Dixon completes IndyCar Drive for Five
Racing’s ‘Ice Man’ joins A.J. Foyt in exclusive club
SONOMA, Calif. – Now that it’s done, maybe in a couple of days Scott Dixon will allow himself to reflect on what it means to be a five-time champion.
Maybe he’ll begin to consider what it means to know that his name isn’t merely listed alongside so many other greats but above them in many respects. Maybe he’ll sit back and ap- preciate the fact that with his secondplace run Sunday at Sonoma Raceway, he became the only man not named A.J. Foyt to have won five Indy-car championships.
Maybe he’ll do all of that. But probably not. Because then he wouldn’t be Scott Dixon.
When asked a couple of weeks ago what it meant to wear the crown for a fifth time, the 38-year-old Chip Ganassi Racing star smiled before saying,
“It’d mean we had an OK season.”
He’s not joking. That never-letyourself-get-too-high demeanor is not a facade. That’s who he is.
Scott Dixon is a cold-blooded assassin on the racetrack — always has been. He might not come across that way in his usually jolly postrace news conferences, but he’s a ruthless tactician who will do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Then, when the job is done, he moves on to the next job. So, in reality, Dixon will maybe allow himself a few moments of happiness before resetting, getting back to work and turning his ice-cold gaze to 2019.
Because that’s who he is. That’s the Dixon who will use every tool at his disposal to improve. He’ll pick the brain of every teammate and gobble up every last piece of data because that could make him a millisecond quicker out of a corner. That’s the only way he’ll be able to keep racking up wins and championships.
Other drivers can’t do that, his CGR companion and former competitor Dario Franchitti said. Dixon, however, is special
“It is hard,” the four-time retired IndyCar champion said. “It’s hard to do it consecutively. It’s hard to do it, especially when you’ve done it a couple times. For most people it seems to go away, but Scott just keeps on trucking. I think it’s his biggest asset.”
On Sunday, Dixon surpassed legends in what can only be described as the most Scott Dixon way possible: cool, calm and collected. Starting second in Sunday’s race, the racer known as “Ice Man” drove flawlessly, taking few chances and making no mistakes en route to a runner-up finish behind race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay.
The pressure on Dixon lifted a bit early in the race when his primary championship competitor, Alexander Rossi, started in disaster. On the first lap, Rossi, 29 points back and desperate to charge up the field from his sixth starting position, rammed into the rear of his Andretti Autosport teammate, Marco Andretti.
The crash did a number to Rossi’s front wing and caused a flat tire, forcing him to pit early. Despite the early wreckage, the 26-year-old did all he could to recover. Following a mid-race yellow caused by Graham Rahal, Rossi went on an absolute tear through the field. Staring 20th on the restart, Rossi stormed past a multitude of cars with a series of dazzling maneuvers, climbing as high as fifth place before finishing sixth.
After the race, Rossi was frustrated by the start — wishing he “could replay that a million more times — but he was even more frustrated that Dixon’s legend will now be even harder to chase down.
“He’s going to be even tougher to catch now,” a disappointed but smiling Rossi said. “He just keeps adding to his résumé.”
And you can expect him to continue. He’s not finished, Franchitti said. The drive to win is still there. The motivation still pulses throughout him. That’s why Dixon doesn’t like to talk much about his accomplishments, Franchitti explained.
“You can’t think about what happens after the finish line,” Franchitti said. “You can’t take your eye off of it or you’ll slip.”
And Dixon hasn’t gotten to the finish line yet. When asked about what the five championships meant to Dixon’s legacy overall, Franchitti was quick to correct.
“Five so far,” Franchitti said. “He’s still young. Well somewhat (laughs). But he’s still at the top of his game. He’s still learning more tricks. And those he doesn’t know I’m still trying to teach him (laughs).
“What makes Scott so great is that even though he has more talent than probably anyone I ever raced against — and that’s saying a lot considering the guys I’ve been fortunate enough to go up against — he keeps working at it. His desire is exceptional. That’s what makes him who he is.”