From: Michael Powell 

FRANCHITTI TO DRIVE FOR ANDRETTI GREEN RACING IN 2004

INDIANAPOLIS, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003 – Veteran Dario Franchitti will return
to Andretti Green Racing to drive the No. 27 Dallara/Honda/Firestone in the
2004 IRL IndyCar Series season, AGR officials announced Nov. 18.

Franchitti, who finished second in the 1999 CART championship, competed in
just three IndyCar Series events in 2003 due to a back injury sustained in
a motorcycle accident in April in his native Scotland. 

“Andretti Green Racing is really looking forward to having Dario back
full-time next season,” said Michael Andretti, co-owner of AGR along with
partners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree. “Dario will definitely give Andretti
Green and Honda another real shot at winning the series championship
because of his technical feedback, his team leadership, and obviously, his
proven ability to win.”

Franchitti competed in the first two races of the 2003 season at Homestead
and Phoenix before the back injury caused him to miss races at Japan,
Indianapolis and Texas. He returned to the cockpit in June at Pikes Peak
and finished fourth, but underwent back surgery in the weeks following the
Pikes Peak event, which caused him to miss the remainder of the 2003
season.

“To say I’m eager to get going again would be a huge understatement,”
Franchitti said. “My recovery has been going very well, and I know I’m not
quite through the process yet, but I really can’t wait to get back in an
AGR car and work with my guys. I’m working very hard to regain my fitness,
and I feel like I’m a bit ahead of schedule. I am very focused on getting
back to 100 percent.”

Franchitti has been under the care of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Terry
Trammell, who performed the back surgery in July in Indianapolis. 

“Dario is currently weaning out of his brace and is continuing to increase
his general physical conditioning,” Trammell said. “I would anticipate his
healing process to continue normally, in which case he will be able to
begin undertaking more vigorous activity in the near future. Once he is
healed, his risk of a spinal injury in the future will be no greater than
it was before he was injured.”

Franchitti made his IndyCar Series debut in 2002 at the 86th Indianapolis
500, where he started 28th and finished 19th. He competed in CART from
1997-2002, finishing in the top five in points three times and scoring 10
wins and 11 poles. 

The 2004 IRL IndyCar Series season begins with the Toyota Indy 300 on Feb.
29, 2004 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be broadcast live on
ESPN. 





--- Internet Rex 2.29