Scott Dixon comfortable in ‘no-man’s land’ as IndyCar heads into penultimate event

Scott Dixon feels little pressure heading into the season's penultimate event. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi IndyCar driver Scott Dixon is feeling like he’s stranded in no-man’s land heading into Monday’s race at Portland.

The six-time IndyCar champion is 74 points behind series leader and teammate Alex Palou and 51 points ahead of third-placed Josef Newgarden with two rounds to go.

“We’re kind of in a no-man’s land and it’s kind of weird,” Dixon told the Herald on Sunday.

“There’s a bit of a buffer to first and the same to third. It’s kind of a fun situation to be in, as there’s not a lot of stress, so you can go out there and fight for the win. The last two races have been great [wins at Indianapolis and St Louis], but we’ve missed a few opportunities and didn’t get the best out of other races. The car and team have had good speed all year but we’ve made a few strategy mistakes and those points add up.”

Palou’s buffer of 74 points means he should be a shoo-in for his second championship title.

However, it never pays to count out Dixon, as he proved in 2015, when he came from behind to snatch the title from Juan Pablo Montoya via a countback of race wins.

There is a maximum of 54 points per race weekend and Dixon must reduce Palou’s lead by at least 20 points at Portland if he wants a chance of battling for the title at Laguna Seca in eight days.

If Dixon wins, Chip Ganassi teammate Palou needs to finish on the podium to clinch the 2023 championship.

“He [Palou] definitely has a healthy buffer, that’s for sure. But as we’ve seen in past years, you can’t rely on anything. It’ll be hard to close the gap, as he’s been consistent all year, not finishing outside the top 10.

“Anything can happen this weekend and the next, so we’ll keep fighting,” said Dixon.

The IndyCar title has been decided on the last race of the season for the past 17 years and it could still happen in 2023. However, ever the pragmatic racer, Dixon will compete for the win but is focused on Chip Ganassi claiming the title.

“The two wins have been great but it’s more about the team and where we’re at now. The No 10 car [Palou] has got it right all season and have done a good job. We’re first and second at the moment, and from a team point of view, that’s really important,” said Dixon.

The Kiwi has finished on the podium at Portland the past two years, so it’s a track where he has excelled. The first practice hit-out didn’t quite go according to plan, with the 43-year-old posting only the 19th-fastest time.

“The car wasn’t that good on the blacks [tyre], and when we went to the reds [tyre], it was a bit weird.

“We didn’t even get a better time, which is a bit odd, as normally you’d be a second a lap faster.

“The car seems pretty competitive. In qualifying at the moment, if you make one small mistake, you don’t make the cut [fast six]. If we do get into the fast six, I think we could win.

“Last time here, we made a mistake in qualifying and started 16th but still managed to finish third. The car’s good long distance and I just have to make sure I get qualifying right,” said Dixon.