Dixon keen to team with Johnson
MOTORSPORT
MIAMI: Scott Dixon, fresh off a sixth IndyCar title that put another stamp on his legacy, now looks ahead to a 2021 season in which he will not even be the most decorated member of his team following the arrival of Nacar great Jimmie Johnson.
The pairing of Dixon and the seventime Nascar champion brings together the most successful drivers of their generations in their respective formulas and not one ounce of ego.
‘‘It’s pretty sad, isn’t it?’’ Dixon joked about having fewer championships than his new Chip Ganassi Racing teammate.
‘‘He’s coming in and taking all the glory.’’
Dixon, who secured his latest IndyCar title with a thirdplace finish on Monday at the St Petersburg Grand Prix, has actually developed an offtrack friendship with Johnson and is eager to learn from the rookie IndyCar driver.
Johnson (45), who coholds the Nascar Cup Series record with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for most premier series titles, and Chip Ganassi Racing confirmed last week that used car dealership network Carvana will sponsor his first year in IndyCar.
‘‘I’m a huge Jimmie Johnson fan. And what the guy has done in his career is just crazy,’’ Dixon said.
‘‘I’m super pumped to work alongside him and hopefully pick up some tips.’’
The 40yearold New Zealander, who also won IndyCar titles in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015 and 2018, said he never dreamed of attaining so many championships when he started racing and would keep driving so long as he remained competitive.
For now, Dixon will try to chase down AJ Foyt’s alltime record of seven championships to become the greatest IndyCar driver.
‘‘Seven does sound a lot better than six and that gets you to the point with AJ,’’ Dixon said.
‘‘When we were on five and you talk about seven being the record it sounds quite far away, a lot further than just two numbers.
‘‘But knowing that it’s just the next mark yes it’s achievable. It will be really, really difficult as they all are . . . but you’ve got to have goals and seven is definitely the next one.’’ — Reuters