7/28/2019 This week in 2007: Dario Franchitti on way to 2007 IndyCar driver's title

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THE POWER OF CONFIDENCED RlOFRAN-k hat SmttDixms~ysaboutracecar driveis: They getpadto do th e PR lufi; they neefor free.

At the pingmte,W t t iisduefora&einbothcatsgories.Hi6 wit! in theSunTNStIadyCMlengeatRichmond IntemathaalRacewaywasbistbirdinthepast fiveIndy-op~Iases, ivinghim a urtnmandingm i n tItadwuman with eightr a w left n the season.Franchitti, of w w e , alsow m the l n b p o l i s 500 andt h e w RPcingW sevent at Iowa Speedway,makinghim arguably theland's hottest driver.ThmpesbPR ppear-nncegareeomingnlongfnth e ride. In June,he lppeawlm LateN&t with Owid

Lenermm.ESPN'sPardonthe IntermpnpnOnndmorc1 0 4 andwcman nd adioshows thanhecan wunt.Franchitti Lseps

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with substance and style. Heled 242 of the 250 laps atRichmond, only to climbfrom hismachine andpmmptly credithis AndrettiGreenRacing crew. And theman who was alwayscmdiaIwith the media,bu t neveruaclose,suddeulyseemsateasewith everywe.Fmmhitti got Richmond'stops p i don after ainwashed out qualifying. ut inspite of having d y he sixth-fastestca~ he two practicesessions, h e m m e d amundthe tlmequoner-mile oval*the race as if Hondabad given him two V8s.Francbitti led by morethan 10car.lengtbwithin afew kpB d he stan, and helappedhisfirst sgnd~cantoPIxnentalter anly 24am-% ap.That driverwas SamHomiah Jr., the reigningsaies hampion and a twu.time Richmond winner.Franchittiseemed o beoncnbemntrol as no otherddver in the IRL's short

history has been, and thestatisticsbear that out. Nootherd r i ~asever led asmany laps in a smgle race.Franchitti lost the eadonly o m psmmateTonyKanaan tw k it on th e irst pitstop bde t ~ ~ u r i o n )henhanchinibad a slow stop.K a n a eddght lapundacaution, but he wuldn't holdFranchitti back foreven thelength of the shornh tstraightawayon the lap72restart. 'Tae Scot easilyciearedhimbeforethey setup for the h t urn in hont ofa nowd estimatedat 60,WO."That's when I knew the carwas exceptional," he said.Franchitti'sonly subtledrama came in the form ofa fuel situation in the tinalstint. Told he had to save

fuelwherepossible to go thedismce without anotherstop, he nursedhis ar whilemain* a relativelywmfomble advantage.Dixon dosed towithina second 01the lead and

thought he had a e k e otake it when Homish bongedwheels with anotherback-m k a , Kosuke Mawura.But Fnnchitti lek pixonbehind on the reamto winby 0.419m u d .Evavthrngelsewpsadistractionhornhawbitti'smwdo u s dnve.Dironcomplainedafterthe race thatHomish,who had a fast carafterspinning thmugb thegrass as the field took thestat , got ta , racywith theladera despiteb e i involapsbehind. Homishw a ~positioned between Franchittiand Dixon in the waninglrps,but Franchitti said Hanishhadn't donehim any favor8earlier in the race."If Scottwould watch therace tape, he'd see that Samgave me a pretty bard timethe [hellstint before," hesaid "I don't think Samwasin any way tryingto help me.Even when ScottdeadSam,Idon'tthinkhewasquick enough [toppssme[."

7/28/2019 This week in 2007: Dario Franchitti on way to 2007 IndyCar driver's title

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SaidH o d f Franchitti"He was really tough topesstonight I think you saw thatoutthere. Hehad agreat car,ran well, and I don't thinkhemade a mistnkeall night."Dixon,who W t e d hehrdthecarmt-oflane, was fortunatembe inpmitionm makea ehn1-kqge.I6cdCpapSpiRacing

tcmnndeDm Whldonnear-lyh.aamtpc~tIyingmsplltMMnnueWhelQnsnlvagedthe situptionby bnddngoutof the throttleandmqtingtbirdplpa.Homiahwasn't theonly~ e R o c i n g d d v a me?nunmmdtfficulty.Helio~ w a s m p i t m p dwhen he caution cameouton ap 156for feff Simmons'Nm-twow d lap. Fearingthat the pie were clased,~ r e r u m e d t o t h caa&&hingalapto

Franchitti.As the leadp u ppimd, CastnmevesstayedonthetlPclrmregaiuaspotonthe leadlap,but theIN.flnggedhimforimpmpedy~ t h e l e r d a a sFrancbitti exited thepits.Team@dent Tim Cindricwashuiow.

A dtivp- ~ d t yindeedmtthewnfusedCpstronevesalaptotheleader, foxinghim tom eforl l t h p h a t hefinish.Homishtinished 15th,andn w ahPenske driversfindrhems%p.rsn deepwater inthestandings.Homislqinfifthph,trails F d t t i y 102pointsI~ i s s i x t h , 1 1 4behind.Of thedght&-ing raw, including he nextm t t theW a h lenm d course,half are onstreetor rondannse~ d-Ohio,Infineon and Detroitare the

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othersl. Franchitti,amad-racingma-, is idringhischops in pursuitof his firstmajor-leaguetitle.Franchittionly has tonavigate thnemore lagexspeedways-Michigan,Ienntdrypndmcago-kforethechnmphshipishiaOrmum, anythiogndghth a p p m ~ n o w dseason'send. But at thispoint,eppryoneelseisracingfor

Enjoy the we K drive and open roads that kadth-h the i r t h Hills to your finaldestination -tomtte act1 in and exhiiaratinq IndyCaPSeries racingPthout the traffic.I

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