News Scan: Dario Franchitti To Make NASCAR Debut In Craftsman Truck Series Race At Martinsville
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Oct 10, 2007
Franchitti
IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti will make his NASCAR debut in the Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 20.
Franchitti, who also won the Indianapolis 500 this year, is moving to NASCAR next season. He made his stock-car debut in the ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend and finished 17th. Courier-Journal.com
He’s easing into NASCAR the same way Juan Pablo Montoya did last year, by racing in a variety of series before making his Nextel Cup debut. Next up on his schedule is the Oct. 20 race at Martinsville.
Franchitti will qualify the No. 41 Target Dodge Ram. The truck is owned by Cunningham Motorsports, but Brian Pattie from Chip Ganassi Racing will be the crew chief.
Franchitti signed a multi-year deal last week to drive the No. 40 Dodge for Ganassi next season.
CanadianPress
The 0.526-mile oval will mark Franchitti’s first run behind the wheel of a NASCAR Truck, and his first ever appearance at the Virginia short track.
Last week CGRFS announced Franchitti had signed a multi-year deal with the organization to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) beginning in 2008. Franchitti will become the first European driver in the 59-year history of NASCAR to join the series full time when he assumes the driving duties of No. 40 Dodge Avenger next season. TheAutoChannel.com
