IndyCar: Scott Dixon can tie consecutive starts streak at Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville

Scott Dixon speaks to reporters before practice for an IndyCar Series race. Photo / AP

Kiwi Scott Dixon can tie Kanaan’s IndyCar consecutive starts streak in Nashville.

Dixon credits luck for being in position to put his name on another IndyCar Series milestone on Monday NZT.

If the defending champion of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix starts the race around Nashville’s streets, Dixon will tie Tony Kanaan’s IndyCar record with his 318th consecutive start.

“It’s difficult to do you know?” the six-time series champ said Friday. “You got to have a lot of things kind of go right for that to be possible.”

Dixon could might soon have the consecutive start streak all to himself when IndyCar goes back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Gallagher Grand Prix on Aug. 12. For now, Dixon’s sights are set on trying to win for the first time since his last race here in Nashville a year ago.

That was the 53rd win of his career, breaking a tie with Mario Andretti and putting him second only to A.J. Foyt’s all-time record of 67 victories. That also extended Dixon’s own IndyCar mark for most consecutive seasons with at least one win to 18.

Winning in Nashville gave Dixon a chance to match Foyt’s record of seven series championships, but he finished third in the points race. That’s exactly where Dixon is now with six top fives and 11 top 10s, trailing series leader and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Alex Palou by 120 points.

Last time here, Dixon overcame a poor effort in qualifying along with damage to his car and a crash-fest on the Nashville streets before outracing fellow New Zealander Scott McLaughlin to the finish line. Dixon was able to win by not making a pit stop over the final 48 laps and only five overall.

Dixon said this 3.3km track featuring a bridge with 11 turns is a bit more “old-school IndyCar racing” where a caution can offer opportunity to those who can take advantage. Drivers know this course, just 11 metres wide at its tightest and 24 at its widest, will feature some cautions and pit chances.

McLaughlin won the pole, and Dixon said he would’ve caught him with another lap or two.

“It’s a tricky (course), but you can still get it done,” McLaughlin said.

Starting up front helps on this particular course. Australian Will Power was the fastest in practice Friday with a top speed at 98.9 mp/h (159.16 km/h) ahead of Palou and Alexander Rossi. Power’s best finish here came last year at 11th, and he made clear he wants to start up front Sunday.

“That’s been the issue,” Power said.

This will be the third and final race on this particular course.

IndyCar officials announced Thursday night that the course will be relocated to accommodate the Titans starting construction on a new stadium in 2024 with Nashville becoming the season finale for the series.

Drivers still will be able to run across that bridge before zipping along four blocks of Nashville’s honky-tonk entertainment district. Dixon called that exciting and a credit to Nashville because it’s not easy to host a season finale.

“I’ve been preaching that for the last couple of years it should be here, and it’s good to see that they’ve got a final race with a lot of energy and a lot of unknowns,” Dixon said.