Franchitti qualifies sixth at Talladega for ARCA race
Quote selected text Published October 5th, 2007 in NASCAR News
Dario Franchitti, in his first official day in a stock car, qualified sixth Thursday for the ARCA RE/MAX 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The reigning IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, who this week signed a multiyear contract to drive in NASCAR for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, will make his race debut Friday.
“My initial impression of Talladega was from two years ago when we were flying to Nashville and we went off course because of the weather,” said the Scot, who lives in Tennessee with actress wife Ashley Judd. “We flew over the track, and it was just huge.
“Everything about Talladega is big. The banking is big, the track is big. We flew in last night, and it was just getting dark and all the lights were on, and again it was, ‘Oh my God, look at the size of that track.’ It’s an intimidating place.”
But Franchitti didn’t appear to be intimidated by the 2.66-mile oval as he posted a lap of 183.740 mph. The pole went to Bryan Clausen, a developmental driver for Ganassi, at 184.840.
Scott Speed, another open-wheel driver making the move to stock cars, was right behind Franchitti in seventh at 183.480.
Speed, the only American racing in Formula One before losing his ride with Scuderia Toro Rosso, has announced plans for a full-time ARCA schedule in 2008.
- ARCA: Montoya qualifies 2nd at Talladega, Gerhart wins pole
- Franchitti to run Truck at Martinsville
- Franchitti to test at Memphis
- Franchitti to NASCAR’s Ganassi team expected this week
- Franchitti to test for Ganassi, run ARCA race at Talladega-UPDATE
I wish him well in his racing in Stock Cars. Welcome Dario. You have one fan already from this league..
Wow, I know it’s ARCA, but that’s a good start. Good luck to Dario.
Remember Juan Pablo did decent in ARCA too. Whats he doing now?
That is a good start for never being in a stock car,as for juan hes doing just fine for 1st year.Im not a juan pablo fan but of course hes gonna have bad finishes look at gordon when he was a rookie he wrecked like 18 cars that season.