IndyCar News

Franchitti on AARWBA All-America First Team

November 30, 2009

 

2009 IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti and 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion J.R. Hildebrand were among the seven drivers honored with first-team honors on the 2009 American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association's All-America team.

Franchitti , who won five races and the IndyCar Series championship in his return to the series after a year in NASCAR, earned his second first-team honor by earning the most votes in the open-wheel category. Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves earned the second-team honors in the voting of more than 300 members of the media.

Franchitti and Hildebrand, along with the rest of the first team - NASCAR Sprint Cup star Mark Martin, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., NHRA Top Fuel Champ Tony Schumacher, Rolex Sports Car Series co-champs Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney and World of Outlaws titlist Donnie Schatz - will be honored at the 40th AARWBA banquet Jan. 16 in Brownsburg, Ind.

The winner of the Jerry Titus Award, which is awarded to the top vote-getter over the seven categories, also will be announced at the banquet.