Dixon secures IndyCar Music City Grand Prix

WASHINGTON: New Zealand’s Scott Dixon outraced countryman Scott McLaughlin to the checkered flag Sunday to win the Music City Grand Prix for his 53rd career IndyCar triumph. Dixon, who jumped into second place in the hunt for his seventh career season title, edged McLaughlin by a car length after 80 laps over a 2.1-mile, 11-turn temporary street course in Nashville, Tennessee. “Oh man, Nashville is so awesome,” Dixon said.

“He was super fast and he had fresh tires, too. Was a bit of a sitting duck. If there was a lap or two more it would have been really tough to do.”

Instead, the 42-year-old Kiwi broke his tie for second on the all-time IndyCar win list with Mario Andretti and now trails only the record 67 career wins of AJ Foyt. Dixon, who won his only other race this season last month in Toronto, started 14th and persevered despite damage from one of a host of crashes. “We had a big crash. It took half the floor off the car,” Dixon said. “We had to take four turns of front wing out so we had no grip and I think we did about 45 or 50 laps on that last set of tires.” Pole-sitter McLaughlin said he felt he could have taken racing idol Dixon had there been another lap.

“We were alongside crossing the finish line. Just fell short at the end,” McLaughlin said. “Always dreamed of racing him to the finish. That was a proper duel.” Spaniard Alex Palou was third followed by Americans Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta. Australian Will Power kept the season lead with 450 points after the 14th of 17 races, but Dixon jumped from fourth to second, only six adrift with Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson of Sweden only 12 back and American Josef Newgarden 22 off the pace in fourth.

“There was going to be a lot of mayhem (at Nashville) and if you survive it somewhat, which we did, still in a great place,” Power said. “Still digging deep and see what we can do in the last three.” Dixon is one shy of matching Foyt’s record of seven IndyCar season titles, having taken points crowns in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2020. IndyCar’s next green flag flies on August 20 on an oval course in suburban St Louis.—

- AFP NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: Gasgas Aspar Team’s British rider Jake Dixon (right) and Gasgas Aspar Team’s Spanish rider Albert Arenas compete in the Moto2 race of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire, central England, on August 7, 2022.