Indy 500 Winner Franchitti Doubles Up With Series Championship

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 3, 2010: Dario Franchitti proved yet again that winning the Indianapolis 500 is a great barometer for capturing the IZOD IndyCar Series championship later that year.

Franchitti became the fifth driver in the last six years to win the Indianapolis 500 and the IZOD IndyCar Series title in the same season by capturing the championship by just five points over Will Power in the Cafes do Brasil Indy 300 on Oct. 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He won the Indianapolis 500 on May 30.

It was Franchitti’s record-tying third IZOD IndyCar Series championship to accompany his second Indy 500 victory.

“Good haul, isn’t it?” Franchitti said. “Look back to the start of 2007, I hadn't won a championship. Won a lot of races, but not a championship or Indy 500. Now we find ourselves with two 500s and three championships.

“I’m just going to enjoy it. I think I’m just going to let it sink in, enjoy it. But I’m very proud of the achievement.”

Other Indy 500-season title winners in the same season since 2005 have been Dan Wheldon (2005), Sam Hornish Jr. (2006), Franchitti (2007) and Scott Dixon (2008).

This is the second time Target Chip Ganassi Racing has pulled off “the double,” as Dixon first performed the feat for the team in 2008. Franchitti won Indy and the championship in 2007 for Andretti Green Racing, now known as Andretti Autosport.

Franchitti had a decisive edge on ovals over Verizon Team Penske’s Power this season. Franchitti scored 295 of his 602 points on ovals, while Power earned just 185 of his 597 points on ovals.