Indy 500 winners Dixon, Franchitti robbed
After winning the Indianapolis 500 pole, collecting a $100,000 check and doing the usual interview circuit, Scott Dixon tried to relax.
Instead, he got the scare of his life.
As he ordered dinner for his teammates at one of the few fast-food restaurants still open near Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Dixon and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti were robbed at gunpoint while waiting in the drivethru line.
Neither was injured and two boys, ages 15 and 14, were arrested a short time later.
“While they were ordering with their windows down two guys approached at gunpoint,” said Tony Kannan, a teammate of Dixon’s with Chip Ganassi Racing.
“They held a gun at Dixon’s head and asked him for his wallet and his phone. You don’t expect that to happen, especially here.”
The robbery happened shortly before 10 p.m. less than a mile from one of the world’s most famous racing venues, where Dixon had just earned the top starting position in IndyCar’s showcase race coming up on Sunday. Police did not immediately disclose what was taken from the two drivers.
By Monday, when drivers returned to the track for practice, Dixon had become the target of some good-natured humour.
His team owner joked on Twitter that the alleged incident would cost him a sponsorship deal with the fast-food chain.
Kanaan cracked that because he’s from Brazil, he’s a little more accustomed to handling “this stuff.”
While the notion that one of IndyCar’s biggest and best-paid stars was making a late-night fast food run seemed odd to some, that wasn’t the case in Gasoline Alley where Dixon is one of the most respected drivers.
“Actually, I have done that a few times,” team owner and former IndyCar star Michael Andretti said.
“When you’re driving, you’re in the motorhome and sometimes you eat late and you just want to get a quick bite. And things around here close early.”