An Indy 500 Ending To Forget For 6time Series Champ Dixon
INDIANOPOLIS (AP) - Scott Dixon answered some questions and started walking on the runway when he realized he had forgotten someone: his wife.
Dixon turned, took Emma's hand and began one of the most nervous steps in his IndyCar career. Disappointment. disgusting. Mild pain. Dixon needs to feel it all.
The 41-year-old New Zealander had to beat his car for most of Sunday’s Indy 500 race until a speeding fine allowed him to kiss bricks at the Indianapolis racetrack for the first time since 2008.
Dixon was trying to finally stop in the pits with 23 laps ahead when he closed the rear tire during braking. IndyCar showed its speed and issued a penalty for overtaking, which took a few seconds and a fair number of seats.
Basically, he had no chance on the track.
“It just hurts, to be honest,” Dixon said. "Probably very close ... I think it was about a mile an hour or so. It's just disappointing. The car was very good all day. We had a very good speed strategy, I just broke it.
It's her too.
Dixon got out of his Honda № 9, apologized to every crew member he could find, and even went next door to do the same with everyone else who worked in the garage of fellow chipmaker Ganassi Racing teammate Alex Palu.
Probably it was a bitter ending.
Another Ganas teammate, Marcus Ericksins, won the Indy 500 after Dixon’s mistake, and his close friend and teammate Tony Canaan crossed the line and finished third.
Dixon finished 21st, his fourth worst finish at the IndyCar signing event, and he will definitely remember it despite the record of Allo Anser Jr. (644) for most cartridges in the history of the Indy 500.
Dixon received a lot of sympathy and support while walking the net. Fans welcomed his name. Crew members from other teams expressed their condolences. Indianapolis native Ed Carpenter stopped Dixon and asked what had happened.
Canaan and Dixon hug for a long time. Graham Rahal hit him from behind.
Emma Davis-Dixon asks them both the same question: why did IndyCar throw that red flag five laps ahead? Just two years ago, racers were in the same position - Scott Dixon was second only to Takuma Sato - when IndyCar allowed the race to end on a whim.
"Because there is no consistency," Rahal replied. "They do what they want."
Canaan disagreed, saying IndyCar had made the right decision for good reason.
“I think we’re here for the fans,” Canaan said. "We heard from the fans. Yes, many people will have different opinions about it. They came here to see a race, a race with a green flag and a race with a square flag. It was the right choice.
“People want to do it. I totally agree ... If I were in the stands, I would like to finish the race under the green.
Scott Dixon declined to comment on the recent different approach to the game.
"I don't know. We're out, so we don't care," he said.
But what about 2020?
"I can, I have to, I have to, right?" - That's why it's so hard to win here.
Dixon has his share of fears in India. The six-time IndyCar champion, considered the greatest driver of his generation, finished twice in the 500s after his only victory at The Brickyard 14 years ago. He started the pole for the fourth time in eight years and held a record 95 laps, more than twice as many as Palo and 82 more than Ericsson.
“It was probably very fast, I had a good pace all day,” he said. “I thought that if things got better, we would end the war. But definitely not. "
However, Dixon was among the winners. Despite the heartache, the long journey with Emma made them celebrate with Erickson and his teammates in Ghana.
"They all put their personal (feelings) aside," Ganassi said. "Of course everyone wants to win the race. I hope everyone wants to win." But when a team wins, they know it's good for them.
"You have to be realistic if you have a lot of cars. You can have a good day and a bad day on the same day ... The good news is that good defeats evil.
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For more information on the AP Indy 500: https://apnews.com/hub/indianapolis-500 and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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