Franchitti again wins Indy 500, this time in honor of D-dub

Franchitti again wins Indy 500, this time in honor of D-dub

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

Dario Franchitti stamped his name in the record books, the latest three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.

But this was not about Franchitti: It was all for Dan Wheldon.

Franchitti won a wheel-to-wheel, last-lap battle Sunday with Takuma Sato, their tires briefly touching to send Sato spinning hard into the wall. Franchitti sailed away to the checkered flag, with Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon crossing the finish line right behind the Scotsman.

Third went to Tony Kanaan, making it a podium sweep for Wheldon’s three closest friends in the IndyCar series.

Wheldon, the defending race winner and a two-time champ, was killed in the October season finale, and the entire day was in honor of D-dub, their fallen friend.

“Everybody up there was a friend of Dan’s, and that about sums it up. Everybody loved him,” said Franchitti as bagpipes played over the public address system.

“What a race! What a race!” Franchitti said. “I think D-dub would be proud of that one.”