Dario Franchitti, who lost his NASCAR Sprint Cup ride earlier this season, is off to a good start Saturday at Watkins Glen International after winning the pole for this afternoon’s Nationwide Zippo 200.
Franchitti made it around the track in his No. 40 Dodge in 1 minute, 12.7 seconds at a speed of 121.327 mph. It is his first NASCAR event since the Nationwide race in Chicago on July 8.
“There hasn’t been too many up-points, but this is definitely one of them,” Franchitti said. “I got to thank the guys at the team. This Fastenal Dodge was really good there. We were a little loose in a couple of areas, but the places it needed to be good, it was.”
Franchitti, the 2007 IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, has not been in the No.40 Nationwide car for Ganassi since a month ago when he finished 26th at Chicagoland. He lost his Sprint Cup ride in July when Ganassi ceased operations of its No.40 team. Franchitti is expected to drive the car in six more Nationwide events this season after Watkins Glen.
Starting alongside Franchitti will be Robby Gordon, who posted the second best time of 73.078.
Jimmie Johnson (73.105) and Denny Hamlin (73.188) will start on the second row.
Other drivers of note and their starting positions are Brad Keselowski (fifth), Kevin Harvick (sixth), Kyle Busch (seventh), Carl Edwards (15th), Clint Bowyer (17th) and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (18th).
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