Dario Franchitti

Four-time IZOD IndyCar Series Champion (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011) and three-time Indianapolis 500 Winner Dario Franchitti returns to Target Chip Ganassi Racing in 2013 for his fifth season alongside two-time Champion and 2008 Indianapolis 500 Winner Scott Dixon.

Since joining TCGR in 2009, Franchitti delivered three consecutive IZOD IndyCar Series titles in four years, including two wins at the Indianapolis 500 (2010, 2012). He is one of only five drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 and the series title in the same season more than once. Franchitti is currently seventh on the all-time wins list (1909-2012) with 31 victories. With 88 podium finishes, he is tied with Al Unser Jr. and Bobby Rahal for fifth in the all-time list. By winning the 2012 Indianapolis 500, he became the 10th driver in history to win the race three times.

With his fourth IndyCar title in 2011, Franchitti moved into a tie for second place on the all-time list for most IndyCar Champioships (A.J. Foyt - 7 / Mario Andretti/Sebastien Bourdais/Franchitti - 4). He is only the third driver in IndyCar history to win at least three titles in a row.

The Scotland native has 247 starts under his belt in Indy car racing resulting in 31 wins, 30 poles, 112 top-five and 155 top-10 finishes (1997-2012). He is the winningest driver in U.S. open-wheel history from Great Britain. Over the course of his open-wheel career, Franchitti has accumulated a wealth of experience and trophies in his time on the track, winning races on road courses, street courses, short ovals and superspeedways and he is one of only 12 drivers to win a race in the IndyCar Series and CART.

The 2011 season couldn't have started any better for Franchitti, as he started second, took the lead on Lap 4 and went on to win at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. After three straight Top-5 finishes at Barber, Long Beach and Brazil, Dario arrived at Indy looking for his third Borg Warner trophy. He qualified 9th and led 51 laps, but a pit stop on Lap 199 for a splash of fuel relegated him to a 12th place finish. Franchitti then captured his 28th career victory at Texas in one of two duel races. In Milwaukee, Dario dominated at the historic Mile, taking pole position and leading 161 of the 225 laps to record his 29th career win. He would post career win #30 at Toronto, his 26th career pole at New Hampshire and with four Top-10s to finish the season, he took home his third straight IndyCar driver's championship.

The 2010 season started in unspectacular fashion, as Dario and Team Target posted one pole position and three Top-5 finishes. It was a different story at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After starting in the front row from third position, Dario quickly went to the front of the field, led 155 out of the 200 laps and went on to win his second Indy 500 in four years. With wins at Mid-Ohio and Chicago, Dario set up an epic championship battle with Will Power of Team Penske Racing at the season finale in Homestead, Fla. Dario drove a calculated, mistake-free race and by finishing eighth, he overhauled Power's 12 point lead to capture his third career IndyCar Series driver's championship.

In 2009, after transitioning from the Ganassi teams NASCAR program in 2008, the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series Champion returned to open wheel racing alongside reigning Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series Champion, Scott Dixon. Dario captured five race wins (Long Beach, Iowa, Toronto, Sonoma and Homestead) and posted five pole positions. He finished 16 of the 17 races, recorded 13 Top-5 finishes, 15 Top-10 finished and led 495 laps. Not bad for a driver who spent a year away from IndyCars...

Before trying his hand in the world of stock car racing, Franchitti posted four wins and four pole positions in 2007, en route to his first IndyCar Series championship with Andretti Green Racing.