In a stunnning revelation today, longtime Indycar driver and four-time series champion Dario Franchitti announced his retirement from motorsport, effective immediately. The decision is based on doctor's reccomendations after the 40-year-old Scottish driver suffered a horrific crash in Houston in early October.
In a statement from Franchitti, he expressed his sincere thanks and gratitude to those throughout his career.
“Since my racing accident in Houston, I have been in the expert care of some of the leading doctors and nurses, all of whom have made my health, my safety and my recovery their top priority," Franchitti said. "I am eternally grateful for the medical care I have received over the last several weeks. I'd also like to thank my family and friends for their unbelievable support.
"One month removed from the crash and based upon the expert advice of the doctors who have treated and assessed my head and spinal injuries post-accident, it is their best medical opinion that I must stop racing. They have made it very clear that the risks involved in further racing are too great and could be detrimental to my long term well-being. Based on this medical advice, I have no choice but to stop.
"Racing has been my life for over 30 years and it's really tough to think that the driving side is now over. I was really looking forward to the 2014 season with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, with a goal of winning a fourth Indianapolis 500 and a fifth IndyCar Series championship.
"I'd like to thank all my fellow competitors, teammates, crew and sponsors for their incredible support over the course of this amazing ride. I'd also like to thank Hogan Racing, Team KOOL Green and Andretti Green Racing for the opportunities to compete on the racetrack, and especially Target Chip Ganassi Racing, who have become like a family to me since I joined their team back in 2008. I would be remiss if I didn't thank all my fans around the world. I can't thank you enough for standing by my side for all these years. "I'll forever look back on my time racing in CART and the IndyCar Series with fond memories and the relationships I've forged in the sport will last a lifetime."
Franchitti's career saw him race in British F3 and Germany's DTM series before joining the CART Series in 1997. He left the series for IndyCar and won his first championship in 2007, then followed that with three straight titles from 2009 to 2011.
The three-time Indy 500 winner (2007, 2010, 2012) is tied for eighth on the all-time list with 31 Indy car race victories and is sixth on the career list with 33 poles. Overall, Franchitti made 265 career Indy car starts. His four championships are tied with Mario Andretti for second to A.J. Foyt's seven on the all-time list, and he is among three drivers in Indy car history to win at least three consecutive titles. He is fifth on the all-time list with 92 podium finishes and is tied for sixth with 119 top-five finishes.
