Franchitti bags Barber podiumposted in INDY11 | 04 | 2011

BATHGATE'S DARIO FRANCHITTI followed up his win in the opening round of the IndyCar Championship by bagging a podium spot at the latest round at Barber Motorsports Park.

The 37-year-old Scot spent the early part of the race in fifth, stuck behind fourth-placed Oriol Servia. But Franchitti leap-frogged the Newman/Haas car at the first round of stops.

Franchitti, bidding to win the IndyCar title for a fourth time, and third year in succession, climbed to third when he muscled his Target Ganassi car passed the Penske of Ryan Briscoe at a restart following a yellow flag period.

"Not exactly the weekend I wanted, but we managed to salvage a podium and score some excellent championship points," admitted Franchitti, who finished behind the Penske of race winner Will Power, and his own Ganassi team-mate Scott Dixon.

Power, who Franchitti beat to the title last year, now leads the Scot at the head of the championship standings by just seven points. The teams now head to Long Beach in California for the next round this weekend.

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Jim McGill