Franchitti feeling fine on return

The Scot will compete on Saturday in the Nationwide Series event following a successful return behind the wheel on Tuesday and Wednesday during a two-day Sprint Cup Series test at Pocono.

Franchitti says the decision to run only the shorter Nationwide event this weekend was made to try to ease his return, while he confirmed he is set to make his Sprint Cup Series comeback next week at Pocono.

"Yeah, exactly, they thought it was a big much to do both in one weekend so I think it's a smart decision to do that," Franchitti said on Friday at Dover International Speedway after running in the first practice. "We'll run Nationwide here and then next week we'll do Cup."

The Ganassi driver was present at a charity golf tournament this week following his Pocono test, although he didn't play to avoid overworking his ankle. He has not needed to wear the carbon-fiber brace he had made to use on his return, as his left-ankle injury continues to rapidly heal.

He says he feels good to be back racing and getting to know two more tracks as he had his first runs both at Pocono and Dover in the last few days.

"Oh it feels good to get back in.," Franchitti said. "It's really exciting to get back in the car at Pocono. I've never been there before so it was fun to learn a new track and then coming here today, there's probably not two more different tracks than Pocono and here but it's good to get back in this car and get running again."

Franchitti has been impressed by the Dover track, where he ran 21st fastest on Friday morning during practice.

"So far it's fun," he said. "It's an interesting track. Certainly I think the feeling of speed is most that I've experienced in a stock car so far."

The Scot, who leads the rookie standings in the Nationwide Series, will not compete next week at Nashville, focusing only on his Sprint Cup return at Pocono.