Birthdate: May 19, 1973
Birthplace: Bathgate, Scottland

Fresh off winning the Indy 500, it's been a great year for IRL driver Dario Franchitti. Find out more about this Scottish racing stud!

Dario Franchitti - From Kilts to Race Cars

Although he is of Italian descent, Dario Franchitti was born and raised in Scotland. Dario started off racing carts - and at 11 years old, he won the Scottish Junior Championship. He followed that up with a British Junior Championship in 1985 and 1986. In 1988, Dario won the Scottish Senior Title. From there, he moved on to formula car racing in 1992, where he joined Paul Stewart Racing. That year he was named the McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year. After winning the championship in 1993, Dario moved up and won the British Formula Three Championship in 1994. Dario continued to race in Europe until 1996, where he was sponsored by AMG Racing and drove a Mercedes.

Dario Franchitti - US Career

In 1996, Dario progressed to Champ Car racing in the US. After starting off with Hogan Racing, he switched to Team KOOL Green in 1998. In two seasons with Team KOOL Green, he won six races and seven poles. A crash during a practice run limited Dario's progress for the next two years, only winning one race in 2001. Dario joined the Andretti Green team in the IndyCar Series in 2003. While his first few years were hindered by injury, he still was able to capture a couple of victories in 2004. In May 2007, Dario's career reached an all-time high as he took home the Indianapolis 500!

Dario Franchitti - Did U Know?

Dario Franchitti is married to movie star Ashley Judd. The two married in Scotland in 2001.

Dario Franchitti's younger brother Marino is also a race car driver.

Dario Franchitti's favorite actor is Sean Connery. Dario grew up a big fan of the James Bond series.

Dario Franchitti is a licensed helicopter pilot.

Dario Franchitti enjoys working out, reading and playing video games.

Dario Franchitti's favorite musicians are U2 and Elton John.

Dario Franchitti is 5'9" and weighs 155 lbs.

Dario Franchitti Says...

"The Indy 500 is the pinnacle of my career at this point. It's massive. It's awesome."

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