Racing News: IndyCar Champ Dario Franchitti Receives Jerry Titus Award

TOP DOG: IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti was presented the annual Jerry Titus Award by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association. It was the second time in three years that he has won the honor as the group’s driver of the year.

BOWL GAME: Third-generation racer Kevin Swindell outran a field of more than 250 competitors to win the 24th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at Tulsa (Oklahoma) Expo Raceway. It was the first victory in the event for the 20-year-old driver, but his father Sammy, who finished third, is a five-time Chili Bowl victor.

DIED: Legendary midget racing mechanic Bob Higman died at age 84.

HIRED: John Anderson has been hired as team manager for the U.S. F1 Formula One operation.

SPRINTERS: Donny Schatz (410 sprint cars), Levi Jones (non-winged sprint cars) and Shane Stewart (360 sprint cars) were named Drivers of the Year in their respective divisions by the North American Sprint Car Poll. NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne earned the poll’s Outstanding Contribution to the Sport award.

FLY AWAY: NASCAR appears ready to abolish the wings on the back of its Car of Tomorrow NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car in favor of a spoiler similar to those used in the past.

GO EAST YOUNG MAN: Tyler Walker, the Golden State Challenge Series sprint-car champion in 2009, will race in Pennsylvania in 2010, driving Mike Heffner’s No. 27.

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