BROOKLYN, Mich. — A pair of famous race drivers made a visit to their first NASCAR event at Michigan Int’l Speedway, including IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan and Formula One driver Jarno Trulli.
Kanaan dropped in on his former teammate, Dario Franchitti, before Friday’s Sprint Cup practice session at Michigan.
“I was around doing some appearances, and I only come for today,” Kanaan said as he was off to test for Andretti Green Racing at Chicagoland Speedway Monday and Tuesday. “It’s great to support him. He’s my best friend, and he’s been having a tough time, so I think he was happy to see me for sure.”
It was the first time Kanaan had ever attended a NASCAR event and he admitted he was a bit lost, even at a track that he was familiar with from racing here in the past.
“I was totally lost coming into the track because I’ve never seen this place so full in my life,” Kanaan said. “I had never been to registration here in my whole life. It was a fun road trip. I drove from Indy to here by myself, which I’d never done. I always fly. I went to registration, which I had no idea what it was, and I did a few laps before I found it, and I felt like a race fan today.
“You go from the paddock to outside, and my God, when we’re here, we’re not half as full as this, so it looks totally different. I’m having a lot of fun. (During practice) there’s nobody in the pits, and everyone’s on top of the trucks, and there’s a bunch of different things that I wasn’t expecting to see. So far I’m having a lot of fun.”
Trulli, who drives for Toyota’s Formula One team, was on the starting grid at Michigan Int’l Speedway Sunday talking to Toyota NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon in the moments leading up to the race.
“Today was the first time I had ever been in another driver’s garage,” Trulli said. “That doesn’t happen in Formula One. It is strange, but it’s all new. It’s like looking at a new toy. It’s extremely nice and challenging, very interesting. People on TV don’t have a clue what is going on with technology and I look at this car and see a lot of challenges.
“The challenge in Formula One is different because the rules are different. NASCAR is a human approach. It’s such a nice show and atmosphere. It’s really different from what we are used to in Formula One. It’s great to see so many people around as you have at a NASCAR race. The drivers here are very nice and relaxed.
“Compared to Formula One, it’s another world. It’s all cool here.”