After competing with Andretti Green Racing in 2007, Marino Franchitti will return to LMP2 competition this season with American Le Mans Series mainstay Dyson Racing. … He will co-pilot the No. 20 Porsche RS Spyder with Butch Leitzinger. … Recorded eight starts in 2007 claiming two podiums with AGR co-driver Bryan Herta. … A veteran of 29 Series starts in multiple classes since 2001, posted a career best finish in second place overall at last year’s Lone Star Grand Prix. … Instrumental in development of Acura ARX-01a chassis.

2008: At Sebring, finished race in third place overall and in class at debut with Dyson Racing but due to excluded second place car, the No. 20 Porsche RS Spyder earned second place points in LMP2 and second place overall. ...At St. Petersburg, contact with fellow competitor ended the No. 20 Porsche RS Spyder's run 10 laps before race end. Franchitti/Leitzinger duo finished in ninth place in LMP2. ...At Long Beach, started the No. 20 Porsche RS Spyder from the seventh place position in LMP2 in a tight prototype battle. With Leitzinger, the duo progressed two positions from the start to end the race in fifth position in class.

2007: Started eight races in first season for Andretti Green Racing in Acura ARX-01a LMP2 entry. … 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 Herta’s 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 Racer’s 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.

DRIVER NOTES

Began racing career in go-karts at age eight (1987). … Prior to sports car debut in 2001, his previous experience had been in single-seaters . … After emerging from Jim Russell school, contested selected rounds of Formula Vauxhall for several years. … Won 2001 British GTO Championship driving for Porsche Cars Great Britain in a Porsche GT3 RS. Took 11 podiums with eight class wins and two fastest laps. … Drove in one round of the FIA N-GT Series in 2001 and finished seventh at Spa. … Placed 10th among 220 starters at Nurburgring 24 Hours. … Earned a podium finish at the Spa 24 Hours race in 2006. … Two other podium finishes in 2006 FIA GT championship included GT2 win in Ferrari F430 GT at Adrian. … Brother Dario won 2007 Indy 500 and IRL Championship. … Lists 2000 Series champion Allan McNish and his brother as biggest influences on him. … Celtic football club in Glasgow, Scotland is his favorite professional sports team. … Considers Jim Clark the greatest racing driver of all-time because he was “fast in everything, a gentleman, and also Scottish.” … Does not wish to list best active driver “because my goal is to beat them all,” although he says his brother Dario and McNish have had the biggest influence on his racing life.

 

Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved. Marino Franchittii