IndyCar
PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon Ready For Start Of 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season
PITTSBURGH, PA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Five-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion Scott Dixon, driver of the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, is ready for the green flag to drop on the 2020 season at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 15th.
“Yeah looking forward to it,” Dixon told The Pittsburgh Racing Now Podcast. “It’s been a long off-season. I think one of the biggest changes this off-season is there hasn’t been too much testing. Actually I’ve been one of the lucky ones that’s had to at least test the aeroscreen early on. I think Felix (Rosenqvist) has had just one day so far before the season kicks off March 15. We get one day this week at Sebring before we fire off, so I’m pumped man! Everybody is excited to get going again.”
Dixon did get to do some testing, helping the NTT INDYCAR SERIES test and develop the new-for-2020 Aeroscreen safety device, which is the next evolution in driver protection. Pittsburgh-headquartered PPG makes the Opticor, which is like a windshield, for the Aeroscreen.
“There’s definitely been some evolution,” said Dixon. “I think once they got to this final version with the help of PPG and Red Bull Technologies. You know Red Bull has tried to implement this in Formula 1. Formula 1 and the FIA decided to go with just the halo, which is kind of the frame piece, and now having both you know IndyCar’s probably a little special too with the oval racing and with the way the debris field can be and a lot of the smaller pieces and so I think this covers both bases.”
AUSTIN, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 11: Scott Dixon, driver of the #9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, prepares to drive at Circuit of The Americas on February 11, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Dixon welcomes the safety advancement and said there was one thing he noticed right away.
“Honestly it has been very smooth,” said Dixon, who has 45-career race wins, behind only A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti. “I think the only kind of hiccup throughout the off-season, which was kind of expected, was just the lack of airflow. The cars a lot more closed. The driver then became a lot hotter just because there was nothing to cool you, so I think through the series of testing we were able to participate in a little bit, plus other things, they’ve come up with some good ducting and some areas for improvement on that. We had the first test at COTA a couple of weeks ago and everything seemed to go pretty smoothly.”
Dixon was back in a race car in January at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona but for this first time with a team other than Chip Ganassi’s team, who’s Sports Car program is on hiatus since the Ford GT program came to an end after the 2019 season.
“This is the first time in a while that I’ve kind of stepped out of the situation of running for Chip,” said Dixon. “Chip over the last four years we had the Ford GT program at (Rolex 24 at) Daytona and other races throughout the season but this year I joined Wayne Taylor’s team at Daytona 24-Hours, which worked out fantastically winning my fourth Daytona which was a little bit unexpected going into that race but the car was fantastic.”
When Dixon hasn’t been racing or testing this off-season, he’s been busy at home changing diapers. Dixon, his wife Emma and daughters Poppy and Tilly welcomed son Kit on December 27th.
“He’s been amazing,” said Dixon, whose nickname is the “Iceman”. “He’s very chilled and very relaxed and already sleeping very well through the night. I think it definitely has been a bit of a reset for us. I think when you look at Tilly’s age (8) and Poppy’s ten so there’s been a little bit of a lull with Kit arriving. You know for us we probably wanted more kids earlier on but with how things worked out we never really did but excited to have a healthy baby in the house.”
Dixon and his wife Emma, a competitive runner in her own right, resisted the urge to find out whether they were going to have a boy or a girl.
“We were shocked. We didn’t know what the sex was going to be and to see it was a boy. I’m not really sure what to do with a boy, I’ve had two girls so I’m excited,” Dixon joked.
P O P P Y .. T I L L Y .. K I T ❤️
Love at first sight. #siblings pic.twitter.com/JsBR5rsYae— Scott Dixon (@scottdixon9) December 30, 2019
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg kicks off the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for the 10th consecutive year and has blossomed into one of the Series marquee events.
