Dario Franchitti retires following wreck in Houston
By Josh Sanchez
IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti was involved in a scary wreck a few weeks ago in Houston and it looks like that will be the last time we ever see him take the track. Franchitti has decided to retire following the crash, but he hopes to stay involved with his race team and the sport moving forward.
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“One month removed from the crash and based upon the expert advice of the doctors who have treated and assessed my head and spinal injuries post accident, it is their best medical opinion that I must stop racing,” Franchitti said in a statement, via Yahoo! Sports. “They have made it very clear that the risks involved in further racing are too great and could be detrimental to my long term well-being. Based on this medical advice, I have no choice but to stop.”
The owner of Franchitti’s team, Chip Ganassi, made it very clear that he would like to keep Franchitti involved and he seems set to ensure that is the next step in Franchitti’s career.
“What’s both impressive and unique about Dario is that he has always been a student of racing, someone who not only appreciates the actual science of the sport but also the rich heritage of those racers that have gone before him,” said Ganassi. “This news only serves as the start of next chapter in Dario Franchitti’s racing career – which I expect will be here with Target Chip Ganassi Racing.”
You never like to see a person walk away from their sport when they have so much left to give, but it is better to walk away when you can and not let something else dictate your decision. Things would have gone differently if Franchitti had his choice, but they still could have been much worse.