Dixieland hero: ‘People in America think a lot of Scott’
Scott Dixon’s right-hand man tells Clay Wilson why the Kiwi is revered in the US.
The compliments flow so thick and fast it is hard to be sure if Mike Hull has more admiration for Scott Dixon the race-car driver, or Scott Dixon the person.
Either way, after nearly 15 years as Dixon’s right-hand man, Hull could hardly speak more highly of the cool-headed Kiwi star.
With 40-plus years experience in motorsport, Hull has been Dixon’s race strategist since the New Zealander’s first IndyCar season in 2003. The affable Southern Californian has been the voice on the other end of the radio for each of Dixon’s four championships and his 2008 Indy 500 triumph.
The pair have won 40 IndyCar races together, good enough to put the 36-year-old Kiwi fourth on the all-time list.
While the series is not as exposed or perhaps not as popular as others in Dixon’s homeland, Hull said one demographic proved how ‘‘unbelievably’’ big he is in the US.
‘‘I’m not sure what people in New Zealand actually think, but people in America think a lot of Scott Dixon. I just look at the look on kids’ faces when they see him and talk to him, how important he is to them.
‘‘When you see that up close, you realise how special he is.’’
Hull’s first impressions of a then 22-year-old just four years removed from his south Auckland roots where of raw talent behind the wheel. Winning the IndyCar title in his debut season was evidence enough of that.
But talent only sustains an athlete for so long and, as the years have rolled on and the success has stacked up, Dixon has become the consummate professional.
The list of reasons the man known as ‘‘Dixie’’ in IndyCar circles and ‘‘The Ice Man’’ to IndyCar fans is consistently near the pointy end of the field is long, as Hull explains.
‘‘Scott has this special mindset, he wants to learn every day. He takes nothing for granted and doesn’t want to stand on what he just did. And under what most call pressure, he doesn’t even recognise it. He also looks at everything without predetermination, there is zero agenda and he expects everyone around him to operate that way.
‘‘He pushes people to another level, and sees in people what they don’t see in themselves.’’
Arguably the biggest asset in the Dixon arsenal, though, his is adaptability.
IndyCar has undergone significant change no less than five times during his time in the formula, and the race wins and championships have continued to come.
Comparing him to the great Mario Andretti, Hull calls Dixon a ‘‘throwback guy’’ who can ‘‘get it done’’ in a variety of cars, conditions and situations.
It is a major reason the man who is also Chip Ganassi Racing general manager has such respect for his driver. The other is the ‘‘enormous passion’’ they share for what they do.
However, it was Dixon’s immense integrity that had been the crucial factor to the success of their partnership, Hull said.
‘‘Scott remembers where came from, and maybe that is key element. he the
‘‘He’s never got himself caught up in any kind of agenda-driven ego-centric way of doing things. He’s always been very patient, very kind, and he has ears that actually work.
‘‘He understands about treating people fairly and equally, and doesn’t put himself over and above anybody on the team, or anybody else.’’
How much longer we will see that humble, hard-working approach in IndyCar remains to be seen. During his last trip back to New Zealand in November last year, Dixon estimated he had ‘‘a good four, five or six years left in motorsport’’.
But he has never been one for his focus swaying too much from the here and now.
‘‘Scott is the only one who will know when it is time to stop,’’ Hull said. ‘‘He’s very good at selfevaluation.
‘‘I’ve got no idea how long he wants to drive IndyCars, or race cars for that matter, but I hope it’s for a long time with our team.
‘‘At the pace he currently has, he could just keep driving and driving. It’s very rewarding for all of us.’’