Franchitti, Wheldon at odds over crash

Franchitti said he sent Wheldon an angry text message after watching a replay of the crash, which began when Wheldon's right front tire touched Franchitti's left rear during the 145th lap of the 200-lap Firestone Indy 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Franchitti said Wheldon refused to talk about it after Friday's drivers' meeting at Kentucky, although Wheldon said he did speak about the incident with Indy Racing League chief steward Brian Barnhart.

"I sent him a text, and I think he was pretty angry about the text," Franchitti said of Wheldon. "I used pretty strong language and basically asked him what he thought he was doing. I think that upset him, but I was pretty upset when I was flying upside down 30 feet in the air at 215 mph.

"We haven't talked about it much. Everybody has an opinion, and everybody is on one side about what happened and whose fault it was. Dan's on the other side, on his own."

Wheldon indicated he didn't speak to Franchitti because he was offended by the text message.

"Dario has been a friend of mine for a very long time; we grew up together," Wheldon said. "The text he gave me was very disrespectful. I didn't think it was professional at all. I've spoken to Brian (about the crash) and had a good conversation about it."

After viewing a replay of the seven-car crash, Franchitti said he felt Wheldon moved up the track and into him, causing Franchitti's No. 27 Andretti Green Racing Honda/Dallara to turn sideways in front of Wheldon's car, then become airborne.

"I have no idea what he was doing," Franchitti said. "I don't know why he kept coming in so close. I don't think he did it on purpose; I think he misjudged it and made a mistake. I think he screwed up."

Franchitti said he was surprised that Wheldon refused to talk to him about the crash Friday.

"I didn't really expect that from Dan," Franchitti said. "I thought he would react differently. He hasn't. If that's the way he wants to be, fine. I don't care."

Wheldon indicated he wasn't at fault for the crash, in which Franchitti's car flipped and pirouetted high in the air before landing on cars driven by Scott Dixon and A.J. Foyt IV. Nobody was injured.

"If Dario is pissed, then Dario is pissed," Wheldon said. "That's not going to change the way I race. I'm going to go about my business exactly the same, in a professional manner. I would have expected more from somebody who's been around a long time and somebody I would have considered a friend."