Dario Franchitti, a man who is rightly best-known as Mr Ashley Judd, is leaving Nascar after just one season, to return to IndyCar in 2009. The Scot, who won the Indy 500 last year, will replace fellow Brit Dan Wheldon and team up with Scott Dixon.
Dixon is delighted with the news (perhaps because Wheldon has a reputation in the IndyCar paddock as being a bit of a dick, whereas Dario is a bit of a dude). The Kiwi said: “We saw each other over the weekend and I thought there must be some rustlings going on. To have a driver like Dario on our team is going to be spectacular. We’re going to be a force next season.”
“Artistic IndyCar dude” laughs at Brit’s new teeth
If you’re a regular visitor to Grid Crasher, you will be aware that we are fascinated by Dan Wheldon’s amazing teeth. The Nicey lookalike used to have crap British teeth, but now he’s living in the States, he paid for an awe-inspiring set of new gnashers.
In this clip, Dan speaks to a few IndyCar employees about the forthcoming wedding of Chip Ganassi team-mate Scott Dixon, and ends up getting some stick for his unfeasibly large teeth. Quite right too.
British IndyCar star escapes injury after his car flips
Here’s our very own Dan Wheldon, being helped away from his wrecked car, after a scary-looking crash during a practice session for last weekend’s IndyCar event at the Texas Motor Speedway. The Englishman’s car veered off line, hit the outside wall, and then flipped over on the infield grass. He escaped serious injury, and went on to finish fourth in the race, which was won by Dan’s team-mate, Scott Dixon. It was Wheldon’s fourth top-five finish in the past five races.
Here at Grid Crasher’s luxury motorhome, we’re becoming obsessed with Dan Wheldon’s amazing teeth. They really are the eighth wonder of the world.
During the Indy 500’s pre-race driver parade, Dan was snapped flashing his giant ivories again; the awesome combination of teeth, hair, and sunglasses put us in mind of Harry Enfield character DJ Dave “Nicey” Nice (partner to Paul Whitehouse’s Mike “Smashie” Smash).
British IndyCar star has American ivories, and then some
Here’s Dan Wheldon (left), celebrating with team-mate Scott Dixon after the latter secured pole position for this Sunday’s Indy 500.
Wheldon was born in Sutton Coldfield. How many people from Sutton Coldfield do you know with teeth like that? They’re fricking ridiculous, at least two sizes too big for his head; they look more like dentures than real teeth. His dentist must like practical jokes. Dixon, a New Zealander, has a fine set of teeth too, but he can’t compete with the scary white tombstones jumping out of Wheldon’s mouth.
British IndyCar star enjoys kickabout with MLS team
Ooh Dan, what lovely flyaway hair you have! And what lovely white teeth you have! Wheldon, who drives in IndyCar (and featured in our inaugural motorsport Power Rankings), was born in Sutton Coldfield; if he still lived in Sutton Coldfield, he wouldn’t have such American hair and teeth, that’s a FACT.
Anyway, we digress. Yesterday, Dan teamed up with MLS outfit FC Dallas for a “scrimmage” (the verb used by IndyCar’s official site), to promote the Bombardier Learjet 550k IndyCar Series race (catchy name guys!), scheduled for June 7 at Texas Motor Speedway.
We rank the hottest racers and riders in the world of motorsport
1. Kimi Raikkonen (F1)
Drove what he claimed was his best race to win in Spain last weekend, and could have gone faster if necessary. Leads the F1 drivers’ championship and now looks totally at ease in his Ferrari. A worthy No.1 in our inaugural rankings.
2. Troy Bayliss (World Superbikes)
Continued his relentless charge towards a third Superbikes world title with back-to-back wins at Assen. The 39-year-old Aussie is now 70 points ahead of his nearest rival, an uprecedented lead at this stage of the season.
