Behind the scenes with Marino Franchitti

SPEEDtv.com turned Andretti Green's Marino Franchitti loose with a video camera at Mid-Ohio to introduce his Acura race car, his race team, colleagues and family members that joined him when he competed in the Acura Sports Car Challenge last month. The video is available at http://www.speedtv.com/speedvideo/?bcpid=340473122&bclid=595123378&bctid=1137812487.

Marino was invited by Speed TV's Automotive Editor, Marshall Pruett, to get behind the cameras and become a pit reporter and videographer. Never one to shrink from a challenge Marino readily took up the task.

"It was fun but hard work too," Marino exclaimed after he handed back the camera. "Not being used to carrying a camera I kept leaving it in different places then something cool would happen and I'd miss it. I'd love to do it again and put into practice what I learned this time."

And on adapting to the new Acura prototype, Marino offered a lot of positives. "The speed was there from my first run in the car. I think the biggest thing has to be how much I've learned technically. Working with a team like AGR and a manufacturer like Acura has been a revelation.

"It's not just a case of "how can we maximize the setup?' It's ‘what direction will we go in with part A, B, or C?' There has been the opportunity to be involved with the development of a whole new car and go through ever part of its evolution up to this point and not just drive a customer based car which comes ready to race and all you do is maximize what they have given you.

“It's been a great education and one that continues every day. Every time I drive the car I come out with things I want to do better, things I learn, and that will never stop until I'm the fastest guy every lap I'm in the car and we win every pole and every race, so it's never ending!"

An interview with Franchitti is available at http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/alms/39529/.