Indy 500: Danica Patrick Gets IMS Ready in Series of Photos With Dario Franchitti

While Danica Patrick was preparing for the Indy 500 Wednesday, she ran into a familiar face at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti.

Patrick shared photos from the speedway’s museum, where she was filming new segments for NBC‘s Indy 500 broadcast. Franchitti was there too, with his 4-year-old daughter Sofia.

“Working on some pre race pieces today for the Indy 500 on [NBC Sports] at the [Indianapolis Motor Speedway] museum and I ran into my old teammate [Franchitti] and his older daughter Sofia. [raised hands emoji] ohhhh Indy, all the feels!!!!!”

Franchitti also shared an adorable photo from the museum, with Sofia on his shoulders and Patrick standing next to him.

“So much fun to catch up with my friend and old team mate [Danica Patrick] today. Sofia is fearless so she and DP had a lot to talk about!!” Franchitti wrote, adding the hashtag “Great Role Model.”

Franchitti, 46, also shared a sweet gallery of himself taking a walk down memory lane with Sofia.

“Took Sofia to see the incredible [Mario Andretti] exhibition today. It was cool to see my 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner in the museum, I loved showing her her uncle Dan’s car too,” Franchitti wrote. “Little known fact, my 07 500 winner was the same car I had my big Michigan crash with later in the season, the roll hoop was ripped off. A sad end for a rocket of a car, glad Mike and the [Andretti Autosport] team rebuilt it as good as new!!”

Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500 in 2007, 2010 and 2014, and is a four-time IndyCar Series champion. He announced his retirement in 2013 after he was injured during a serious crash at the Grand Prix of Houston.

As for Patrick, she drove in eight Indy 500 races between 2005 and 2018. She retired from IndyCar racing after the 2018 Indy 500, in which she survived a crash. However, she had much better finishes early in her career, winning the IndyCar Rookie of the Year award in 2005. She also became the first woman to win an IndyCar race when she won the 2008 Indy Japan 300.

For the 2019 Indy 500, she will be joining Mike Tirico in the NBC broadcast booth.

“The Indianapolis 500 holds a very special place in my heart,” Patrick said in a statement earlier this month. “The moment I drive into the facility, I’m flooded with positive emotions. I have no doubt it’ll be the same this year when I come back as an analyst. To be on the NBC Sports team with Mike Tirico will be an honor and I look forward to adding my unique perspective. I’ve been in the race eight times, including last year, so I’m familiar with the dynamics within IndyCar after being away for seven years. To me, Indy feels like home!”

Photo credit: Instagram/Dario Franchitti