“I think that’s what really important these days is making sure that there’s something for everybody in the family, not just the hardcore motor racing enthusiast that wants to go check out the cars and things like that, there’s other things throughout the day that can keep you amused and keep you interested,” said Dixon. “St. Pete, I think do a fantastic job of that and it’s more because of the City really embraces the race as well and they get involved and they promote it and they make it fun for everybody. They’re very lucky to have that support of everybody in that community and it really shows once you get there.”
There is one thing that Dixon would like to change about the race at St. Petersburg.
“Win,” exclaimed Dixon. “I think we’ve finished second four or five times before but have never been able to get that victory. Be a great way to kick off the Championship for us is to try and go for a win there, one spot better than we ended up there last year.”
The best thing about a new season is the challenge to presented to teams and drivers but Dixon’s approach has stayed the same as he embarks on his 19th season with CGR.
“We set two goals every year,” said Dixon. “First to win the Indianapolis 500, which comes up in May, and then go to on and try and capture our sixth Championship which we’ll be putting our head down hard and hopefully drive that PNC Bank No. 9 into victory lane.”
Click the link to hear the complete interview with Scott Dixon on The Pittsburgh Racing Now Podcast.
Check out the new PNC Bank digital ad featuring Dixon and the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Team by clicking the Tweet below:
You don’t see them on the podium when Scott Dixon takes the checkered flag, but there’s a whole team behind the No. 9 PNC Car.
— PNC Bank (@PNCBank) February 26, 2020
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Marcus Ericsson was in position to win his second straight Indianapolis 500 but a late-race caution and red flag spoiled that opportunity.
Ericsson and the No. 8 Huski Ice Spritz Honda took the lead of the race on a Lap 196 restart when a caution flag came out immediately after due to an crash in the back of the field. Ericsson and the rest of the field circled the Speedway behind the Corvette pace for a complete lap. That’s when NTT INDYCAR SERIES officials decided to Red Flag the race for the third time.
Race Control restarted the race with two laps left and told drivers it would be one-to-go and the green flag when they came off Turn 4. Ericsson was able to get the jump on the green and led the field through Turn One and off Turn Two.
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden got a tremendous run down the backstrech and passed Ericsson going into Turn Three. Ericsson couldn’t catch Newgarden coming to the yard of bricks, the fourth-narrowest margin of victory in the history of the race.
“I don’t think it’s a fair way to end the race,” said Ericsson. “I don’t think it’s a right way to end the race. I think it wasn’t enough laps to go to do what we did. I don’t think it’s safe to go out of the pits on cold tires for a restart when half the field is sort of still trying to get out on track when we go green.”
Ericsson questioned why Race Control decided to let the field circle the 2.5-mile oval for a complete lap and bringing the race cars through the accident scene instead of down pit road.
“They (INDYCAR) should have called it earlier,” explained Ericsson. “If they wanted red they should have called red earlier. I think when they kept it going, then I think they should have called it. But I’m sure Josef (Newgarden) doesn’t agree with that and thinks that way, but that’s just the way I thought. I thought it was too tight to do the last red.”
Pole Sitter Alex Palou appeared to be one of the cars to beat early, leading 36-laps in the No. 10 American Legion Honda. Palou was on pit road during a caution flag when Rinus Veekay lost it coming out of his pits, pinching Palou into the inside wall exiting his pits.
The Ricky Davis led crew sprinted down to the car and rolled Palou back into the pit box, changed the front wing and sent the 2021 Champion back into the fight.
The No. 10 American Legion crew changes the nose cone after the car was struck on pit road. (Photo: Penske Entertainment – Chris Jones)
“There’s nothing that we could have done differently there on pit lane,” said Palou. “Starting from 30th again and we had to start the race from scratch. But, we went from 30th to fourth and still could have done a bit more. It was a tough day.”
Palou wasn’t the only Chip Ganassi Racing driver to rally on this day.
Scott Dixon started the race from the sixth position and was quickly into the Top 5 after the start of the race. Midway through the first run the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda developed a bad vibration that sent Dixon to pit road way earlier than planned.
