Rivals help Kiwi driver dominate
Few people can appreciate the level of success that Chip Ganassi Racing drivers Scott Dixon and Felix Rosenqvist have had during the IndyCar team’s pandemic-challenged 30th anniversary season more than Tony Kanaan.
To start with, the former series champion spent four years driving the No 10 car Rosenqvist took to victory lane for the first time at Road America last week, ending New Zealander Dixon’s streak of three straight wins to start the season. Then consider the 45-year-old Kanaan sees the 39-year-old Dixon in the gym almost every day, each pushing each other to stay fit – and young.
So yes, as Kanaan hops back into his own car for AJ Foyt Racing for this weekend’s doubleheader at Iowa Speedway, few have the same appreciation for the way Ganassi’s drivers have dominated a season that has been unlike any other.
‘‘I’m so happy for them,’’ Kanaan said. ‘‘Scott, he can’t impress me any more. I lived with the guy. We race together. He was my team-mate. I see him every day at the gym.
‘‘The thing about Scott, people have to stop giving him chances because he doesn’t need any chances to win anyway. They’re shooting themselves in the foot. And you can just see it coming.’’
That was the case last weekend in Wisconsin. Graham Rahal was leading the opening race of that doubleheader when a problem with fueling knocked him from contention.
Pole-sitter Josef Newgarden went to the lead in the closing laps, but the reigning series champion stalled while pitting and was shuffled back to 10th place.
Dixon went on to win his third straight race after triumphs at Texas and on the road course at Indianapolis. He has a 54-point lead in a shortened championship and some critics are saying the title is his to lose as he looks for a sixth crown.
‘‘This is the way it works in all sports, I would say. There’s a lot of times things are rolling your way and you’re getting all the breaks and it’s great when that happens,‘‘ Newgarden said, ‘‘and when it doesn’t? You have to take the hits. Those guys have been strong. They’ve been in the fight. But it seems like we’ve been giving them a couple of layups.’’