2. Indy Car is a premier class of American motor sport, but which British born driver conquered it by winning four championships between 2007 and 2011?
From Quiz Crossing The Pond
Answer:
Dario Franchitti
Franchitti was born in Bathgate, Scotland and from his motor racing start in karting, progressed through the various series up to the British Formula Three Championship. Although he finished fourth in this series, he was not retained for the following season, so went to drive in the German Touring Car Championship and later, the International Touring Car Championship. The ITC folded after a single season though, due to lack of revenue and Franchitti moved to USA to compete in CART racing with Hogan Racing, before moving to Team Green in 1998.
In 2003, he moved to Indy with Team Green, now renamed Andretti Green, winning his first IRL IndyCar Series race in 2004 after missing most of the previous season with a back injury. 2007 marked the start of his glory seasons when he won the IndyCar Championship. After a brief flirtation with NASCAR in 2008, he returned to Indy with Chip Ganassi Racing, with whom he won the championship in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Franchitti's career ended in 2013 when, following huge crash at Houston that left him with a spinal fracture, he was warned that to continue racing would risk permanent paralysis.
Other British born sports stars that have excelled in USA include Phil Stockman in Major League Baseball, Steve Smith in the NHL, Admiral Schofield in NBA, Jay Ajayi in NFL and John Jackson in NASCAR.