Franchitti Stays at AGR

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From ESPN RPM:

INDIANAPOLIS -- 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 on Tuesday.

Franchitti, who finished second in the 1999 CART championship, competed in just three IRL 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 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.