INDIANAPOLIS — Scott Dixon has raced Indy cars for 25 years and he’s about to begin pursuit of his seventh NTT IndyCar Series title.
At age 45, the Chip Ganassi Racing wheelman is one of the elder statesmen of the series and acknowledges that his role within the series has changed over the years.
Dixon endured a frustrating campaign in 2025, while his teammate, Alex Palou, was dominant in earning his third consecutive (fourth overall) series championship.
“We had a big deep dive in the off-season, and then there was lots of positives and things that we kind of already knew, and then definitely some bits I could have executed a little bit better on,” Dixon said. “Yeah, it was a big year for the team. Obviously with Alex’s stellar season and his first oval race being the biggest race in the world was pretty sweet, as well. We’ve got to keep the momentum going, and hopefully we can get together a little bit better on our side.”
Dixon finished third in the standings last season.
“Third for me still sucks. You want to be winning, so that’s all that really matters,” Dixon said. “Yeah, I don’t know. The group has definitely gotten — Will (Power) and I are 45. I kind of don’t know what the next — maybe Graham is like the next. It’s an interesting time because I remember clearly when I first came into the sport, and it doesn’t seem that long ago.
“No, it’s awesome to — again, we’re very lucky to do what we do. I feel great to be in this position. But ultimately you just want to win. Not many people remember who came third last year. They only remember the champion.”
While many of the top contenders in the IndyCar Series are in their 20s, Dixon and Power are the senior citizens in the paddock.
“The conversations definitely change. I’ve got a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old and a six-year-old,” Dixon said. “When you’re talking to the likes of (Marcus) Armstrong or people like that, it kind of makes you reminisce on the single days and maybe going out a lot more. I’m glad I got through that part of my life.
“But yeah, the conversations are very different. It’s still fun to catch up with all these people and see the new talent coming into IndyCar. It’s been really impressive, I think, to see the new crop come through and they’re very, very strong.
“It’s huge for the future of IndyCar, and yeah, you can only welcome it and hope that you get to race against them for a little while longer.”
