Wikimedia Commons has media related to: 500

The world in 500

Year 500 (D) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Patricius and Hypatius (or, less frequently, year 1253 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 500 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events[link]

By place[link]

Europe[link]

• Possible date for the Battle of Mons Badonicus: Romano-British and Celts defeat an Anglo-Saxon army that may have been led by the bretwalda Aelle of Sussex or possibly Cerdic of Wessex (approximate date; suggested dates range from 490 to 517). This battle may have influenced the legend of King Arthur.
• Possible date at which Fergus Mór begins his reign – the historicity of Mór is doubtful.
• Approximate beginning of the Heptarchy period in the history of England.
• Approximate year of the founding of the Kingdom of Essex.
• The Frankish Kingdom is formed.
• The monument of Ale's Stones is built in Sweden (approximate date).
• Burial in catacombs ends (approximate date).

Asia[link]

• Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei China becomes sovereign of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

America[link]

• Uxmal is founded (approximate date).

Africa[link]

• Traders from southern Arabia settle in northern Ethiopia.

Births[link]

• Erzhu Shilong
• Procopius, historian (approximate date)
• Theodebert I, king of Austrasia (approximate date, could also have been 495)
• Theodora, empress of Byzantium
• Tribonian, jurist in the Roman Empire (approximate date)
• Bhavaviveka, Indian Madhyamaka Scholar
• Xie He, Chinese artist (d. c. 535) (approximate date)

Deaths[link]

• Zu Chongzhi, Chinese mathematician

References[link]

Takuma Sato Sato at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2010. Nationality Japan Born (1977-01-28) 28 January 1977 (age 35) Tokyo, Japan 2012 IndyCar Series Debut season 2010 Current team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Car no. 15 Former teams KV Racing Technology Starts 39 Wins 0 Poles 2 Fastest laps 0 Best finish 13th in 2011 Previous series 2002–2008 2000, 2001 2000, 2001 1999–2001 Formula One Masters of Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix British Formula Three Championship titles 2001 2001 2001 Macau Grand Prix Masters of Formula 3 British Formula Three Takuma Sato at an autograph session at the 2005 United States Grand Prix. Formula One World Championship career Nationality Japanese Active years 2002–2008 Teams Jordan, BAR, Super Aguri Races 92 (90 starts) Championships 0 Wins 0 Podiums 1 Career points 44 Pole positions 0 Fastest laps 0 First race 2002 Australian Grand Prix Last race 2008 Spanish Grand Prix

Takuma Sato (佐藤 琢磨, Satō Takuma^?, born January 28, 1977 in Tokyo) is a Japanese automobile racing driver and (in terms of podium finishes) the most successful Japanese Formula One driver in history. He is currently racing for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in IndyCar Series.

Junior Years[link]

Sato is unusual among Japanese drivers in having relatively little motor racing experience in his native country. He initially competed in bicycle racing, where he won several national junior-championships.

He began his karting career in Japan in 1996, at the late age of 19, and later entered the Suzuka circuit Racing School (SRS), a racing school managed by Honda. In 1998, Sato stepped up into the All-Japan Formula Three Championship and drove for the Mugen-Dome project, but he broke his contract with the team in mid-season and moved to England to pursue a career in European racing. Through 1998 and 1999 he raced in Junior Formula races throughout the continent, moving to the British Formula Three Championship at the end of 1999. In 2000 and 2001 he pursued full seasons in British Formula Three, finishing third in 2000 and winning the championship in 2001, and taking 16 wins over the two years. He also competed in international races at Spa-Francorchamps, Zandvoort, and Macau.

Promotion to Formula One[link]

Jordan[link]

In 2002 Sato graduated to Formula One with the Honda-powered Jordan team, and was paired with Giancarlo Fisichella. His low point was a tremendous crash in Austria, caused when Nick Heidfeld lost control of his Sauber under braking and hit the side of Sato's car, punching a hole in the side of the cockpit.^[1] Sato suffered a minor concussion, and was unable to leave the car for several minutes because of his legs being stuck, but soon recovered. At the final race of the season, his home race, the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit, Sato scored his first points. He finished the 2002 season with 2 points, 5 points behind his teammate Fisichella. He managed to outqualify his more experienced teammate 4 times.

