Dixon powers to third at Indy 500
New Zealand Indy Car driver Scott Dixon has claimed another podium finish at the famous Indianapolis 500.
Dixon stormed home to finish third yesterday.
Australian Will Power won the race with Ed Carpenter second. Dixon, the 2008 Indy 500 champion, was 4.5928sec behind the winner.
Dixon started ninth on the grid and collected his fourth top-three finish of his Indy career.
Power, who took the lead with four laps to go, knew he had it won when he took the white flag all alone and spent the final lap yelling to himself as he pulled away from the field.
The 37-year-old Australian produced a dominant performance for Team Penske. He managed his fuel strategy perfectly as Oriol Servia and Jack Harvey had to pit in the closing laps, and then made all the right moves to hold off pole winner Carpenter to win his first Indy 500.
‘‘I was wondering if I would ever win it and thoughts when through my mind during the month, my career,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve had so many wins, so many poles. Everyone talks about the 500 and I just couldn’t imagine winning a race in front of a crowd like this, this many people. It’s just amazing.’’
Power extended team owner Roger Penske’s record of 17 wins in the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ and it completed a sweep of May in Indianapolis for him. Power also won the road-course event.
He has 34 wins in Indy Car now, tying him with Al Unser Jr for most on the career list.
The win took Power to the top of the championship drivers’ standings with 243 points. Dixon lies fourth with 218.