DTM, he finished fifth overall. He had two pole positions and four podium finishes. In the ITC season, Dario won his first touring car race at Mugello. He finished second twice at Donington Park. He also came third at Estoril. He finished third in the ITC championship. In 1996, he stayed with AMG-Mercedes. He finished fourth in the championship. He had five podium finishes and won a race at Suzuka.
CART Racing Years
Starting in CART (1997–1999)
In late 1996, Dario wanted to race in the US-based Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). He joined Hogan Racing for the 1997 season. Dario turned down an offer from McLaren to test their F1 cars. He wanted to focus on CART.
Dario's first CART race was in Miami. He crashed after going wide. In the next race, he finished ninth. He scored points in three more races. He got his first CART pole position in Toronto. Before the last race, Hogan Racing let Dario go. This was because Dario was joining Team Green for the next season. Dario finished 22nd in the championship.
In late 1997, Dario signed with Team Green. He impressed the team owner, Barry Green. In 1998, Dario had six top-ten finishes. He was second at Long Beach. He also got pole position at Rio, Toronto, and Mid-Ohio. At Road America, Dario won his first CART race. It was the first CART win for a Scottish driver since Jim Clark in 1965. Three weeks later, Dario won in Vancouver. He started from pole position. He then won in Houston, leading every lap. Dario finished third overall in 1998.
Before the 1999 season, Dario signed a new contract with Team Green. He turned down an F1 offer to stay in CART. He had seven top-ten finishes in the first ten races. He won in Toronto and took the championship lead. He won in Detroit two races later. Over the next five races, he had four top-ten finishes and a pole position. He won the second-to-last race in Australia. He entered the final race nine points ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya. Dario finished tenth, and Montoya finished fourth. They tied on points, but Montoya won the championship. This was because he had won more races (seven to Dario's three).
Later CART Seasons (2000–2002)
Before the 2000 season, Dario had a crash during testing. He broke his hip and pelvis. He also had minor brain injuries. This affected his focus, balance, and memory. He had physical therapy to recover. His performance was not as good that year. He finished second twice, at Motegi and Vancouver. He also had two pole positions and six more top-ten finishes. Dario was 13th in the championship.
Team Green kept Dario for the 2001 season. He had six top-ten finishes in the first eight races. He was second in Detroit. At Cleveland, Dario started 14th. He passed the leader to win his seventh CART race. His results were not as good for the rest of the season. He had four top-ten finishes and two second-place finishes. Dario finished seventh in the championship.
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Dario signed another contract with Team Green for 2002. He finished second in the first race in Mexico. He had three third-place finishes. He started from pole position in Chicago. Dario won in Vancouver and Montreal. He also won the Rockingham 500 in the UK. This was his only CART win on an oval track. Dario finished in the top ten in the last four races. He placed fourth in the championship.
IndyCar and Stock Car Racing
Early IndyCar Years (2002–2004)
Dario first raced in the Indy Racing League (IRL) in 2002. He drove for Team Green in the Indianapolis 500. He started 28th and finished 19th.
Dario moved to the IRL full-time in 2003. He joined the renamed Andretti Green Racing (AGR) team. He changed his driving style for the new cars. After two races, he broke his back in a motorbike accident. He missed several races. He finished fourth in one race, his best that year. He then needed surgery and missed the rest of the season.
Dario stayed with AGR for 2004. He crashed in the first two races. He then had a top-ten finish in Japan. He got his first IndyCar pole position in Texas. He finished second in that race. Four races later, he won his first IndyCar event in Milwaukee. He led 111 laps. Three races later, he won again in Colorado. For the rest of the season, he finished no higher than third. He placed sixth in the championship.
Championship Wins (2005–2008)
Dario continued with AGR in 2005. He finished second in Richmond. This was his best result in the first nine races. His first win of 2005 was in Nashville. He passed another driver with seven laps left. He had two more podium finishes. He was second in Milwaukee and third at Watkins Glen. In the last race, he started from pole position. He won in California, his second win of the season. Dario finished fourth overall.