BAR[link]

Sato celebrates his first and only F1 podium at the 2004 United States Grand Prix.

In 2003, Sato moved to British American Racing (BAR), another Honda powered team, as a test driver, but drove the final race of the season at Suzuka in place of Jacques Villeneuve, finishing sixth. In 2004, Sato drove full-time for BAR and regularly challenged for the top five positions, achieving the second-ever podium finish for a Japanese driver (after Aguri Suzuki at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix) by finishing third at the United States Grand Prix. He also achieved second place in qualifying for the European Grand Prix, behind only Michael Schumacher. His overall points tally suffered due to a series of mechanical problems, particularly with his Honda engine. Rumours in the paddock suggested that BAR were testing experimental parts on Sato's car; but these seem also to have been unfounded. Nevertheless Sato finished the 2004 season eighth in the drivers' championship (with 34 points). Sato and his team mate Jenson Button took BAR to second place in the constructors' championship.

Sato (right) side-by-side with Jarno Trulli at the 2005 Canadian GP

Sato was retained by BAR-Honda for the 2005 season, but the 2005 car was not as close to the front of the pack as the previous year's design. Sato missed the Malaysian Grand Prix with illness, and both drivers were disqualified from the San Marino Grand Prix and the entire team banned from the two subsequent races for using cars which were underweight when all fuel was removed. The Court did not find that this was deliberate.^[2] (see British American Racing article). Things didn't improve for Sato as the season progressed, he was involved in a number of racing incidents on the track, most of which were deemed his fault. He scored only 1 point during the season and subsequently did not retain his drive for 2006.

Super Aguri[link]

Sato at the 2006 United States Grand Prix.

Honda completed its takeover of BAR at the end of 2005, creating a works Honda team. Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello were announced as the race drivers for 2006, although Sato was offered the role of third driver. Instead he chose to drive for the new Super Aguri team, set up by Japanese former F1 driver Aguri Suzuki using Honda engines and updates of four-year-old Arrows chassis. Expectations were therefore very low. Early 2006 races saw Sato comfortably outpace rookie teammate Yuji Ide, continuing the trend with Ide's successors; Franck Montagny and Sakon Yamamoto. Sato went on to finish tenth at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix, ahead of his team-mate Yamamoto, Robert Doornbos' Red Bull, both Scuderia Toro Rossos and both MF1s.

Sato at the 2007 British Grand Prix.

Sato at the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Sato remained at Super Aguri for the 2007 season and was joined by Anthony Davidson who had previously been his team mate at Carlin Motorsport in British F3. Sato started the season strongly, setting the team's best ever qualifying result of tenth place for the championship-opening Australian Grand Prix. He finished eighth in the Spanish Grand Prix, to record Super Aguri's first ever world championship point.

At the Canadian Grand Prix, Sato finished sixth after having a race that had seen him move from the middle of the grid to a high of fifth, passing Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen before a pit-stop error dropped him back to eleventh. He moved up five places in the last 15 laps, passing Toyota's Ralf Schumacher and then on lap 67 the McLaren-Mercedes of world champion Fernando Alonso (this was met with cheers around the track).^[3] Sato was voted "Driver of the Day" on the British ITV website, ahead of Briton Lewis Hamilton, who had won his first race. This was Sato's last points finish of the season. He finished 17th in the Drivers' Championship standings with four points, his best result since 2004 when he drove for BAR.

Sato stayed with Super Aguri for 2008, but the team was in severe financial difficulty and withdrew from F1 with immediate effect in the week before the Turkish Grand Prix after the failure of several rescue packages. In late 2008, Sato took part in tests at Jerez with Scuderia Toro Rosso, to become a candidate to fill the seat vacated by Sebastian Vettel. He was competing against former Toro Rosso driver Sébastien Bourdais and Red Bull Racing test and reserve driver Sébastien Buemi for one of the two race seats.^[4] He first drove on September 18, more than four months since Super Aguri's withdrawal, and tested for the team again for two days in November, setting the fastest time on the 17th,^[5] 3 tenths ahead of Buemi, and proceeded by setting the second-fastest time on the 18th,^[6] just ahead of Bourdais, and two tenths ahead of Buemi.

