Above photo of Franchitti’s race car just as it is about to impact the wall was posted on the IRL web site.
Formula One World Champion Jimmy Clark was known as the “Flying Scotsman” as he dominated grand prix racing in the middle 1960s. He also won the 1965 Indy 500 (and should have won in 63, too). Clark was by all accounts one of the most gifted race car drivers ever.
Now we have a contemporary Scots racer who is giving a completely new definition of the term, Dario Franchitti.
Franchitti won Indy earlier this year but last week at Michigan and this week at the Meijer 300 at Kentucky he found himself in racing accidents that resulted in his car becoming airborne. Thank the Lord, Dario was virtually unhurt.
“That one was completely my fault, I didn’t realize it was the checker,” Franchitti told ESPN immediately after the race. Franchitti also said he was “pretty disgusted with myself” and acknowledged that “it could have been a bad one.” Indeed it could have because his car was nearly vertical as it slammed into the outside retaining wall and catch fence.
Franchitti was traveling at an estimated 170 mph when he ran over the rear wheel of Kosuke Matsuura’s car just after the start/finish line. Last week at Michigan, Franchitti’s rear wheel was touched by Dan Weldon’s front and the Scotsman’s race car went airborne.
Go here to the Indy Racing League web site for more.
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