“It was kind of a frustrating day,” said Dixon, the Six-time Series Champion. “We had that first set of tires that just went out of balance so badly. The car got massively loose, and we adjusted for that, but it also made the car a bit weird with a clutch alarm that we had to figure out. We worked on the balance to regroup after that, but it was just a very tough day.”
Scott Dixon lights-up the rear tires on the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda following a pit stop in the 107th Indianapolis 500. (Photo: Penske Entertainment – Chris Jones)
Dixon went to work following that pit stop and spent the rest of the day trying to get back the lost track position eventually finishing sixth.
Takuma Sato and the No. 11 Deloitte Honda home in seventh spot and said he was fighting track position all day.
“It was a tough race,” said Sato. “We had to fight back in the middle stages there where we couldn’t get up into the front group. We fought hard and I’m really proud of the entire No. 11 team.”
Palou leaves Indy INDYCAR Series Championship standing with 219 points. Ericsson sits second with 199 points and Dixon is lurking back in fifth with 162 points.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to Downtown Detroit next weekend with the Chevrolet Grand Prix of Detroit on June 4, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden passed Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Ericsson on the backstretch going into Turn 3, on the last lap, to win Sunday’s 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
“Everyone just kept asking me ‘why I haven’t won this race?’ and they look at you like you are a failure if you don’t win it and I wanted to win it so bad I knew we could, I knew we were capable,” said Newgarden. “This is a huge team effort as everybody knows.”
The last lap shootout was set-up after the race’s third red flag of the day following a caution on Lap 196. Ericsson and Santino Ferrucci split Newgarden on the restart and Ericsson was in front of Newgarden when the yellow flag flew. If NTT INDYCAR SERIES officials didn’t red flag the race, Ericsson would have back-to-back 500 wins.
“I think I did everything right behind the wheel,” said Ericsson. “I had an awesome restart. I think I caught Josef completely off guard and filled a gap and got the lead.”
Ericsson was not happy with Race Control’s decision to red flag the race for one green flag lap.
“I don’t think there were enough laps to go to do what we did,” said Ericsson. “I don’t think it’s safe to go out of the pits on cold tires for a restart when half the field is sort of still trying to get out on track when we go green. I think we did everything right today. I’m very proud of the No. 8 crew and everyone at Chip Ganassi Racing. If they (INDYCAR) wanted red they should have called red earlier. I think when they kept it going, then I think they should have called it.”
The red flag mattered to Newgarden, who was the victim on the previous restart, so he knew where he wanted to be.
“One lap to go you want to be second,” said Newgarden. “It actually worked out great that I got a run on him on the backstraight I knew that if I could clear him getting into three maybe we could hold him off because he was so fast on the straights.”
A.J. Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci brought the No. 14 Homes for Troops Chevrolet home in third place for the four-time 500 winner.
“We had such a great day, I’m very happy for the boys.” said Ferrucci. “Sitting there in third it’s tough. There is nothing you can do but watch. We worked so hard to be where we were. Just bummed because I think — I’m sure Marcus thinks the same thing I do. We definitely, all three of us could have won it at any point in time. Yeah, it’s bittersweet.”
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou rallied for a fourth place finish after starting from the pole, leading several laps in the first half of the race, and being sent back to 30th place after being hit in the pits by Rinus Veekay midway through the race.
“It was a tough day for myself, for the team,” said Palou. “Nothing we could have done differently there on pit lane. We restarted thirtieth and came home P4. We had a really fast car and tried to make the most of it.”
Arrow McLaren Racing’s Alexander Rossi, the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner, rounded out the Top 5 in the No. 7 Chevy.
Palou leaves Indy with the Championship points lead (219) followed by Marcus Ericsson in 2nd, 20-points back.
The next race for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the Detroit Grand Prix June 4th at 3:00 p.m.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Chip Ganassi Racing enters Sunday’s 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 as the defending race winners but more importantly they have four cars capable of winning the race.
