Track Smack: Talla-whata?

1. Dario Franchitti was announced as the new driver for Chip Ganassi's No. 40 car on Wednesday (read more). Is the Indy 500 champ ready for the leap?

David Caraviello: You'd have to think so, given the oval prowess the guy has shown over the course of his open-wheel career. If Juan Montoya -- mainly a road-course guy -- can make the switch relatively successfully, then Franchitti can, too.

Joe Menzer: Well, it's hard to say. Like most of America, I haven't paid much attention to that series he's been running in lately. But it's pretty obvious from that other guy working for Chip that the crossover can be made, and relatively quickly.

Dave Rodman: He's not ready for the leap today, but today Dario is probably looking at the exact same path Juan took to get to Cup. I'd bet Dario would be in Chip's No. 39 car at Phoenix, instead of making his debut at Homestead -- plus he might do the Toledo ARCA race and some Busch gigs.

David Caraviello: Thing about Franchitti is, Ganassi wasn't the only owner interested in him. Richard Childress also explored the idea. And Childress knows talent. That tells you something.

Dave Rodman: Exactly. As we recall, Juan was in a stock car more than he was out of one at the beginning -- for the first three weeks, in fact. If Dario does the same thing with racing and testing it will be very interesting to compare the two paths.

Joe Menzer: Yeah, I'm kidding a bit. Obviously the guy is very talented. He also has a reputation for being ruthlessly aggressive on the track, does he not? I seem to remember Sam Hornish hinting at that recently.

Dave Rodman: Then he'll fit right in with this Sprint Cup crowd -- next season. And considering he's a furriner he'll instantly be a target for equal-opportunity hating from the provincials.

David Caraviello: Kind of like Montoya was ruthlessly aggressive? That's quite a double-barrel there. This open-wheel stuff is a bit more physical than people think.

Joe Menzer: You have to be aggressive in Cup racing, too. Just ask Hornish, who wasn't in qualifying at Loudon and had to pack up and go home. That wasn't what he or car owner Roger Penske had in mind for his Cup debut.

Dave Rodman: His Cup debut may have to wait until Charlotte.

David Caraviello: Oh, very true. But they do a lot more blocking in Indy-style cars, simply because they can't lean on each other. Montoya's made some enemies on the track that way. Franchitti will surely experience the same thing.

Joe Menzer: Getting back to the names for a minute, I think Caraviello would be a good name for an open-wheel driver. You ever think of giving it a shot?

David Caraviello: Dude, I dominate EA Sports' Formula One Career Challenge. You do not want to mess with me at Imola. Kid you not.

Joe Menzer: You never know. That might be enough to get you a job in NASCAR these days!

David Caraviello: I wondered what that phone message from Red Bull was about.

Joe Menzer: You have about as much experience driving a Car of Tomorrow at Talladega as Jacques Villeneuve does! And that's a fact.

Dave Rodman: Hey Rip Van Winkle -- were you in a coma during the two days of COT testing at 'Dega? JV was in full effect.

David Caraviello: Thing about Franchitti is, is he ready for this grind? In IRL he's used to what, 17-18 events a year? Now he's jumping into 38? That's quite a contrast.

Dave Rodman: I'm sure his wife -- if not even Dario himself -- was all over the safety aspect of it, considering he'd been on a top he doesn't have in that Indy car a couple times, recently. Racers live to race and the guy's a racer, no question -- so she'll get over it.

David Caraviello: No doubt the guy can drive ovals. We'll see how he handles the heavier car. But you have to wonder how he'll handle all those race weekends.

Dave Rodman: You watch -- they'll just love the driver/owner motorhome lot.

Joe Menzer: Hornish talked about that, too. Thing is, when these guys decide to make the jump -- they ramp up their schedules anyway with testing, etc.

David Caraviello: Joe, you're quite the name-dropper.