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2009:
In 2009 a new challenge beckons for Marino Franchitti when he returns to Dyson Racing
and LMP2 competition for his second straight
season with the team. Dyson Racing
having already announced their partnership
with Mazda and BP, will field a pair of
Lola/Mazda B09/86 prototype coupes and
receive factory support in their pursuit of
a class championship. Marino will again be
paired in the #20 car with his
2008 team-mate, Butch Leitzinger.
2008:
Made debut with Dyson Racing driving an LMP2
Porsche RS Spyder with co-driver Butch
Leitzinger. At Sebring, finished race in
second place overall and second in LMP2
class. In St. Petersburg, contact with
fellow competitor ended the No. 20 Porsche
RS Spyder's run 10 laps before race end.
Franchitti/Leitzinger duo finished ninth in
LMP2. At Long Beach, started the #20
Porsche RS Spyder from seventh position in
LMP2 and battled traffic for a solid fifth
place LMP2 finish. At Salt Lake City, ran
upfront in tight battle before settling for
fourth in class At the teams home venue,
Lime Rock Park, whilst in contention for a
podium finish, a last lap shunt with another
LMP2 competitor put the car off the track
and out of contention, finally finished
sixth. At Mid-Ohio, the driving duo again
finished in sixth in LMP2. At Road America,
drove two stints and finished with a third
in LMP2 class. At Mosport, finished eighth
in class following a 20 second pit penalty.
In Detroit finished eighth overall and in
class. Joined by Andy Lally at Petit Le
Mans/Road Atlanta, the #20 trio finished
just off LMP2 podium with fourth-place run
beaten by 3 Porsche factory Spyders. At
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, ended season
sixth in class and eighth overall. Also
competed and won a 4 hour VLN race on the
Nurburgring Nordschleife partnering Frank
Stippler driving a Porsche 997 GT2. Was
asked to join Porsche factory drivers
Westbrook and Collard at the 24 hour race on
the Nurburgring Nordschleife and led for 12
hours before retiring.
2007: Started eight races in first
season for Andretti Green Racing in Acura
ARX-01a LMP2 entry.
In St. Petersburg, lead the race twice, but
was hit by works Porsche, required repairs
and finished seventh in LMP2.
At Houston, drove
impressive first stint and held sixth place
overall before handing over to Herta.
Teammate drove car to second place overall.
At Utah, led in class, second overall
early in race but car retired early due to a
faulty gearbox.
At Lime Rock, ran second
overall in stint but team fell back to sixth
in P2 after Hertas late spin.
At
Mid-Ohio, started from seventh position on
grid and ended race seventh in P2.
At Road
America, ran as high as third in class but
weather played a key factor in the seventh
place class finish.
At Mosport, had solid
run in claiming third place in P2.
At
Detroit, after battling mechanical issues on
pit lane and finished eighth in P2.
2006: Made only Series appearance at
Petit Le Mans. Posted second-place GT2
finish with Anthony Lazzaro/Maurizio Mediani
in Risi Competizione Ferrari F430 GT.
2005: Competed eight times for Panoz
factory squad in GT2.
Fourth at Mid- Ohio
with Robin Liddell in season debut.
Eighth
in class at Lime Rock with Bryan Sellers,
and duo retired after 39 laps at Infineon.
Fifth in class at Portland with Christophe
Tinseau and struggled again at Road America;
mechanical woes meant seventh-place finish
in class.
Seventh at Mosport and Petit Le
Mans as Franchitti/Sellers added Gunnar
Jeannette for the latter.
Ended the year
at Laguna Seca with same results seventh
in class.
2004: Drove three times, highlighted
by LMP2 pole at Sebring for Rand Racing.
Left race after 12 laps (mechanical).
Returned at Petit Le Mans with Jeannette/
Tinseau in Panoz Esperante and completed
just 254 laps for 13th in GT.
Drove with
Jeannette to seventh place GT finish at
day-night Laguna Seca.
2003: Finished fifth in GT at Sebring
driving a Ferrari 360 Modena for Risi
Competizione.
2002: Made seven starts, six in Dodge
Viper GTS-R for American Viperacing.
In
the Viper, best finish was fourth at
Trois-Rivieres, Mosport and Laguna Seca.
Co-drove to GT class runner-up finish with
Kevin Buckler in The Racers Group Porsche
911 GT3 RS at Infineon.
2001: Made Series debut in Petit Le
Mans but the Ferrari 360 he was driving was
excluded from the race after receiving
unauthorized assistance on the circuit. |
