ANDRETTI GREEN RACING ANNOUNCES FRANCHITTI'S BACK

        INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (Nov. 18, 2003) - Andretti Green Racing (AGR) announced today that
Dario Franchitti will return to competition in the #27 Dallara/Honda/Firestone in 2004 after he
completes his recovery from this summer's back surgery. Franchitti started just three Indy Racing
League (IRL) IndyCar? Series races in 2003 as a result of injuries sustained in an off-track incident
in April.
        "Andretti Green Racing is really looking forward to having Dario back full-time next season,"
said Michael Andretti, who owns the team along with partners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree. "Dario
will definitely give Andretti Green and Honda another real shot at winning the series championship
because of his technical feedback, his team leadership and obviously his proven ability to win."
        With four months of rehabilitation already under his belt, Franchitti is looking forward to
completing his recovery and focusing on competing for his first IndyCar Series championship.
        "To say I'm eager to get going again would be a huge understatement," said Franchitti, who
has 10 major open wheel victories and 11 poles to his credit. "My recovery has been going very well
and I know I'm not quite through the process yet, but I really can't wait to get back in an AGR car
and work with my guys. I'm working very hard to regain my fitness and I feel like I'm a bit ahead of
schedule. I am very focused on getting back to 100 percent."
        Franchitti's medical clearance from Dr. Henry Bock, the IRL's director of medical services, is
projected to come in mid-January, 180 days after he underwent season-ending back surgery to
better address the injuries he suffered.
         "Dario is currently weaning out of his brace and is continuing to increase his general
physical conditioning," said orthopedic surgeon Dr. Terry Trammell, who operated on Franchitti at
Orthopedics Indianapolis in July and has been overseeing his recovery. "I would anticipate his
healing process to continue normally, in which case he will be able to begin undertaking more
vigorous activity in the near future. Once he is healed, his risk of a spinal injury in the future will be
no greater than it was before he was injured."
        Franchitti made his IRL IndyCar Series debut in 2002 at the 86th running of the Indianapolis
500. Before making the move to the series full-time in 2003, Franchitti logged six CART seasons,
finishing in the top-five in the final standings three times and posting three multi-win seasons. His
strongest effort came in 1999 when he tied Juan Pablo Montoya in the final standings with 212
points, but lost the championship on a tie-breaker based on Montoya's seven wins to Franchitti's
three.
        Honda entered Indy Racing League competition for the first time in 2003 and enjoyed its first
series victory with AGR driver Tony Kanaan at Phoenix International Raceway. Andretti Green driver
Bryan Herta followed-up Kanaan's triumph with Honda's second series win at Kansas Speedway
behind the wheel of the #27 entry on July 6, while teammate Dan Wheldon capped off the season by
securing Rookie-of-the-Year honors for Honda during the series finale at Texas Motor Speedway.
Prior to entering the IRL, Honda took part in the CART series from 1994 to 2002, where the
company won four manufacturers' championships (1996, '98, '99, '01) and six consecutive drivers'
titles (1996-2001).