"I was happy I was alive": 4-time IndyCar champ recalls aftermath of horrifying crash

Four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti recently featured on a podcast and recalled his career-ending ending horrific accident. Franchitti was questioned about the accident and how he did not retire from the sport out of choice but because of the crash, as the IndyCar legend responded to the same.

Dario Franchitti is a four-time IndyCar champion as well as a three-time Indy 500 winner. The Scotland-born won his last championship in 2011, and was still performing at the highest level in 2013 when the unfortunate crash happened.

The 52-year-old was racing for Chip Ganassi Racing, with whom he won three titles, when the crash happened. The crash happened at the 2013 Grand Prix of Houston when Franchitti slammed into the rear of Takuma Sato’s car on the final lap, which sent him airborne into the catch fence, before landing on the circuit and spinning multiple times before coming to a stop.

The rear of Sato’s car got loose while exiting the corner, and Franchitti, who was following close by, crashed into the Japanese driver. The crash resulted in a concussion, two spinal fractures, and a broken right ankle for Dario Franchitti. The four-time IndyCar champion retired from the sport following the doctor's advice.

When questioned about how Dario Franchitti dealt with the retirement, as it wasn't out of choice, but an aftermath of the crash, the three-time Indy 500 winner replied,

“I was actually just happy I was alive, because of the severity of the accident. So, I didn't really have time to be, oh God. And I got to, I remember there was a point, I was at home up in Scotland, kind of sitting there drooling.” (via the Intercooler podcast) (15:10 onwards)

“And it was, I'm going to make fun of it, but it was pretty bad. And I thought I can either be really pissed off that this has ended, or I can just look at all the really cool stuff I got to do that. I never thought I would.And that's the route I chose to take. And I got, and I managed, and I just sort of threw myself into the next part of life,” added Dario Franchitti

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Dario Franchitti reflects on his move from IndyCar to NASCAR

Dario Franchitti won the 2007 IndyCar championship and decided to make a move to NASCAR for the 2008 season. However, just after a year in stock car racing, Franchitti decided to return to IndyCar and went on to win three more championships in the series.

When questioned about the move, Franchitti said,

“You know when you're in a job and you just feel your motivation sort of just waning a bit and I thought, I need to do something else. I'm just not. Yeah, I'm just not in love with this anymore. So I did this NASCAR deal.”

Revealing how he regretted it the first time he got in a NASCAR, Franchitti added,

“I accelerate first gear, second gear, third gear. And just at that point, I thought, What the hell have I done? What have I done?Because an IndyCar, even on the bad days, it just makes you shake with adrenaline. It absolutely stops your breath. They're so bloody impressive. And I thought, Oh, Christ, what have I done?”

Dario Franchitti returned to American open-wheel racing in 2009 with Chip Ganassi Racing and won the next three championships in consecutive years.