Chip Ganassi Racing driver Dario Franchitti of Scotland competes during the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, May 27, 2012.
Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver Dario Franchitti of Edinburgh, Scotland, won his third Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. REUTERS/Larry Papke

Dario Franchitti of Edinburgh, Scotland, started the 96th Indianapolis 500 in the middle of the pack but finished the race ahead of it on Sunday as he joined a select few drivers who have won the premier event of the IndyCar Series three times.

Only three drivers have won the Indy 500 four times: A.J. Foyt in 1961, '64, '67, and '77; Al Unser in 1970, '71, '78, and '87; and Rick Mears in 1979, '84, '88, and '91.

Driving for the Target Chip Ganassi Racing team, Franchitti, 39, previously won the Indianapolis 500 in 2007 and '10.

Franchitti's teammate Scott Dixon of Auckland, New Zealand, placed second, and Tony Kanaan of Sao Paulo took third in a race memorable for a record 35 lead changes among 10 drivers and a temperature reading of 91 degrees Fahrenheit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, according to the IndyCar online site.

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