DIXON’S SUNDAY DRIVE
Pole winner now trying to put all his focus on winning Sunday’s race
Indy 500 pole winner Scott Dixon recounts his experience at the drivethru at Taco Bell.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The whole plan had been to celebrate Scott Dixon’s pole-winning run for the Indianapolis 500 at a downtown Italian restaurant.
But the restaurant was closed by the time Dixon had completed his media obligations Sunday night.
“Really only the next choice was to get fast food,” Dixon told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday.
So Dixon and friend Dario Franchitti headed to Taco Bell, where Dixon planned to order his usual Cheesy Gordita Crunch, subbing beans for the meat. Just a mile down the road from hallowed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the two were robbed at gunpoint while waiting in the drive-thru lane.
“It was definitely shocking, disbelief for the most part,” said Dixon, who acknowledged the “bizarre contrast” of being robbed a few hours after the high of winning the pole.
“It will make you feel really small again,” Dixon said.
Dixon has been advised not to discuss details of the Sunday night robbery, in which police arrested two boys, ages 15 and 14, a short time later. Tony Kannan, a teammate of Dixon’s with Chip Ganassi Racing, told reporters that Dixon and Franchitti had their windows down when they were approached at gunpoint.
“They held a gun at Dixon’s head and asked him for his wallet and his phone,” Kanaan said.
Dixon, who is nicknamed “The Iceman” because nothing seems to rattle him, said he felt he and Franchitti remained calm throughout the incident. Both he and Franchitti are avid watch collectors; Dixon said the vintage Rolex he was wearing and “a Daytona edition that Dario has been wearing as his lucky watch” were the two most valuable things in the car. Neither watch was taken.
Dixon won the pole with a four-lap average of 232.164 mph, the best qualifying run in 21 years at Indy. When he saw his speed, Dixon thought the speedometer was broken.
Two days removed from the roller coaster of emotions, Dixon seemed intent on putting the robbery behind him.
“I think the biggest thing is you are just hoping that everything is OK, grateful that nothing silly happened,” Dixon said. “That’s the world of difference. That aside, personally, it maybe brings you to think about choices you make.”
Like going to Taco Bell at 10 p.m. after winning the pole? “I’d still go,” he laughed.
ANDRETTI: Michael Andretti’s busiest month could turn into his best Indianapolis show.
He has four cars in the front three rows.
Two of those drivers — the defending race champion, Alexander Rossi, and this year’s highest-profile rookie, Fernando Alonso — avoided getting sidetracked by sideshows.
Andretti’s own son, Marco, thrived despite taking on extra coaching duties this May. Ryan Hunter-Reay, the 2014 Indy 500 champion, posted the fastest qualifying average outside the nine-car pole shootout, and Japan’s Takuma Sato proved he could be a contender. On Monday, rookie Jack Harvey moved up the speed chart, too.
If these guys produce all the right numbers this weekend, Andretti Autosport will have the best six-pack of racers in 500 history.
“It’s been good because of the data we’ve been able to share and pass on, not only for someone like Marco or Ryan, but it’s been good for all the guys,” Michael Andretti said.
The six Andretti cars in the 33-car starting grid are the most by one team since Andy Evans started seven in 1996 with Team Scandia.
Finding sponsors and cars are the most glaring concerns, and Andretti said he never would have considered such a daunting feat if both hadn’t already been resolved. Finding crew members, spotters and strategists for all of the drivers isn’t easy, either.
“People are a huge problem because everyone in Indianapolis has a job right now,” said Michael Shank, co-owner of Harvey’s No. 50 car.