OTHER SPORT

DARIO FINALLY WINS FOR HIS HERO

GLORY AT LAST: Franchitti celebrates with his crew and wife Ashley Judd

Tuesday May 29,2007

By Bob McKenzie

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DARIO FRANCHITTI, who has a tribute room for motor-racing legend Jim Clark in a house in Scotland, finally emulated his hero when he won a dramatic Indy 500.

Clark, the double Formula One champion who was killed in 1968, won Indy at his fifth and final attempt and Franchitti, 33, thought he might have blown his best chance to put his name on the same trophy when he was sixth two years ago.

Franchitti’s actress wife Ashley Judd will do well to star in a film with such a dramatic ending.

The 500-mile race was halted just over halfway by heavy rain which makes the Indianapolis oval circuit unplayable for the open-wheeled IRL cars as they do not have wet tyres in the series.

Tony Kanaan, a close friend and team-mate of Franchitti, led at that point and hoped there would not be a restart.

They chatted while the track was dried and then raced again, but Franchitti’s crew knew more heavy rain was just over the horizon. He got to the front as the downpour began again and was declared the winner as the race was finally ended.

My dad had a hole in one at the circuit course this week and I wondered if he had used up the family luck, but there was some left.

Darop Franchitti

“It is an incredible feeling,” said Franchitti. “We had a great party and I only got three hours’ sleep but when I woke up you wonder if it happened.

“It all made sense when I looked at the trophy. I was in awe at the names on there. It is a humbling experience.

“We have almost finished restoring an old house in Scotland and we decided to create a Jim Clark room. I have all this memorabilia of his and only today I was given some fantastic Jim Clark pictures. He is a hero for any Scottish driver, one of the best in the world ever.

“I was so upset when I didn’t win in 2005 because I had a great chance to win 40 years after Jim Clark until we had a problem. Sir Jackie Stewart, my old boss, another hero, had come over to watch and you don’t get too many chances.

“My dad had a hole in one at the circuit course this week and I wondered if he had used up the family luck, but there was some left.”

The other British drivers, 2005 winner Dan Wheldon and Darren Manning, finished 22nd and 20th respectively.