Before the sun set on Tuesday evening, Dario Franchitti found himself without a ride in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.  But with a lack of talented drivers on the free agent market, it didn’t take long for one up and coming race team to add the talented former open wheel racer to its ranks.  Jeremy Mayfield Racing (JMR) quickly jumped on the recently available Franchitti and added the driver to its stable of racers.  The team, now two drivers strong, has only been up and running for several months but is looking to make a splash in the racing circuit.  While the team won’t jump immediately into NASCAR, they are seeking all available options to put their best foot forward.

The first race for the new team will be this weekend at Daytona during the running of the 23rd Annual Daytona Beach 5k.  Franchitti, a noted fitness buff and accomplished jogger is looking forward to his fresh start with a new team and expects a strong performance this weekend.  While his driving skills did not translate to success in the Sprint Cup Series, Franchitti believes the experience he received this year will translate well to the well paved route.  “I haven’t run any races with Dario before but I’m looking forward to getting out there with him and seeing what he’s got,” said last year’s Daytona Beach 5k winner Leo “Fleet Feet” Duncan.  “I have no reason to doubt his training.  He wouldn’t be competing if he wasn’t ready to run.  The real difference maker here is the quality of equipment you are given but I hear JMR has a sponsorship contract with Nike so I fully expect them to be outfitted with the finest running shoes and moisture wicking attire.  They’ll be a factor on Saturday morning.”