Dario Franchitti: This week, we’ll examine the season of each of the contenders for the IndyCar Series championship and how they became a title contender.
Shortly after he won the SunTrust Indy Challenge in June, Dario Franchitti was quick to discount predictions that the IndyCar Series championship was already his.
The 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner knew there was plenty of racing left and his 65-point lead wasn’t as insurmountable as was portrayed.
“I said this was going to be a hell of a championship battle, and it is, ” Franchitti said. “We want to win and (Ganassi) wants to win. On the track, we don’t take any prisoners, either team. ”
Franchitti set the tone for the season with four top-five finishes in five starts before winning the 91st Indianapolis 500. He took the point lead the following week at Milwaukee and with back-to-back wins at Iowa and Richmond, built a 65-point lead over Dixon.
But Dixon’s three-race win streak and mistakes that led to finishes of 13th at Michigan and eighth at Kentucky left Franchitti vulnerable.
“I preferred the view from Richmond with a 65-point lead, ” Franchitti said.
As Scott put his tremendous run together, we were second, but he was slowly cutting into our lead. I made a mistake coming into the pits at Kentucky and that allowed Scott to get an advantage. ”
At Infineon, a collision between Franchitti and Marco Andretti in the closing laps at Infineon Raceway cost Franchitti the championship lead. But he got it back after Dixon collided with Buddy Rice and spun out at Belle Isle. Now with one race to go, Franchitti has a three-point advantage over his season-long rival.
“It’s really close but that doesn’t change our game-plan. ” Franchitti said. “We just need to win the race or try to be up front and do the best we can to beat Dixon. “
And if he does that, he’ll join Dan Wheldon and Sam Hornish Jr. in the exclusive club of Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Series champion in the same season.
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