Who is Ashley Judd’s ex-husband Dario Franchitti? All about Scottish racing driver

Professional car racing champion Dario Franchitti was married to actress Ashley Judd for 11 years. The erstwhile couple got married in December 2001, after two years of dating. As per ESPN, the couple’s wedding ceremony took place in a beautiful castle in Scotland, Franchitti’s native country.

According to USA Today, Ashley Judd was a frequent spectator at races featuring her husband. The report notes that Judd knew very little about the sport when she met Franchitti at a friend’s wedding reception in 1999. However, she eventually became familiar with the sport.

As per her statements, Judd was utterly proud of her husbands achievements. During an interview with the USA Today, the actress said,

“It is difficult to overstate how proud I am of my husband”

Dario Franchitti’s separation from Ashley Judd

After a little over 11 years of marriage, the couple announced their separation in January 2013. Franchitti and Judd released a statement to People magazine, in which they confirmed their divorce and further iterated that the split was a mutual decision. The statement, quoted in a report by LA Times, read,

“We have mutually decided to end our marriage. We'll always be family and continue to cherish our relationship based on the special love, integrity, and respect we have always enjoyed.”

In their statement, the former couple did not zero in on any particular reason that led to their separation.

At the time of their split, Judd was 44 and Franchitti was 39. The couple did not have any children.

Franchitti and Judd did not finalise their divorce immediately after their separation. US Weekly quoted an unnamed source who said that Judd was planning to give the relationship “another try.” Speaking to the outlet, a few months after their separation, Judd said,

“He’ll always be my loved one…What we’re showing them now is we’re human, we’re family, and this is what family looks like.”

By 2014, however, Franchitti confirmed that the former couple had split, but continue to remain friends.

Dario Franchitti’s near-fatal car crash

In 2013, while Franchitti was competing in the final round of IndyCar Season, his car collided with that of a fellow racer. The serious accident resulted in multiple injuries for Franchitti.

Franchitti suffered two fractured vertebrae, a broken right ankle, and a concussion. Given the serious nature of the accident, and a history of head injuries in the past, Franchitti took his doctor’s advice and announced retirement from professional motor racing.

The 2013 accident and its consequences were in part related to a previous accident that Franchitti suffered back in 2000, as per Autosport. Franchitti’s 2000 crash happened during a pre-season testing session.

According to a report by Vice, Franchitti suffered from multiple concussions that led to memory loss, and problems in concentration at the time. He also mentioned that he underwent personality changes as a result of the concussions.

Dario Franchitti’s post-retirement life

Dario Franchitti, after quitting professional racing became a commentator. Given his impressive career on the track, Franchitti eventually transitioned from his role as commentator to that of professional coach and mentor to younger drivers, according to a report by Car and Driver.

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In 2014, Franchitti married Eleanor Robb, an investment executive, according to Daily Record. Franchitti has two children together with Robb. Ex-wife Ashley Judd is the godmother of his daughter, Sofia.

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