Franchitti to miss rest of racing season

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Dario Franchitti will have surgery and miss the rest of the Indy Racing League season after breaking a bone in his back in a motorcycle accident in April.
"By having the surgery, I can be back to 100 percent fitness" for the 2004 season, he said Thursday.
Franchitti missed three races, including the Indianapolis 500. He returned for the Honda Indy 225 last week at Pikes Peak, where he finished a season-best fourth.
Andretti Green Racing has not named a replacement driver for the final 10 races of the IRL's 16-race schedule this year. Robby Gordon subbed for Franchitti at Indianapolis last month, and Bryan Herta filled in at the Bombardier 500 at Texas Motor Speedway two weeks ago.