Franchitti targets Daytona 24-Hoursposted in INDY08 | 01 | 2011

BATHGATE'S DARIO Franchitti, the triple IndyCar champ, will start his 2011 season at the end of the month by bidding to win America's Blue Riband endurance race, the Daytona 24-Hours, for the second time.

The 35-year-old Scot, who won the Florida race in 2008, will lead the two-car assault by his Ganassi team in their BMW/Riley prototype racers when it gets underway on January 29-30.

Double Indy500 winner Franchitti will be partnered by defending Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray, double IndyCar champ Scott Dixon and Nascar racer Juan Pablo Montoya.

The team's second car will be driven by last year's Grand-Am winners Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, plus Joey Hand and Graham Rahal, who will be part of Ganassi’s four-car IndyCar team this season.

"Daytona is always a fantastic way to start the race season," Franchitti, who led last year's event in the early stages before an engine failure forced his car's retirement, said today as testing began.

"It's a great way of getting all the Ganassi drivers from the different race series together, and driving the prototype on the Daytona track is a real blast. Hopefully we can have a little bit of luck this year and win again." Franchitti's views were backed by team boss Chip Ganassi.

"There are so many elements out of the drivers' hands that need to come together in order to have a shot at winning this event," the burly American admitted. "That's what I love about it. You have to not only be good, but you also have to have a little bit of luck on your side to succeed in a race that lasts 24 hours."

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Jim McGill