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Dario Franchitti discusses concussions in racing with new video

By Brittany Frederick

Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti watches IndyCar action from the pit stand. Photo Credit: Joe Skibinski/Courtesy of IndyCar
Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti watches IndyCar action from the pit stand. Photo Credit: Joe Skibinski/Courtesy of IndyCar /
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IndyCar’s Dario Franchitti has opened up about how concussions affect racing drivers in a new video. Watch ‘Concussions in Racing’ to hear his perspective.

Concussions have become a hot topic in motorsports. Someone who knows much about them is former IndyCar driver and current driver coach Dario Franchitti, and he’s sharing his experience in a new educational video.

“Concussions in Racing” features Franchitti discussing the accident during the 2013 Houston Grand Prix that ultimately ended his racing career. The Scottish fan favorite suffered a concussion, along with two fractured vertebrae and a broken ankle, when his car slammed into a catch fence during the race.

He subsequently retired to avoid further injury but remained active within IndyCar. Franchitti currently serves as the driver coach for Chip Ganassi Racing, where he lends his expertise to Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball and Max Chilton.

The video uses Franchitti as a case study, along with input from Dr. Stephen Olvey, who advised the driver to hang up his helmet. Olvey is a neurocritical care physician and explains exactly how concussions are a serious issue in motorsports. Featuring both the driver’s and doctor’s points of view this film is a great look at something all racing fans should know more about.

It’s a production of SAFEisFAST.com, the motorsports safety initiative for which Franchitti currently serves as an ambassador. Offering resources for professional and aspiring racers it’s a production of the Road Racing Drivers Club and presented by Honda.

You can click below to watch “Concussions in Racing” and hear from Dario Franchitti:

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Concussions will continue to be an important topic across all of sports, including motorsports as Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to racing this season. Hopefully films like “Concussions in Racing” will help shed more light on the issue.