MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Four-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti will return to competition in the Feb. 28 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event during the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Franchitti, whose career was cut short by injury, will make his return to NASCAR competition for the first time since 2008, driving the No. 1 Toyota for TRICON Garage on the streets of St. Petersburg.
In a partnership between TRICON, Jimmie Johnson and Legacy Motor Club, Franchitti will drive the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Dollar Tree has joined the effort and will serve as the primary sponsor for the Scotsman’s first NASCAR race in 17 years.
Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation, Franchitti has a decorated résumé at the highest levels of open-wheel motorsports. The Scottish driver captured the IndyCar Series championship in 2007 followed by three consecutive championships from 2009 to 2011.
His 31 career wins between IndyCar and CART, highlighted by Indianapolis 500 triumphs in 2007, 2010 and 2012, includes one victory at the 1.8-mile St. Petersburg street course on March 27, 2011, in a dominant performance leading 94 out of 100 laps.
While he retired from full-time racing competition in 2013, Franchitti has remained deeply involved in motorsports as a broadcast analyst and as an advisor and driver coach at Chip Ganassi Racing. He began competing in historic car events in 2019, allowing him to still fulfill his love of driving.
“The thought of racing a NASCAR truck on a street circuit is really intriguing to me,” Franchitti said. “The different surfaces, the fact that part of it is on an airport, then you go into the streets, the different bumps all those things you got to try and master. This was just the chance to race on a circuit that I love, and a chance to do something fun.”
This all stemmed from a conversation with Jimmie Johnson. For me, with the opportunity to race the truck, it was really him, it was the whole team that he has there [at Legacy MC] that made it all happen. His relationship with Toyota, Dollar Tree coming on a sponsor — it’s all been through Jimmie and the team at Legacy MC. If it goes well, great. If it doesn’t go well, I am going to be blaming Jimmie.”
“Dario and I had been talking for a long time about the chance to race together, so when he approached me about St. Petersburg, I knew I had to get to work. I called him back a day later with an incredible opportunity to join a championship-winning team with Toyota and the great people at TRICON,” said Johnson. “It’s been a lot of fun getting him integrated into the team and spending more time together, going through the process of getting him back to racing.
I’m so excited it all came together and thankful that Dollar Tree is going to support. I am looking forward to sitting on the pit box alongside the team and sharing this experience with Dario.”