Dario almost left racing after 2005. But he signed a new contract with AGR for 2006. His performance dropped. Other teams became stronger. He got pole position in St. Petersburg. But he crashed out of the race. He finished seventh in the Indianapolis 500. His best finish in the last eight races was second. Before the last race, he had a concussion in a vintage car accident. He missed the final race. He finished eighth in points.
Dario stayed with AGR for the 2007 season. He started the year with good finishes. He had podiums in Japan and Kansas. His biggest moment was winning the Indianapolis 500. Rain ended the race early. He was the first Scottish winner since Jim Clark in 1965. He then won two races in a row. He won in Iowa and Richmond. He got two more pole positions. He had four top-three finishes. He went into the last race three points ahead of Scott Dixon. Dario won the race and his first IndyCar championship. Dixon's car ran out of fuel on the last lap.
Dario thought about joining NASCAR. He talked with Chip Ganassi and Richard Childress. He replaced another driver at CGR for 2008. This upset AGR. Dario started a stock-car training program. He raced in ARCA and Busch Series events. He made his stock-car debut in Alabama. He finished 17th. Two weeks later, he raced in the Craftsman Truck Series. He finished 33rd after an accident.
In the 2007 Busch Series, Dario raced four times. His best start was third. His best finish was 25th. In the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, he raced 10 times. His best finish was 22nd. His team struggled with sponsorship. His Sprint Cup Series team was closed down in July 2008.
In early 2008, Dario raced in the ARCA Re/Max Series. He finished tenth. He raced in 14 Nationwide Series races. He had two top-ten finishes. His best finish was fifth at Watkins Glen. In one race, his tire failed. He had a major accident and broke his ankle. He was replaced by other drivers while he recovered.
Later IndyCar Years and Retirement (2009–2013)
Dario decided to return to IndyCar. He signed a contract with CGR for the 2009 season. He finished fourth in the first race. He then won the Long Beach Grand Prix. He led 51 laps. He finished well in the next three races. He got pole position in Texas. Dario won his second race of 2009 in Iowa. He led the championship after finishing second in Richmond. He won in Toronto from pole position. He had three more top-six finishes. He won his fourth race of 2009 in Sonoma. He was five points behind Dixon before the last race. Dario won the final race from pole position. He won his second championship, 11 points ahead of Dixon.
In 2010, Dario returned to CGR to defend his title. He got pole position in Brazil. He finished seventh. He finished third in Alabama and second in Kansas. Dario qualified third for the Indianapolis 500. He led 155 laps and won his second Indy 500. He had podium finishes in Toronto and Edmonton. He won in Mid-Ohio and Chicago. He was 12 points behind Will Power before the last race. Dario finished eighth and won his third championship. Power had a crash.
For the 2011 championship, Dario rejoined CGR. He started fourth in St. Petersburg. He led 94 laps and won the race. He finished third in Alabama and Long Beach. He then won the first of two races in Texas. He led 110 laps. Dario won in Milwaukee from pole position. This was his third win of the season. He won in Toronto two races later. He had two second-place finishes and one third-place finish. He also got another pole position. Before the last race, Dario led Power by 18 points. The final race was stopped after a big crash. This crash caused the death of another driver, Dan Wheldon. Dario won his fourth championship, his third in a row.
Dario raced for CGR in 2012. He struggled at first with the new car. But he became more competitive. He had two top-ten finishes in the first four races. His only win of the season was the Indianapolis 500. He won it for the third time. Dario was leading on the last lap. Another driver, Takuma Sato, crashed trying to pass him. Dario's performance was not as good for the rest of the season. He had four pole positions but no more wins. He finished seventh in the championship.
Dario stayed at CGR for the 2013 championship. He finished 25th in the first two races due to crashes. He got pole position in Long Beach and finished fourth. He had ten more top-ten finishes. He got pole position three more times. His best finishes were third place in several races. Dario was tenth in the final championship standings.
Career-Ending Accident and New Role
On October 6, 2013, Dario had a serious accident. It happened on the last lap of a race in Houston. His car hit another car and crashed into a fence. The car broke apart. Dario suffered a concussion and two spinal fractures. He also broke his right ankle. He had surgery to fix his ankle. He was released from the hospital later that month. Doctors told Dario his injuries meant he had to stop racing. They warned of risks like paralysis if he crashed again.
