Dixon: I felt like I ‘wanted to cry’
Scott Dixon admits he was close to tears as he thought his chances of a fifth IndyCar championship had literally disappeared in a cloud of dust.
The New Zealander found himself caught in a six-car pile-up on the first lap of the Grand Prix of Portland, the penultimate race of the 2018 championship.
‘‘I felt like I wanted to cry for a little bit, actually,’’ Dixon recollected of having to blindly navigate his way off the track as cars crashed around him.
When the dust cleared he found his car had miraculously escaped serious damage. Dixon recovered from 21st place to fifth in a stunning drive that saw him extend his series lead to 29 points over American rival Alexander Rossi, who struggled to eighth.
‘‘I definitely thought it was over before it began,’’ Dixon told IndyCar.com. ‘‘That old saying, ‘better lucky than good,’ that definitely played out. I knew it was going to be a pretty lucky day from that point on.’’
Now it all comes down to the season-finale in Sonoma, California, on September 17.
With double points on offer there’s everything to drive for. It still shapes as largely a two-man battle between Dixon and Rossi, though Australian Will Power and defending champion Josef Newgarden (US), are mathematically still in the hunt 87 points further back.
Win and the title is Dixon’s, adding to his success in 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2015. If Rossi were to win the race, Dixon would have to finish second to take the title. Things would be closer if the pair were to finish further down in the top 10. If both were to retire during the race, Power or Newgarden could steal the title, with just over 100 points available.
It all makes Dixon even more thankful for his luck last Monday in Portland.
Dixon said he got shunted hard enough from behind to fear that his race was finished, which would have been a disaster for
the 38-year-old. ‘‘I was hit pretty hard, actually,’’ he said. ‘‘Luckily, I pulled the clutch. Once the dust cleared, I didn’t think there was going to be a left-front wheel on it.
I looked and the wheel was there.’’
He slammed his car into reverse and got out of the mess as quickly as he could.
Team owner Chip Ganassi, who recently extended Dixon’s contract, had high praise for his star.
‘‘That’s what a champion
drives like,’’ Ganassi said.
‘‘It was incredible. He just did a great job. He didn’t let that thing in turn three bother him like it did the rest of us.’’