Auto roundup: Franchitti is IRL champion

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Dario Franchitti's return to IndyCar racing couldn't have gone better. He's the IRL champion once again.

"I still can't believe it," said Franchitti, the scent of champagne obvious on his soaked racesuit an hour after the checkered flag came out in his honor. "Really, I can't."

Franchitti successfully emerged from one of the closest points races in series history yesterday, winning the season-ending Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the first caution-free IRL race ever.

The 2007 champion -- who skipped 2008 to explore NASCAR -- held off Target Chip Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon and Penske Racing's Ryan Briscoe.

Franchitti's IndyCar contract with Ganassi was drawn up on a cocktail napkin. In the end, it was genius.

Franchitti sat back in third place, about 25 seconds behind Dixon and Briscoe, saving fuel over much of the final 50 laps. When his two fellow contenders pitted late, the title was his.

"I'm thinking, 'C'mon baby, don't run out of fuel here,'" Franchitti said. "And she didn't."

Logano avoids wreck to claim victory

FONTANA, Calif. -- Joey Logano avoided a late-race collision and held off Brian Vickers to win the NASCAR Nationwide Copart 300 yesterday at Auto Club Speedway for his fifth series victory of the season and second in two weeks.

The 19-year-old Logano started on the pole, but fell well back after an incident with Greg Biffle early in the race. Logano steadily worked his way back to the front and caught a break when Biffle and former Chesterfield resident Denny Hamlin collided with less than 10 laps to go.

Carl Edwards finished third and pulled within 155 points of series leader Kyle Busch, who exited his No. 18 Toyota early in the race because of a fever. Hamlin replaced Busch and battled for the lead before getting caught between Biffle and Brad Keselowski, relegating the car to a 31st-place finish.

Results, Page C11