Since 2014, Dario has worked for CGR as an advisor and coach. He helps the team's drivers and engineers. He didn't want to own a team because of the financial risks.
Other Racing Experiences
In 1999, Dario planned to race in the Rally GB. But he had to pull out due to a scheduling conflict. In 2000, he tested for the Jaguar F1 team. He made his endurance racing debut in 2005. He raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona. His team finished 33rd. In 2006, he raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona again. His team finished eighth. In 2007, Dario and his teammates won the LMP2 category at the 12 Hours of Sebring. They finished second overall.
Dario won the 2008 24 Hours of Daytona with Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett, and Memo Rojas. They completed 695 laps. In 2009, Dario and his teammates finished fifth in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He also raced in other endurance events. In 2010, he raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona again. His car had mechanical problems.
In 2010, Dario raced in the V8 Supercar Championship Series in Australia. He finished 16th in one race. In 2011 and 2012, he returned to the 24 Hours of Daytona. His team finished second and fourth. In 2012, he finished third overall in another endurance race. In 2013, he was 37th in the 24 Hours of Daytona. But he came third in another race.
Dario had planned to race a Porsche 919 Hybrid in 2015. He also wanted to race in Formula E. But his career-ending injuries stopped these plans. Since 2019, doctors have allowed Dario to race in amateur classic car events.
Life Outside Racing
Dario has worked with the Dutch watch brand TW Steel since 2010. He has volunteered for charities. He delivered food to homeless people in Edinburgh. He also supported a charity for former military personnel. He has appeared on American TV shows.
Dario had a small role as a racing driver in the 2001 film Driven. He also voiced characters in the 2013 animated film Turbo. He helped with technical advice for the film. Since 2014, he has been a commentator for Formula E races. In 2019, he co-hosted a TV show called Mission Ignition. He has also helped design high-performance cars.
Dario was part of a group of CART drivers called the "Brat Pack." They enjoyed going to parties and talking about life. Dario met actor Ashley Judd in 1999. They got married in 2001 in Scotland. They divorced in 2013 but remain friends. He later married Eleanor Robb. They have two children.
Awards and Honors
Dario Franchitti 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. This award is for drivers who show great talent and a good personality. In 2007, he won the BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year. He also received other awards that year.
Dario was one of two winners of the BRDC Gold Star in 2009. A photo of Dario from 2010 is in the Scottish National Gallery. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2014 for his services to motor racing. Dario has been inducted into several Halls of Fame. These include the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame in 2014. He joined the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2017. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2019. He joined the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. In 2023, he was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.
Dario's Racing Results
American Open-Wheel Racing Summary
| Years | Teams | Races | Poles | Wins | Podiums (Non-win)** |
Top 10s (Non-podium)*** |
Indianapolis 500 wins |
Championships |
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| 11 | 2 | 151 | 23 | 21 | 38 | 50 | 3 (2007, 2010 & 2012) | 4 (2007, 2009, 2010 & 2011) |
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- ** Podium (Non-win) means finishing second or third.
- *** Top 10s (Non-podium) means finishing fourth through tenth.
Indianapolis 500 Results
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Dallara | Chevrolet | 28 | 19 | Team Green |
| 2003 | Dallara | Honda | DNP3 | Andretti Green | |
| 2004 | Dallara | Honda | 3 | 14 | Andretti Green |
| 2005 | Dallara | Honda | 6 | 6 | Andretti Green |
| 2006 | Dallara | Honda | 17 | 7 | Andretti Green |
| 2007 | Dallara | Honda | 3 | 1 | Andretti Green |
| 2009 | Dallara | Honda | 3 | 7 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 2010 | Dallara | Honda | 3 | 1 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 2011 | Dallara | Honda | 9 | 12 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 2012 | Dallara | Honda | 16 | 1 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 2013 | Dallara | Honda | 17 | 23 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
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- 3 Sat out of race due to injury
Images for kids
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Franchitti in 2015
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Franchitti competing in the 1995 International Touring Car Series round at Donington Park
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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 MkXI-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 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
