Franchitti makes racing return to Knockhill

It’s been ten years since Marino Franchitti last raced at his home track at Knockhill.   In 2001 Marino was competing for the British GTO Championship which he went on to win in style with three races still in hand!  He also recalls that “it was very satisfying” when in the round at Knockhill, under extremely wet conditions, he was able to overtake the bigger cars in the GT Division and pull over a twenty second gap to his nearest rival!
Since then Marino has gone on to work his way to the very top of Sportscar racing.  Since winning his British GTO Championship, Marino has done most of his racing in the United States competing in the American Le Mans Series.  In 2009 driving the Mazda LMP2 chassis for Dyson Racing he took ten podium finishes at all ten races which included two wins, three pole positions and three fastest laps, Marino finished the season 2nd in the Drivers Championship.  Just last season, after moving up to the top LMP1 category, Marino, together with his fellow Highcroft Racing co-drivers and team mates, went on to win the 2010 ALMS Championship in the HPD car.
But next weekend at Knockhill Marino will add another marque to his racing armoury  when he drives the Guest Car in the Ginetta GT Supercup.   When Marino was asked by Ginetta’s owner, Lawrence Tomlinson, if he would like to take up the challenge, Marino jumped at it.   Only launched in February this year the Ginetta G55 is the factory’s latest racing model.  With it’s 3.7ltr V6 engine delivering 370bhp Marino is looking forward to getting behind the wheel for his three 20 minutes races next weekend.
With the Ginetta GT Supercup supporting the British Touring Car Championship, it promises to be a spectator packed event at Knockhill and Marino is relishing the weekend ahead, “I can’t express how much I’m looking forward to racing again in my home country, it should be a really fun weekend at Knockhill.  The circuit has changed a lot in the last 10 years so it’s going to be almost like learning a new track, but having worked there when I was younger, it shouldn’t take too long for me to find my way around” said Marino, “I’m really looking forward to catching up with a lot of old friends and racing in the Ginetta Supercup”.
Event tickets are available in advance or at the gate with action starting at 9am on Saturday and 9.35am on Sunday. Marino’s two races are on Sunday at 9.35am and 3.30pm

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