“The fire still burns within the team to do well, to win it again,” said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. “We’re solely focused on that.”
Two-time 500 winner Takuma Sato turned the fastest speed in the Friday’s ‘Carb Day’ Final Practice. Sato’s No. 11 Deloitte CGR Honda lapped the historic 2.5-mile oval at a top speed of 227.855 mph.
Right behind Sato with the second fastest ‘Carb Day’ practice speed is Scott Dixon, the six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion, in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda (227.285). Dixon won the 500 in 2008 and would like nothing more than to drink the milk in victory lane again. It would also be sweet redemption as Dixon appeared headed to victory number two last year until he was caught speeding entering pit road late in the race.
Dixon’s pit crew appears ready after winning the Miller Lite Carb Day Pit Stop Competition on Friday by beating Will Power’s Team Penske crew.
2021 NTT INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou has the best starting spot of all of the Ganassi team. Palou will start on the Pole Position in the No. 10 American Legion ‘Be The One’ Honda. Palou won the Month of May opening GMR Grand Prix. Won the Pole Position. Can he win the 500? He finished second in 2021 after leading that race late. It was a valuable learning experience.
Veteran suicide is the focus of The American Legion’s ‘Be The One’ Campaign with Chip Ganassi Racing.
Marcus Ericsson enters the 500 as the defending race winner. Ericsson will start tenth in the 33-car field and turned the 18th-fastest lap on Carb Day. Ericsson is in the last year of his contract and has not resigned as of yet, so a second win in ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ would only improve his bargaining position.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Ericsson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning Sunday’s 106th running of the Indianapolis 500.
“I think it’s a privilege to know that you drive for an organization that can provide us with four cars that’s super fast and that we expect to be up front and fight for the win,” said Ericsson. “I think that’s something to be proud of, and I think all four of us are super excited about this opportunity.”
The Ganassi cars have been at or near the top of the speed chart since practice opened earlier this month. Perhaps the biggest advantage the Ganassi team has is the depth of the organization. No better illustration to that than when Dixon’s team won Friday’s Pit Stop Competition. Several of the guys on the crew weren’t on the No. 9 crew when Dixon last won the competition in 2018. Those guys are working on other Ganassi cars, and in many cases, received promotions.
“It takes a team to win and I have the best team,” said Dixon following the pit stop competition win.
The same feeling were echoed by Palou two weeks ago when he won the GMR Grand Prix and was asked if he can win the 500.
“You can’t win this race without a great team,” said Palou. “And I’ve got the best team.”
The Ganassi team has never gone back-to-back at the 500. Juan Pablo Montoya picked up the teams first win in 2000. Scott Dixon followed up with victory number two in 2008. Dario Franchitti won his second 500 in 2010 and followed that up with a third in 2012.
The biggest threats to the Ganassi team are many. We can start with the winningest car owner in 500 history Roger Penske. Team Penske has won 18 500’s and has been suspiciously quiet this month, although Power, who won the 500 in 2018, was third fastest in final practice.
Keep an eye out for the Arrow McLaren cars of Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi and Felix Rosenqvist. O’Ward finished second to Ericsson a year ago. Rosenqvist starts on the outside of the front row and Rossi is re-energized after moving over from Andretti Autosport. Pittsburgh native Kate Gundlach is an Engineer on the McLaren team.
Speaking of Andretti Autosport, they’ll be a threat with Colton Herta and Romain Grosjean expected to be in the mix but keep an eye on Kyle Kirkwood, who was fifth fastest on Friday. Marco Andretti typically runs well in the 500 and is campaigning a fifth Andretti car in the 500.
Finally, don’t count out Helio Castroneves, the only 4-time winner in the field. Castroneves could become the first five-time winner in the history of the race with a win.
Live coverage of the 107th running of The Greatest Spectacle In Racing begins at 11 a.m. ET on NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
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