INDIANAPOLIS (July 4, 2020) – After three consecutive years of near disappointment, Scott Dixon finally closed the deal at the GMR Grand Prix.
Dixon benefited from a timely precautionary period near the race midpoint and then walked away to dominate the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on Saturday on the 14-lap, 2,439-mile course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning by one event. Record 19.9469 seconds at No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. It was the first victory in this event for five-time series champion Dixon, who had finished second in this race for the past three years.
“So good to be competing here again at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Dixon. “We have had so many second place positions here on the circuit. We were lucky The strategy, the team just did it. We were lucky with that precaution. But as soon as we get the correct balance, PNC Bank No. 9 has just paid. “
To download: Unofficial Results of the GMR Grand Prix in Indianapolis
Dixon remained perfect in the 2020 season as he also won the first game of the season on June 6 at the Texas Motor Speedway oval. Saturday’s result was 48th INDYCAR career victory for Dixon, who is now just four wins behind Mario Andretti for No. 2 on the all-time series list.
Graham Rahal finished second at No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda after making just two pit stops, one fewer than Dixon and the other contenders. Simon Pagenaud bounced back from a tough qualifying session on Friday, jumping from a 20th starting point to finish third at No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet.
Colton Herta finished fourth in Indiana Honda’s No. 88 Gleaners Food Bank, while Rinus VeeKay bounced back from a tough debut last month in Texas to become the highest-performing rookie in the race, ranking fifth in No. 21 Chevrolet Sonax.
Dixon earned his first victory at Racing Capital of the World since winning the Gainbridge-presented Indianapolis 500 miles in 2008. He jumped into the discussion on Saturday when rookie Oliver Askew spun out of Turn 14 and backed into the SAFER barrier in Lap 36, activating the only caution period of the 80-lap race. Askew was not injured in the incident.
When caution flew, power driver Will Power led teammate Penske teammate Josef Newgarden by 3.6495 seconds. But Power, Newgarden and other leaders had only made one pit stop, while Dixon made his second stop on lap 33, two laps before caution.
So when Power, Newgarden, and Jack Harvey rushed to the pits for their second stops under caution, that elevated Dixon in race order. Rahal led on the restart, with Spencer Pigot and Dixon second and third, respectively.
Dixon circled Pigot and then passed Rahal at Turn 1 to take the lead on lap 48. After that, he lost first place only when he made his third and final pit stop on lap 55. Dixon took the lead to always on lap 62 after the leaders passed their final stops.
Then, Dixon inexorably separated himself from Rahal and the rest of the field in a tour de force, delivering Chip Ganassi Racing his 110th Victoria INDYCAR. Dixon also became the first driver in addition to Pagenaud and Power to win this event, as Penske teammates have three wins in the IMS circuit race that made its debut in 2014.
The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES event is a double title next weekend, the REV Group Grand Prix at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Race 1 is Saturday, July 11 (5pm ET, NBCSN), with Race 2 on Sunday, July 12 (12:30 pm NBC).
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