RCR Enterprises, LLC Announces New Leadership Appointments
Feb 2, 2026
Dario Franchitti will make his return to NASCAR competition in 2026, competing in the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event during the Grand Prix at St. Petersburg.
Franchitti will pilot the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series tackles the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida on Saturday, February 28. This comes as part of a partnership between TRICON, Jimmie Johnson and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, with Dollar Tree serving as the primary sponsor for the race.
Franchitti is a four-time IndyCar Series champion and three-time winner in the Indianapolis 500. His 31 career wins between IndyCar and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) include a victory at St. Petersburg in 2011.
Franchitti retired from full-time motorsports competition in 2013 but has remained involved in the sport as both a broadcast analyst and an advisor and driver coach for Chip Ganassi Racing. He has also competed in historic racing events since 2019.
In 2024, Franchitti paired with Johnson to win the Stirling Moss Trophy during the famed Goodwood Revival.
“The thought of racing a NASCAR truck on a street circuit is really intriguing to me," said Franchitti. "The different surfaces, the fact that part of it is on an airport, then you go into the streets, the different bumps all those things you got to try and master. This was just the chance to race on a circuit that I love, and a chance to do something fun.
"This all stemmed from a conversation with Jimmie Johnson. For me, with the opportunity to race the truck, it was really him, it was the whole team that he has there [at LEGACY MC] that made it all happen. His relationship with Toyota, Dollar Tree coming on a sponsor — it’s all been through Jimmie and the team at LEGACY MC. If it goes well, great. If it doesn’t go well, I am going to be blaming Jimmie.”
“Dario and I had been talking for a long time about the chance to race together, so when he approached me about St. Petersburg, I knew I had to get to work," said Johnson. "I called him back a day later with an incredible opportunity to join a championship-winning team with Toyota and the great people at TRICON."
“It’s been a lot of fun getting him integrated into the team and spending more time together, going through the process of getting him back to racing. I’m so excited it all came together and thankful that Dollar Tree is going to support. I am looking forward to sitting on the pit box alongside the team and sharing this experience with Dario.”
Franchitti stepped away from open-wheel competition in 2008 to pursue an opportunity with Chip Ganassi Racing in NASCAR, which included 10 Cup Series starts before returning to IndyCar with Ganassi in 2009.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg serves as a precursor to the IndyCar Series season opener. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event is scheduled for Saturday, February 28 at 12 p.m. ET, with coverage on FOX, SiriusXM and the NASCAR Racing Network.
-Photo credit: TRICON Garage
