74 points. During the ITC season, Franchitti won his first touring car race at Mugello, twice finished second at Donington Park, and third at the second Estoril round to finish third in the Drivers' Championship with 80 points. For the 1996 ITC season, he stayed with AMG-Mercedes, finishing fourth in the Drivers' Championship with 171 points, five podium finishes, and won the first Suzuka round. Championship Auto Racing Teams 1997–1999 At the end of 1996, the ITC folded due to escalating costs and Franchitti told Ilmor boss Paul Morgan that he wanted to compete in the American-based Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). After trucking mogul Carl Hogan received a letter of recommendation from Jackie Stewart and telephoned Mercedes in Germany, Franchitti was assigned to drive the 9 Reynard 97i-Mercedes-Benz car for the single Hogan Racing customer car squad by Mercedes in the 1997 CART World Series. He rejected the offer of a seven-year contract from McLaren owner Ron Dennis to test McLaren's F1 cars during the week while he competed in CART on weekends and replaced one of the team's drivers if they were injured. Franchitti debuted at the season-opening Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead–Miami Speedway. Starting from 13th, he crashed after running wide to allow race leader Gil de Ferran to lap him. In the following race, Franchitti achieved his best result of the season with a ninth-place finish at the Sunbelt IndyCarnival at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit. He scored points in three more races, and the Molson Indy Toronto saw him claim his maiden CART pole position. Before the season's final race at California Speedway, Franchitti was sacked by Rogan due to their strained relationship brought on by Franchitti joining Team Green for the following season and was replaced by Robby Gordon. He was 22nd in the Drivers' Championship with 10 points and was third in the Rookie of the Year standings. In late 1997, Franchitti signed a two-year minimum contract to drive for Team Green from the 1998 season after impressing team owner Barry Green with his abilities. He took six top-ten finishes, including a second-place finish at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and qualified on pole position at the Rio 400, the Molson Indy Toronto and the Miller Lite 200 in the season's first 13 races. At the season's 14th race, the Texaco/Havoline 200 at Road America, Franchitti achieved his maiden series