Sébastien Bourdais eventually won the race seat and in March 2009 it was announced that Sato would not be the reserve driver for the Red Bull team.^[7] He subsequently spent 2009 on the sidelines, but stated in October that he was talking to both active and incoming Formula One teams about a drive for 2010. These talks did not produce a drive in F1 for Sato in the 2010 season.

Switch to IndyCar[link]

Sato driving for KV Racing at the 2011 Indy Japan 300.

Sato visited the Indianapolis 500 in May 2009. He signed with KV Racing Technology to drive in the 2010 IndyCar Series season ^[8] finishing in 21st place, he signed for the same team for 2011.^[9]

2011 has seen Sato display the same raw speed that was evident in the other categories he has contested. Working with teammate and mentor Tony Kanaan, he has managed to claim pole positions at Iowa and Edmonton. However, he still seeks his elusive first win as he continues to be plagued by accidents.

During the 2012 Indianapolis 500, Sato attempted to pass race leader Dario Franchitti going down the front straightaway taking the white flag. He pulled to the inside of Franchitti in an attempt to beat him to turn one in order to get the preferred racing line. Being the final lap of the race neither drive wanted to give way. When both drivers reached the turn Sato had no choice but to drive down on the apron of the track. Sato lost control of his car due to the lack of grip, spinning into the turn one wall. Though slight contact was made between the two drivers, Franchitti managed to maintain control of his vehicle until the yellow flag came out declaring him the winner. Though the incident may have been thought by some as an illegal move on Franchitti's part for Blocking which is an illegal move in Indy Car. Indy Car Officials declared the incident legal moments later, giving Franchitti his 3rd Indianapolis 500 Victory and placing Sato in 17th place unable to finish due to damage from the incident.

Helmet[link]

Sato's helmet is grey with a red line (with blue gradient outline) in each side of the lower area going down the chin, a straight red line over the grey area, a blue white and red ring around the top and under the red line, featuring a Blue and white gradient grid pattern in the chin area and in the top area (inside the blue ring). When he raced for Indycar under the Lotus banner, his design changed to Green with Yellow go-faster stripes crossing the top with a lotus picture, a Indy 500 trophy picture and a Indy 500 logo in the sides.

Personal life[link]

Sato is married and has two children with his wife, Chiharu.^[10]

Motorsports career results[link]

Career summary[link]

Complete Formula One results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

American open–wheel racing results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

IndyCar Series[link]

¹ The Las Vegas Indy 300 was abandoned after Dan Wheldon died from injuries sustained in a 15-car crash on lap 11.

* Season in progress

Indianapolis 500[link]

See also[link]

• List of Japanese people
• Andrew Gilbert-Scott - his manager since his Junior Formula career in Europe until 2009

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Takuma Sato

• Takuma Sato's official website
• Takuma Sato career statistics
• Takuma Sato Racing Simulation Seat

References[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2012)

Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti before the 2009 Indianapolis 500.
Nationality	Scotland
Born	(1973-05-19) 19 May 1973 (age 39) Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, UK
Related to	Paul di Resta (cousin) Marino Franchitti (brother) Ashley Judd (spouse) Naomi Judd (mother-in-law) Wynonna Judd (sister-in-law)
Previous series
1991 1992–1993 1994 1995 1995–1996 1997–2002 2002–2007 2007–2009 2008–2009 2007–2008 2007 2007–2008 2008 2009–	Formula Vauxhall Junior Formula Vauxhall Lotus British F3 DTM ITC CART IndyCar ALMS Rolex Sports Car Series ARCA NASCAR Truck Series Nationwide Series NASCAR Sprint Cup IndyCar
Championship titles
2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 2007, 2010, 2012	IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500 Winner
Awards
1992 2001 2009	McLaren Autosport Award Greg Moore Legacy Award BRDC Gold Star

George Dario Marino Franchitti^[1] (born 19 May 1973) is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing until mid-2008 when his team shut down.^[2] Franchitti returned to the IndyCar Series for the 2009 season, driving the #10 Target Honda/Dallara for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.^[3] He is the current, four-time IndyCar Series champion after claiming a third title in 2010 and fourth title in 2011 in addition to his 2007 and 2009 titles. On 30 May 2010, he won his second Indianapolis 500 race. He is the second driver in IndyCar Series history to take four titles in four consecutive series of racing, after Sébastien Bourdais, after accounting for his 2008 absence from the series. On 27 May 2012, he won his third Indianapolis 500 race.

