Franchitti returning to IRL, but staying with Ganassi

Without a Sprint Cup car to drive, Dario Franchitti found himself on familiar ground last weekend -- at the IndyCar Series event in Detroit, but only as a spectator. It was there, amid all those open-wheeled cars he was once synonymous with, where he ultimately made the decision to leave NASCAR and return to the circuit where he was champion in 2007.

Franchitti's brief and turbulent time in NASCAR came to an end on Tuesday, when he announced that he would drive on the IndyCar tour for owner Chip Ganassi in 2009. Franchitti started this season in Ganassi's No. 40 Sprint Cup car, but missed four races because of a broken ankle, failed to qualify for two more, and then was out of a ride altogether after Ganassi shut down the No. 40 team because of sponsorship concerns.

Franchitti

Now Franchitti, who has 18 career IndyCar wins including the 2007 Indianapolis 500, will return to open-wheel cars in a No. 10 Honda sponsored by Target.

"Absolutely no regrets," he said Tuesday, when asked to sum up his NASCAR experience. "I think the first part of the season was very, very tough, and I was just starting to get the hang of it when I broke my ankle. I think we had some good performances, if not results, at Pocono, Michigan and Loudon. We were running very well there, and then we got news of the 40 car being shut down. And subsequently, our Nationwide program, I think we've done very well there. Absolutely no regrets. I lot of it I really enjoyed. It's something I might do again in the future. Who knows. But the opportunity to do the IndyCar Series again, and race at Indianapolis and all the other places again, it was too good to miss."

Franchitti said he talked with Ganassi about sliding into the owner's No. 41 Sprint Cup car, which will be vacant for next season with the move of driver Reed Sorenson to Gillett Evernham Motorsports. But the lure of the 2009 IndyCar schedule, featuring more road and street courses, was too much. The trip to Detroit last weekend sealed it.

"It didn't seem the best of the options," Franchitti said of the No. 41. "When Chip kind of laid this [IndyCar] option in front of me, I could see the enthusiasm he had, coupled with the enthusiasm I felt for the schedule and looking forward to next year. I'd been to Detroit, as well, and seen the IndyCars running there, and was reminded of what the cars are capable of. That all went into that decision."

Franchitti is scheduled to make four more starts this season in Ganassi's No. 40 car on the Nationwide circuit, including Friday night's event at Richmond International Raceway. Those races may instead go to Bryan Clauson, who was splitting time in the No. 40 with Franchitti. If that's the case, an 11th-place result two weeks ago at Bristol may be Franchitti's final NASCAR hurrah.

"My personal opinion is, I'd probably give Bryan Clauson a chance at more seat time," Franchitti said. "He's a rookie like I was this year, and he needs every bit of seat time, as well. That might be the direction it goes in."

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