[LSC9901]

INDIANAPOLIS -- Dario Franchitti is still unsure if his next lap at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be in a stock car.
The Indianapolis 500 and newly crowned IndyCar Series champion is expected to leave Andretti Green Racing for a ride in NASCAR next season.
"There's a lot of factors, and at the appropriate time I'll think about it, but right now I don't see it being the appropriate time," he said Tuesday. "We just won the championship and we're in sort of the celebration stage of that. I'm not going to really think about my future until the end of this week or the start of next week at the earliest."
Franchitti, who won the 500 in May, clinched the series title by winning the season-ending race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday.

More ....
ESPN - NASCAR or IndyCar? Franchitti not saying - Open-Wheel

[Racer Duck]

at least someone in that family has some brains... I like Dario, but hope he leaves his wife at home...

[Bob Tanner]

Dario was guest on Craig Ferguson's Late Night Show last week. It's tough to understand one Scotsman when he's talking to another Scot but from what I think I heard him say, it's a pretty much done deal.

Gnassi says he's going to try him out first in an ARCA race (like Juablo did) at Talladega. I guess Chip is a firm believer in the "Sink or Swim" concept, eh? Oh well, I guess he could have had him make his start at Martinsville?

Unlike my friend, Duck, I sincerely hope and pray his betrothed shows up at the races. Especially if it's raining. Ashley in a wet dress at this year's 500 was as good as most wet tee-shirt contests I've heard of.

[lilsexy08]

So he is going for the race in ARCA in October at Talladega, I guess I'm just hard headed but this is what is going to happen. They will talk all about him just like Montoya! I might buy a ticket for the ARCA race that day haven't decided yet.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by lilsexy08

So he is going for the race in ARCA in October at Talladega, I guess I'm just hard headed but this is what is going to happen. They will talk all about him just like Montoya! I might buy a ticket for the ARCA race that day haven't decided yet.

I'd say your assumption is an extremely safe bet.

Being an Indy winner and being Scottish (read: foreign), Dario will probably be the "flavor of the month." Sam Hornish, being another 500 winner, might have been the same if his last name would have been Hornishzaki, or something like that.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Dario was guest on Craig Ferguson's Late Night Show last week. It's tough to understand one Scotsman when he's talking to another Scot but from what I think I heard him say, it's a pretty much done deal.

Gnassi says he's going to try him out first in an ARCA race (like Juablo did) at Talladega. I guess Chip is a firm believer in the "Sink or Swim" concept, eh? Oh well, I guess he could have had him make his start at Martinsville?

Unlike my friend, Duck, I sincerely hope and pray his betrothed shows up at the races. Especially if it's raining. Ashley in a wet dress at this year's 500 was as good as most wet tee-shirt contests I've heard of.

as long as she doesn't open her mouth (fat chance of that happening...) I'm fine with looking at her.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

as long as she doesn't open her mouth (fat chance of that happening...) I'm fine with looking at her.

At the risk of something thinking that I have an oral fixation, let me say that some of her on-air comments have been kind of interesting and to the point. Her appraisal of that little Venezuelan gnome, Duno, were pretty much right on target.

Part of her statement is quoted below:

"Milka Duno is a rolling road hazard who needs to be barred from Indy car racing before she hurts herself or someone else. She supposedly has four masters degrees. Then it’s bloody well high time she started using them to get into some line of work for which she has an aptitude. If this sounds viciously mean-spirited, that’s too bad."

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

At the risk of something thinking that I have an oral fixation, let me say that some of her on-air comments have been kind of interesting and to the point. Her appraisal of that little Venezuelan gnome, Duno, were pretty much right on target.

Part of her statement is quoted below:

"Milka Duno is a rolling road hazard who needs to be barred from Indy car racing before she hurts herself or someone else. She supposedly has four masters degrees. Then it’s bloody well high time she started using them to get into some line of work for which she has an aptitude. If this sounds viciously mean-spirited, that’s too bad."

Gosh Bob, that's a bit of an elitist attitude, isn't it? "little Venezuelan gnome"? Do you have something against smart Hispanic women? Or just women racers in general?

As I understand IRL, there's a minimum speed which every car on the track has to maintain .. Ms Duno has never been told to speed up or get off the track. If Mr Judd cannot negotiate slower cars on the track, he needs to hone his skills. Same with any driver in any race .. there's always slower cars and faster cars .. you have to deal with them.

Also, Ms Duno is 2nd in IRL Rookie of the Year points, is driving for an underfunded team (the guy leading ROY drives for Rahal-Letterman), and has a single accident this year (which she didn't cause .. at Indy in only her 2nd race in IRL) the same number of accidents Mr Judd has on the year. Yes, Ms Duno runs about 19th every race (her best finish is 11th) .. what's wrong with that? Out of 36 drivers in IRL this year, she's 20th in points.

Finally, I applaud Ms Duno for doing something with her life that requires more than a shapely body and pretty face. (I think that's another problem Ms Judd has with Ms Duno, competition in the looks department.) Her academic achievements are not in basket weaving, but Naval Engineering (in Organizational Development, Naval Architecture, Maritime Business and Marine Biology – the last three earned simultaneously) and her racing credentials are impressive and as good as any driver in IRL.

Ms Duno may not be racing for the championship, but she is doing her best with a mediocre team and equipment. She does not deserve those types of derogatory comments.

[clutch]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

as long as she doesn't open her mouth (fat chance of that happening...) I'm fine with looking at her.

I'm with R.D on this......I didnt like her comments about Milka at all

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

Gosh Bob, that's a bit of an elitist attitude, isn't it? "little Venezuelan gnome"? Do you have something against smart Hispanic women? Or just women racers in general?
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Ms Duno may not be racing for the championship, but she is doing her best with a mediocre team and equipment. She does not deserve those types of derogatory comments.

I stand humbly corrected. I guess, my friend, that what I have mostly against Ms. Duno is that it would appear that her entry into racing seems to be rather a "lark," and she apparently "bought herself a ride."

I know that this is the type of thing one usually associates with the F1 and the old F-3000 circuit, and in some of the SCCA circuits here. I. personally don't like to see it in either NASCAR or IRL.

In hindsight, my calling her "a little Venezuelan gnome," was uncalled for and I apologize to you and to any who may have found this offensive. I would have been much better advised to leave off the "gnome." (She is truly "little" height-wise anyway, and she is Venezuelan)

All that being said, until she proves herself as a racer and not a latter day Lance Reventlow or a Marques de Portago (two other famous "ride buyers"), I will probably continue to under-appreciate her.

But, thanks for setting me straight. Honestly, I appreciate that.