He also competed in the American Le Mans Series for Andretti Green Racing with his brother Marino and former IndyCar Series teammate Bryan Herta. He won the 2007 BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year award. Franchitti was born in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland.

Early career[link]

While attending Stewart's Melville College in Edinburgh, Franchitti became interested in karting. Allan McNish credited a large part of the start given to himself, Franchitti and David Coulthard as being down to David Leslie senior and junior.^[4] Franchitti won the Karting Scottish Junior Championship in 1984, the British Junior Championships in 1985 and 1986 and the Scottish senior title in 1988. He progressed to Formula Vauxhall Junior where he won the championship with four victories in 1991.

He moved up to Formula Vauxhall Lotus in 1992, where he joined Paul Stewart Racing. In his first year, he finished fourth in the overall championship, and was named the McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year. Staying with the team for the next season, he won the championship in 1993.

He graduated to the British Formula Three Championship in 1994, where he finished fourth and won one race in his first year. However, he was not retained for 1995 which was his final year in single-seaters in Europe.

Instead, Franchitti was contracted by AMG Racing to drive a works Mercedes C-Class in the German Touring Car Championship and the related International Touring Car Championship, where he finished fifth and third respectively. He continued in the ITC in 1996, finishing fourth overall with one race win.

Franchitti performed test driver duties for the Jaguar F1 team under his mentor Jackie Stewart in the 2000 Formula One season, but was not able to secure a drive in the World Championship.

CART[link]

Dario's car being pushed up to qualify for the 2006 Indianapolis 500.

With the demise of the ITC, Mercedes placed Franchitti in Hogan Racing in 1997, making his US debut in the PPG/CART Champ Car World Series where his best finish was a ninth at Surfers Paradise. In 1998 he joined Team Green (forerunner to Andretti Green Racing and the current Andretti Autosport), finishing third in the season standings with three wins (his first coming at Road America) and a season-high five pole positions.

Franchitti finished runner-up in the 1999 CART season behind rookie Juan Pablo Montoya. Both drivers scored 212 points, but Montoya had seven wins to Franchitti's three and was crowned champion. Franchitti's close friend Greg Moore died in a crash during the final race of the year at California Speedway in Fontana, California.

A heavy crash in pre-season testing the next year ruined Franchitti's 2000 season, and he only won once at Cleveland in 2001. In 2002 he won the Vancouver Molson Indy. He dedicated his win to Greg Moore, who was killed in 1999 and was from Vancouver, British Columbia. He finished fourth in Champ Car in 2002.

IndyCar Series[link]

Franchitti waiting to qualify on 12 May 2007, at Indianapolis.

Practicing for the 2007 Indy 500.

2003[link]

Franchitti moved with the Andretti Green team to the IndyCar Series in 2003 but his season was ended by a back injury sustained in a motorcycle accident while on holiday in Scotland.^[5][6] Franchitti missed most of the year, and his place was taken by Dan Wheldon at Motegi,^[7] Robby Gordon at Indianapolis,^[8] and Bryan Herta for the remainder of the year (with Wheldon taking over a regular role from retiring team boss Michael Andretti).

2004[link]

Franchitti returned to the cockpit in 2004, and won his first IRL IndyCar Series race on 25 July at the Milwaukee Mile.^[9] He followed this win up with a win at Pikes Peak on 22 August.^[10]

2005[link]

Franchitti returned to Andretti Green Racing again, and had 2 wins. The first win came at Nashville.^[11] His last win of the year came at the 2005 season finale at California.^[12]

2007[link]

On 3 January 2007, Andretti Green Racing announced that Franchitti had re-signed for the IRL team for a tenth consecutive season in American Open Wheel racing.^[13] That year he also undertook a limited programme in the American Le Mans Series driving an Acura ARX-01, teaming up with his younger brother, Marino Franchitti and long-time AGR team-mate Bryan Herta.^[14] On 27 May 2007, Franchitti won a rain-shortened Indianapolis 500, finishing under a yellow flag after an accident involving Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti following lap 163. The race was halted due to rain three laps later. His prize money of $1.6m was equal to the entire purse for the 1982 race.

