Catchfence

Dario Franchitti wasn’t around American open-wheel racing when it finally became one series again last year.
But the 2007 IndyCar Series champion, once a star in the rival CART series, can certainly see the difference now that he is back.

“The competition level has gone up, even since 2007. It’s just so deep now,” Franchitti said Sunday after winning in Long Beach in just his second race back in IndyCar after an aborted shot at NASCAR in 2008. “Just about everybody is here and it really makes winning tougher and even more special when you do it.”

There was some surprise when the popular Scotsman decided to make the move to NASCAR.

- USA Today