Franchitti fitting in at track one pant leg at a time

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Like a freshman on the first day of classes, veteran open wheeler now aspiring stock car driver Dario Franchitti was dressed in his fire suit and ready to go hours before qualifying began.

Standing outside his hauler, posed as a fire engine-red Target billboard, the 34-year-old Scotland native intentionally allowed his pant legs to drape over his fire-proof racing boots in an attempt to fit in with the all-American stock car fraternity.

Dario Franchitti

Five Factoids about Franchitti's First Day

1.	No, his movie star wife -- Ashley Judd -- won't be in Talladega; she is working.
2.	The first person Franchitti met on pit road was John Jackson, No. 72, who is also a native of Scotland, and grew up 15 miles from Franchitti's hometown of Edinburgh.
3.	Franchitti, who won the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series championship, wore a paper ARCA credential around his neck -- one that he had to stand in line for.
4.	His motorhome was delivered to Talladega Superspeedway on Friday and he flew to the track by helicopter.
5.	His actual stock-car debut was earlier this week in North Carolina -- inside an automatic pit practice stock car.

Open wheel purists, his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate and counterpart Juan Montoya included, typically tuck their pant legs into their racing boots.

Fire suit etiquette is one finite detail in a list of a hundred Franchitti, the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series champion, is eager to learn on his road to becoming a successful NASCAR Cup driver.

And like his teammate Montoya, also an Indianapolis 500 champ and former CART driver, you have to start somewhere and that somewhere happened to be Thursday at Talladega Superspeedway.

After completing an estimated 16 practice laps Thursday in his stock car debut on the high banks of 'Dega, Franchitti qualified his No. 42 Dodge sixth for Friday's ARCA race. He held on to the proverbial pole most of the qualifying session but then was eventually knocked off by teammate Bryan Clauson.

"I'm happy with the result, but I honestly think it was more about the crew guys and the preparation they did on this car," Franchitti said. "I think the thing I'm most looking forward to is getting in the draft tomorrow in morning warm-up to see what the race is going to be like."

It was progress, even a major milestone perhaps from where the newcomer began in his first ARCA practice at 9 a.m. ET on Thursday.

While seasoned stock car drivers know just about every crack and cranny on the 'Dega Superspeedway, Franchitti was merely trying to find his way around the car.

"I had to show him where reverse was," chuckled Brian Pattie, Franchitti's crew chief. "I said 'down, left and up.' "

But to Franchitti's credit, one NASCAR official reportedly asked the driver if he spoke English.

Last time we checked, English has always been the official language of Scotland.

He may speak with a Scottish accent, but it's English nevertheless. And he comes from the other side of the racetrack, so to speak, but he's still a racer, added Pattie.

"They all wear a helmet," he said.

And seemingly, Franchitti is quickly blending into the NASCAR environment, an environment that can be likened to a high school cafeteria: Cool kids at one table and outcasts at the other.

Franchitti's transport driver Bill Cole predicts his driver will be comfortable at any table. (Continued)