KEY POINTS:
A settled Scott Dixon is looking forward to 2007, predicting his Target Ganassi motor racing team will be the ones to beat in the Indy Racing League (IRL).
Dixon, from Auckland, has signed a new three-year contract with the Chip Ganassi-owned team, and is looking for a breakthrough
Indy 500 win as well as re-capturing the IRL crown he won in 2003, his debut season.
The team switched to Honda engines this year after enduring two fruitless years with Toyota and Dixon said he felt the team did a little better than expected.
". . .considering the other teams were running the Honda package for three years, we had to catch up to speed quite quick.
"Having to learn it all in one season was very hard -- it was good in many ways but we definitely messed up in many ways.
"There were a lot of races in which we should have done a lot better and probably won a few more and that's on both sides of the team.
Dixon said next season was looking "pretty good".
"We've been doing some pre-season testing already, and the team is basically staying the same with (2005 champion, 2006 runner-up) Dan Wheldon still my teammate."
The team was sticking with a two-car team and the same engineering team.
"The car looks much better -- for myself, I'm a lot more prepared and have bit more knowledge of the car and engine package.
"So next year, to be honest, I think we are going to be very hard to beat."
The 2006 IRL drivers crown was won by Sam Hornish Jr with Dixon fourth in the overall standings.
Despite renewing a multi-year contract with Ganassi, Dixon said there was still an out clause if a Formula One drive eventuated.
"The whole idea still, is that if we have other options, we can still mutually sort of leave," Dixon said.
But it was not a move he would make unless it was to a competitive team.
"It's tough to give up something we do have really good over there (the United States). If you are not with two or three of the (F1) teams, you struggle."
Dixon said Formula One had always been a passion and remained so "but it's so tough (to break in)".
"And politically, it's very hard, and you have got a lot of these young guys who have a lot of background with them (F1 teams) now, that that's just where they are gonna end up.
Dixon was spending today promoting his book, Indy to Indy, written by motoring journalist Sandy Myhre.
Dixon admitted he had only read it cover to cover for the first time this week.
Indy to Indy was all about one season from the 2005 Indy race to this year's.
"It does capture what really goes on but also the titbit stories of my history and other people that Sandy spoke to was very interesting, to me even.
However the real Dixon story is far from over.
"Yeah, my book is far from finished - the only reason I did it (the book) was because it was about just one season basically Indy (500) to Indy (500).
Dixon said any in depth examination of his career would have to wait unter later.
The next chapter begins in January when Chip Ganassi will field his dream Daytona 24-hour team of Dixon, Wheldon and former Formula One star, Juan Pablo Montoya, of Colombia, who this year left McLaren to race Nascar with the Ganassi team in 2007.
Their toughest opposition could come from the Michael Shank racing team who have signed Hornish and two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves for the most famous endurance race in the United States.
- NZPA