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IndyCar
INDYCAR: 15 Questions With Dario Franchitti, Pt. 2
SPEED.com’s Marshall Pruett and three-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti wrap-up their two-part chat with a lively set of Q&A.
Franchitti has a few laughs at Pruett's expense in Part Two of their interview. (LAT)
SPEED.com’s Marshall Pruett and three-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti wrap-up their two-part chat with a final set of questions, including who Franchitti would pick from throughout motor racing history to compete for the $5 million prize at Las Vegas.
PRUETT: Are there any drivers in the IndyCar Series you feel just don’t get enough respect or coverage for his or her talents?
FRANCHITTI: Wow. I think there's some people that are sort of underestimated quite a lot and quite consistently. And they have been through their career.
I think [Scott Dixon]. For all that Dixie’s achieved, I don’t think that he gets the love. And then there's other people who cause a media storm every time they sneeze…
(I ask if a driver like Justin Wilson fits the 'not enough respect' model)
I think actually think JWill does get the love he deserves. I think when Justin does something well I think it is reported. I think people understand Justin's talent. So I think he does and I think that people who know, know what he’s capable of.
I think people in-the-know in the sport understand and appreciate a guy like Justin. Yeah, in a wider audience he’s not one of the more well-known drivers in the paddock yet. But I think that will change if he becomes a consistent championship challenger.
PRUETT: I was recently reading about a softball game organized by CART drivers in the 1980s, and got to thinking about how and why we don’t see a similar level of camaraderie and fun from today’s IndyCar drivers. They played for charity. What would it take to arrange a soccer game or similar to get the drivers together for some fun and sport away from the track.
FRANCHITTI: I think it could happen again. There’s a lot of the same players. I remember we played softball, I think at Homestead, my very first CART test or something. I suck at softball. But then we played football-- or soccer as you guys call it – at Road America. I’ve got all these funny pictures in my house in Scotland of Greg [Moore] and I and Max [Papis] and all those guys playing football. And so we used to do it. But I don't know if it's because people are busy or what. There’s definitely… race weekends, a lot of the guys will hang out but I don't think it’s one big group.
I'll hang with Dixie or Tony [Kanaan] or Dan [Wheldon] at that point or JWill. And you’ve got Marco [Andretti] and [Mike] Conway and those guys. The guys are still doing it, I just don't know if they're doing organized stuff like that anymore. Which is a shame.
PRUETT: You get to pick five drivers for the Las Vegas $5M promotion—I know you’re a student of motor racing history, so give me your five fantasy picks from any era. Do you go with a legend like Rick Mears, who retired just before you came onto the scene? Who do you choose and why?
FRANCHITTI: Waaah... Pruett, you’re killing me. Geez.
The first one is obvious, Jimmy Clark. Just because to race on the same track as him. I’d prefer to do that on a road course than in Vegas because I don’t think Vegas is the place I would choose to race my hero. But Jimmy Clark, for sure. I guess Jackie Stewart, too. I would love to see what Jackie would make of it.
And AJ Foyt, absolutely. I mean, ohhh, Lord.
You know what would worry me? If it was three-wide and I’m in the middle and I look over and I’ve got AJ on the outside and Parnelli Jones on the inside. I know who’d be the first one to lift in that thing and I think he’d have a Scottish accent! Yeah, so Parnelli is in there, definitely. Rick Mears. Aww, brother. I just think Rick is incredible.
Yeah, I could go on for hours, whether it was Rick – the one guy I really or two guys I’d dream of seeing at the same time, actually, are Gilles and Jacques Villenueve. Can you imagine Gilles trying to snap that thing sideways? It would be brilliant. And Jacques, at Indianapolis…the guy was a monster. So those two. I think a guy who's very underrated – even for his success at Indianapolis – is Arie Luyendyk. I think he’s pretty impressive. So I'd like to see Arie in there. That's just off the cuff.