During the 2007 season, Franchitti survived two huge crashes which saw his car flip upside down both times. The first at Michigan saw him tangle with Dan Wheldon resulting in his car flipping before being hit again by Scott Dixon. The contact with Dixon was only inches away from his head and the accident saw seven cars (including Franchitti) retire from the race. The second flip came a week later at Kentucky. As Franchitti crossed the start/finish line to finish the race, the Scotsman who had not realised the chequered flag had been waved continued to race and crashed into the back of Kosuke Matsuura flipping yet again and hitting the outside wall. Franchitti took full responsibility for the incident.

Franchitti won the IndyCar Championship with four wins finishing ahead of Scott Dixon by just 13 points. Dixon ran out of fuel on the last lap of the season-ending race, allowing Franchitti to take the win and the championship, his first championship win since Formula Vauxhall Lotus in 1993.

Franchitti returned to the IndyCar series for 2009 in the Target Chip Ganassi Racing #10 car, replacing Dan Wheldon who moved to Panther Racing. He debuted for the team in the non points race at Surfers Paradise in Australia on 25 October 2008. He qualified 4th of 24 drivers and was running third when he spun and stalled the car, resulting in a lap-down finish of 16th. He led 2 laps and set the fastest lap of the race.

2008[link]

Franchitti missed the 2008 Indianapolis 500 as he pursued a NASCAR career. He rejoined the IndyCar Series in 2009 with Target Ganassi Racing and went on to win his second and third IndyCar titles in 2009 and 2010.

2009[link]

2009 marked a successful return to Indycar for Dario scooping five wins, two second and two third placings and taking the series championship in his second consecutive attempt over teammate Scott Dixon by 11 points.

2010[link]

Franchitti got off to a steady if unspectacular start; through the first 5 races, Dario had 1 pole, 3 Top 5 finishes and 4 Top 10s. However, at the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500, it all came together for him. Starting on the outside of the first row (#3), Franchitti had the best car of the day, leading over 150 laps to take his 2nd win in the past four years. This is also his 24th win in American Open-wheel driving, placing him in the top 20 all-time. The win also makes him the 18th multiple-win driver in the history of the Indianapolis 500.^[15]

In October, Franchitti will travel to Australia to compete in a special round of the V8 Supercar championship in which he and 17 other international drivers will pair up with regular V8 drivers in two 300 km (186 mi) endurance races at the Gold Coast Street Circuit, a former venue for Indycar. He will drive for Jim Beam Racing with Steve Johnson.

By finishing eighth in the 2010 Izod Indycar series championship final at the Homestead Miami Speedway, and leading the most laps on top of qualifying in pole position, Dario overhauled Will Power's 12 points lead and took the 2010 Izod Indycar championship. In effect Dario had won all of the past three championships he entered when his 2008 absence is accounted for.

2011[link]

Franchitti, again driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, won the season opening road race at St. Petersburg, Florida. He followed that win with additional wins at Texas Motor Speedway (28th victory). He took the pole and the win in the Milwaukee 225 for his 29th victory, tying him with Rick Mears for 9th all-time in American Open Wheel racing. At the final race of the season in Las Vegas, a 15 car crash on lap 12 caused the race to be red flagged. After two hours of red flag, IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard announced the death of Dan Wheldon, and the race was formally ended. The drivers who were able to do so participated in a 5 lap tribute to Wheldon 10 minutes after the announcement.^[16] Because the race was canceled, Franchitti — who entered the race with an 18-point lead over Power in the title standings— won his third consecutive IndyCar championship and fourth overall. Power was involved in the pileup; therefore the accident had no effect on the championship contenders when the race was cancelled.

2012[link]

Franchitti, again driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, had a slow start in the first four races. On May 27, he had an emotional win of the 2012 Indianapolis 500. In reference to Dan Wheldon, Franchitti said in a interview after the race, “I think D-Dub would have been proud of that one.” ^[17]

NASCAR[link]

Dario Franchitti racing in the 2007 Ford 300 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Franchitti at Daytona in 2008

On 3 October 2007, it was announced that Franchitti would move to NASCAR to replace David Stremme in the #40 Fastenal Dodge.^[18] He made his stock car debut in the ARCA RE/MAX Series on 5 October at Talladega Superspeedway, qualifying 6th and finishing 17th in the #42 Target Dodge Charger for Chip Ganassi Racing.^[19] His move to stock cars had similarities to former CART rival Juan Pablo Montoya's move from Formula One to NASCAR in 2006.

