IndyCar Driver Preview: Dario Franchitti - MotorSportsTalk

#10 Dario Franchitti

Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Engine: Honda
Sponsors: Target
2012: Seventh Place, 1 Win, 3 Poles

2012 WRAP: Franchitti couldn’t complete his quartet of consecutive championships, as he initially struggled to come to grips with the new Dallara DW12 chassis. Still, he won his third Indianapolis 500 after a gripping duel with teammate Dixon and Takuma Sato. That was the only highlight in a year that, like Dixon’s, had its share of bad luck and missed opportunities. In the five races he either qualified on pole or inherited the top spot after other drivers incurred 10-spot grid penalties, he had only one top-10 finish.

2013 OUTLOOK: Franchitti will turn 40 in May, and by pure numbers is the series’ elder statesman among full-time drivers. But that’s hardly a demerit. Franchitti is still driving as well as he ever has and has two points of motivation this year. Almost out of nowhere, he now has a chance to enter the four-time winner’s club at Indianapolis, and additionally he’ll want a rebound after a largely forgettable 2012. Like Dixon, he will contend for wins and the title once again.

In a continuing effort to help fans keep track of the on track action, SuperMotocross is in the process of developing and implementing leader lights for the unified series.

Currently Supercross (SMX) utilizes stanchions in the infield that are triggered manually by a race official. At least two stanchions are used in each race as a way to draw the eye to the leader, which is especially useful in the tight confines of the stadium series when lapping often begins before the halfway mark in the 22-bike field. This system has been in place for the past two decades.

Later this year, a fully automated system will move to the bike itself to replace the old system. At that point, fans will be able to identify the leader regardless of where he is on track.

The leader lights were tested in the second Anaheim round this year. An example can be seen at the 1:45 mark in the video above on the No. 69 bike.

“What we don’t want to do is move too fast, where it’s confusing to people,” said Mike Muye, senior director of operations for Supercross and SMX in a press release. “We’ve really just focused on the leader at this point with the thought that maybe down the road we’ll introduce others.”

Scheduled to debut with the first SuperMotocross World Championship race at zMax Dragway, located just outside the Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 3D carbon fiber-printed LED light will be affixed to each motorcycle. Ten timing loops positioned around the track will trigger the lights of the leader, which will turn green.

SMX’s partner LiveTime Scoring helped develop and implement the system that has been tested in some form or fashion since 2019.

When the leader lights are successfully deployed, SuperMotocross will explore expanding the system to identify the second- and third-place riders. Depending on need and fan acceptance, more positions could be added.

SuperMotocross is exploring future enhancements, including allowing for live fan interaction with the lights and ways to use the lighting system during the race’s opening ceremony.

Read more about SuperMotocross