Franchitti still nursing injury, unsure of when he'll return

By Jeff Gluck - Associate Editor
Monday, May 12, 2008
$util.encode.html($content.photo.alt)

Dario Franchitti (left) talks with Sterling Marlin during practice last weekend.

Chris Graythen
Getty Images

DARLINGTON, S.C.Dario Franchitti continues to heal from the broken left ankle he sustained during a Nationwide Series race at Talladega last month, with no firm timetable for his return.

“There’s not really been any change,” Franchitti said Saturday. “I’m just waiting for the swelling to go down and the pain to go away, and for the fracture to heal. When those things go away, I’ll be able to drive the car again.”

Sterling Marlin drove Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 40 car at Darlington, and could do so again at Charlotte if Franchitti is not ready.

Franchitti has been monitoring the amount of pressure he puts on his ankle. After a couple hours of walking around, Franchitti elevates his leg and uses a boot that circulates cold water through it to alleviate the swelling.

He had considered testing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, but the doctor nixed that idea. Franchitti obliged, remembering how he rushed back from injuries earlier in his career to mixed results.

“I’ve done that two or three times in my career and probably regretted it in the long run,” he said. “Especially as new as all this is to me, I’ve got to be 100 percent before I get back in the car.”

Franchitti said he realized that competing for rookie of the year honors in both the Cup and Nationwide series would now be a longshot, but that healing his ankle fully was best for his future.

He recently traveled to Indianapolis – not to ponder racing in the Indy 500, where he is the reigning champion, but to get fitted for a carbon fiber brace that supports his ankle. He’ll use the brace when he returns to the car.

Post a Comment

Disclaimer: All comments are subject to filtering for language, and libelous content. Comments are intended to encourage spirited debate and discussion about the subject matter contained within the articles and ARE NOT intended for personal or demeaning attacks directed at other users. We reserve the right to remove any comments deemed inappropriate. Users who violate this policy may be banned from posting comments on the site.

Comment Preview

Feb 9, 2010 at 9:59 PM
You said:

You must login before you can post comments or rate content.

If you don't have an account you can create a free one here.

NASCAR Schedules

spd

Gatorade Duel 1

Daytona International Speedway
02:00 PM, 02/11/2010

Poll PositionView All

After qualifying and the Budweiser Shootout, who is the favorite to win the Daytona 500?

Promotions

  • Tweet your thoughts about each race and join the conversation with other fans.

  • Drive an authentic NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the NASCAR Racing Experience.

Don't have an account yet?

Insiders Guide to NASCAR

Register with SceneDaily.com and get access to the following features:

  • FREE Insider’s Guide to NASCAR (available as a PDF download)
  • Daily NASCAR news updates delivered directly to your e-mail
  • Pre-race and Post-race emails delivered each race week
  • Ability to comment on blog and news articles
  • Information on new website features and upcoming contests
Create my Account

Login

Forgot Password?
Login or Create an Account