Franchitti made his first NASCAR start on 20 October 2007 in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway.^[20] He drove the #41 Target Dodge Ram truck, owned by Cunningham Motorsports, with Brian Pattie from Chip Ganassi Racing serving as crew chief.^[21] He would finish 33rd after being plagued by problems with the rear of the car during the race.

2008 Sprint Cup car

On 26 April 2008, Franchitti suffered a slight left ankle fracture in a hard crash with Larry Gunselman while competing in the Nationwide Series Aaron's 312 race.^[22] David Stremme, Ken Schrader, Jeremy Mayfield, and Sterling Marlin all filled in for him.^[23][24][25]

On 1 July 2008, Franchitti's #40 Sprint Cup team was disbanded by co-owner Chip Ganassi because of a lack of sponsorship. Franchitti was running 41st in points in the Sprint Cup series at the time, and Ganassi had been funding the team out of his own pocket. The entire #40 team was shut down, and 71 employees were released.^[26]

On 9 August 2008 Dario won his 1st ever NASCAR Nationwide Pole at Watkins Glen.^[27]

Sports Car Racing[link]

Dario is well known for combining partial Sports Car racing schedules during his IndyCar and NASCAR career.

At the 2007 12 Hours of Sebring he finished 1st in LMP2 class at the 2007 12 Hours of Sebring with Andretti Green Racing team-mates Bryan Herta and Tony Kanaan. They finished 2nd overall. He also participated in the 2007 ALMS Grand Prix of Long Beach with Bryan Herta and they finished 6th.^[28] He placed 18th in LMP2 class in the 2007 American Le Mans Series season standings with 32 points.

Prior to the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, he joined Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas and won the Rolex 24 at Daytona in a Lexus-Riley.^[29] That was the only race he participated in during the 2008 Rolex Sports Car Series season and finished 42nd overall in Daytona Prototype class with 35 points.

In the 2008 Petit Le Mans he was a driver for Highcroft Racing with Scott Sharp and David Brabham.^[30] They were the first retirement after only 16 laps.

For the 2009 Rolex 24 At Daytona he once again drove for Chip Ganassi Racing in a Lexus-Riley. He finished 5th overall with Scott Dixon and Alex Lloyd.

He participated in the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring for Highcroft Racing with Scott Sharp and David Brabham.^[31] They finished 15th overall and were the first non-finishers.

He returned to Highcroft Racing with Scott Sharp and David Brabham for the 2009 Petit Le Mans.^[32]

Personal life[link]

Franchitti relaxes at Indy with his wife, Ashley Judd, in 2007

Franchitti married American actress Ashley Judd in 2001, at Skibo Castle near Dornoch, Scotland.^[33] They currently live near Franklin, Tennessee, in the United States. They have no children.

Originally from Bathgate, his Italian-Scots family moved to nearby Whitburn when he was eight years old. He is a former pupil of Stewart's Melville College and he supports Celtic Football Club.^[34]

He lists some of his favourite television shows as Gavin & Stacey, Shameless and Rab C. Nesbitt.^[35]

Paul di Resta, a racing driver, is a cousin of Franchitti. Di Resta is a current race driver for the Force India F1 Team.

Media Appearances[link]

Franchitti has appeared on several television shows. The list includes The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet, Larry King Live, Pardon the Interruption, Late Show with David Letterman, Live with Regis and Kelly, Jim Rome is Burning, and three times on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.^[36]

Simraceway Game Design[link]

On 13 October 2011, 3 days before Franchitti’s bid for a fourth IZOD IndyCar Series title, it was announced that he would be joining fellow driver Dan Wheldon in developing the vehicle physics on Ignite Game Technologies’ online auto racing game, Simraceway. A vintage car racing enthusiast, Franchitti will be focusing on ensuring the authenticity of the game’s historic and vintage cars “It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling you get inside when you’re behind the wheel of an old race car but what I hope to be able to do is use my knowledge and experience to help the team at Simraceway replicate how it feels to drive,”.^[37]

Motorsports Career Results[link]

Touring Car Racing[link]

German Touring Car Championship[link]

International Touring Car Championship[link]

American open–wheel racing results[link]

(key)

CART[link]