Yeah, again, I think Senna would be up on that list, Mario, God, absolutely. Anybody with a second name Unser. Bobby Sr., Jr. Where does it stop? Johnny Rutherford, Lone Star JR. The list really could go on and on. I think I would be more interesting to do this in Milwaukee or somewhere. I think that would be terrific. Putting all these guys on Milwaukee where you’re on and off the throttle. Not banking…that’s where heroes were made.
PRUETT: Are there any drivers in the IndyCar Series you feel just don’t get enough respect or coverage for his or her talents?
FRANCHITTI: Wow. I think there's some people that are sort of underestimated quite a lot and quite consistently. And they have been through their career.
I think [Scott Dixon]. For all that Dixie’s achieved, I don’t think that he gets the love. And then there's other people who cause a media storm every time they sneeze…
(I ask if a driver like Justin Wilson fits the 'not enough respect' model)
I think actually think JWill does get the love he deserves. I think when Justin does something well I think it is reported. I think people understand Justin's talent. So I think he does and I think that people who know, know what he’s capable of.
I think people in-the-know in the sport understand and appreciate a guy like Justin. Yeah, in a wider audience he’s not one of the more well-known drivers in the paddock yet. But I think that will change if he becomes a consistent championship challenger.
PRUETT: I was recently reading about a softball game organized by CART drivers in the 1980s, and got to thinking about how and why we don’t see a similar level of camaraderie and fun from today’s IndyCar drivers. They played for charity. What would it take to arrange a soccer game or similar to get the drivers together for some fun and sport away from the track.
FRANCHITTI: I think it could happen again. There’s a lot of the same players. I remember we played softball, I think at Homestead, my very first CART test or something. I suck at softball. But then we played football-- or soccer as you guys call it – at Road America. I’ve got all these funny pictures in my house in Scotland of Greg [Moore] and I and Max [Papis] and all those guys playing football. And so we used to do it. But I don't know if it's because people are busy or what. There’s definitely… race weekends, a lot of the guys will hang out but I don't think it’s one big group.
I'll hang with Dixie or Tony [Kanaan] or Dan [Wheldon] at that point or JWill. And you’ve got Marco [Andretti] and [Mike] Conway and those guys. The guys are still doing it, I just don't know if they're doing organized stuff like that anymore. Which is a shame.
PRUETT: You get to pick five drivers for the Las Vegas $5M promotion—I know you’re a student of motor racing history, so give me your five fantasy picks from any era. Do you go with a legend like Rick Mears, who retired just before you came onto the scene? Who do you choose and why?
FRANCHITTI: Waaah... Pruett, you’re killing me. Geez.
The first one is obvious, Jimmy Clark. Just because to race on the same track as him. I’d prefer to do that on a road course than in Vegas because I don’t think Vegas is the place I would choose to race my hero. But Jimmy Clark, for sure. I guess Jackie Stewart, too. I would love to see what Jackie would make of it.
And AJ Foyt, absolutely. I mean, ohhh, Lord.
You know what would worry me? If it was three-wide and I’m in the middle and I look over and I’ve got AJ on the outside and Parnelli Jones on the inside. I know who’d be the first one to lift in that thing and I think he’d have a Scottish accent! Yeah, so Parnelli is in there, definitely. Rick Mears. Aww, brother. I just think Rick is incredible.
Yeah, I could go on for hours, whether it was Rick – the one guy I really or two guys I’d dream of seeing at the same time, actually, are Gilles and Jacques Villenueve. Can you imagine Gilles trying to snap that thing sideways? It would be brilliant. And Jacques, at Indianapolis…the guy was a monster. So those two. I think a guy who's very underrated – even for his success at Indianapolis – is Arie Luyendyk. I think he’s pretty impressive. So I'd like to see Arie in there. That's just off the cuff.
Yeah, again, I think Senna would be up on that list, Mario, God, absolutely. Anybody with a second name Unser. Bobby Sr., Jr. Where does it stop? Johnny Rutherford, Lone Star JR. The list really could go on and on. I think I would be more interesting to do this in Milwaukee or somewhere. I think that would be terrific. Putting all these guys on Milwaukee where you’re on and off the throttle. Not banking…that’s where heroes were made.
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