SEPTEMBER 26, 2007

Franchitti begins NASCAR attack?

Indy Racing League champion Dario Franchitti looks like starting his stock car racing career with a race in a Chip Ganassi Dodge in the ARCA Re/Max Series race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama on October 5. The news has yet to be confirmed but Ganassi does have a car, sponsored by Memorex, running in the event. Ganassi is rumoured to be planning to give Franchitti the same basic education that was used for Juan Pablo Montoya a year ago.

Franchitti is tipped to move up into the Nextel Cup at the start of next year in the car currently being raced by David Stremme, whose option for next season was not picked up. There are rumours that Canadian Club was following Franchitti from the IRL. The Canadian whisky brand is owned by Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc, which is already represented in NASCAR by Robby Gordon's Jim Beam team. Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is part of the vast Fortune Brands Inc empire.

The competition for whisky sponsorship in NASCAR is busy at the moment with Jack Daniels running with Clint Bowyer's Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and Jack Roush running a car in Diageo's Crown Royal colours for Jamie McMurray.