The legend of Scott Dixon grew larger last week when he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in Florida.
Dixon became the only driver inducted into the hall of fame who was born during the 1980s. It was his first year of eligibility.
At 43 years old, the six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion is still going strong as he guns for a record-tying seventh title aboard his familiar No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
His impact on open-wheel racing is uncanny.
Entering the hall of fame alongside him was former IndyCar teammate and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.
While Johnson’s career in IndyCar was short-lived between 2021-’22, Dixon made a substantial impact on the NASCAR legend in a multitude of ways.
“His dedication for the sport is quite impressive. Obviously his skills. But the thing that stands out to me the most is that he still loves it,” Johnson told SPEED SPORT. “I mean, when he giggles and talks about racing, I feel like I see a teenage version of Scott Dixon sitting there.”
Dixon’s been competing at the pinnacle of American open-wheel racing since 2001 when he entered CART full time at age 20.
Since then, Dixon has racked up 53 victories (second all-time), an Indianapolis 500 win, five Indy 500 poles (second all-time) and 194 top-five finishes (most all-time).
While Dixon may be on the backend of his IndyCar career, Johnson affirmed the New Zealander’s dedication to push forward on the race track.
“He still has that gleam in his eye that a teenager does for the sport,” Johnson said. “So that’s probably the thing that stands out to me most.
“The other things I mentioned are extremely impressive. He’s a six-time champion. The skill, the passion, all that stuff, but he loves driving race cars.”
For Johnson, the induction together had an added layer as he and Dixon have grown closer over the past handful of years as both families share a bond that goes beyond the race track.
“Certainly in the last four or five years, someone that has truly become a very close friend,” Johnson said. “We live maybe 45 minutes apart now in England, and I’ve spent a fair amount of time with him over the offseason.
“He, his family, the way our families have combined and in the respect and friendship that we have. It’s just very, very special.”