Beyond the Flag
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IndyCar: Ranking the Past 10 Series Champions

By Asher Fair

Sep 18, 2016; Sonoma, CA, USA; Hewlett Packard Enterprise driver Simon Pagenaud (center) celebrates his win and the title with Verizon Team Penske driver Juan Pablo Montoya (right) and Steak’n Shake driver Graham Rahal (left) after the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2016; Sonoma, CA, USA; Hewlett Packard Enterprise driver Simon Pagenaud (center) celebrates his win and the title with Verizon Team Penske driver Juan Pablo Montoya (right) and Steak’n Shake driver Graham Rahal (left) after the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 25, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; IndyCar Series former driver Dario Franchitti walks the red carper prior to the 2014 Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
May 25, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; IndyCar Series former driver Dario Franchitti walks the red carper prior to the 2014 Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 6 – Dario Franchitti, Andretti Green Racing, 2007

Perhaps if Dario Franchitti was not leading the championship standings coming into the 2007 season finale at Chicagoland, he would not be ranked as high as he his on this list simply due to the fact that this championship was won the way it was won. But the fact is, he was ahead, albeit by only three points, and he was ahead thanks to winning three races prior to the season finale, including his first Indianapolis 500.

With just Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, the other legitimate championship contender, on the lead lap in the closing laps of the season finale, the recipe for a championship was simple for both drivers: win the race, win the championship, or finish 2nd in the race, finish 2nd in the championship.

2003 IndyCar champion Scott Dixon had the clear speed advantage over Franchitti throughout the entire race, so Franchitti decided to gamble and save fuel in hopes that Dixon would run out of fuel, as it was really Franchitti’s last hope. With just one turn to go in the entire season, that bold strategy paid off.

As Scott Dixon ran out of fuel just a few hundred yards away from a potential second championship, Dario Franchitti coasted to his first. While his season was not super dominant, he did come through when it mattered most in the Indianapolis 500, the season finale and the championship itself with four race victories.