If there’s one thing you can count on in the IZOD IndyCar Series, it’s Scott Dixon’s name among the top drivers in the final standings.
The two-time series champion and 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner has finished within the top four in points for the past seven seasons.
While Ryan Hunter-Reay and Will Power were battling for first place last year, Dixon finished third but came within 33 points of winning the championship.
The 32-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, is a perennial title contender, a fact that shouldn’t change in 2013.
KEYS TO SUCCESS: Chemistry with powerhouse Chip Ganassi Racing has been a huge part of Dixon’s triumph on the track. Dixon joined the Ganassi team in 2002 and has earned 28 race wins and two championships over those 11 seasons.
Teammate Dario Franchitti struggled with the new DW12 car early last year but Dixon adjusted fine and strung together a pair of second-place finishes to start the 2012 season. He finished second to Franchitti at the Indianapolis 500 and followed that up with a win at Detroit. Dixon picked up another victory at Mid-Ohio and made a total of six podium appearances over the course of the year.
When Dixon and his Ganassi crew are firing on all cylinders, they’re tough to beat.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: It’s hard to suggest Dixon needs to improve anything but there were a few racing incidents last year that cost him significant points.
In Sao Paulo, Dixon led the race with a dozen laps remaining but he didn’t have enough fuel to make it to the end. Dixon was forced to pit while the race was under caution and he had to settle for a disappointing 17th-place finish.
Dixon’s 11th-place result in Milwaukee was hardly his fault. He was running third when he was penalized for jumping a restart. After the race, officials admitted they were watching the wrong replay when they handed the penalty but it was too late to fix the problem.
At Sonoma, Dixon ran off the course when he attempted to pass Hunter-Reay and damaged his front wing. To add to his bad luck, Dixon incurred a penalty for hitting an air hose during a pit stop, dropping him to 18th in the race. Dixon battled back but finished in unlucky 13th place.
CANADIAN CONNECTION: Dixon has finished within the top five on four occasions at Toronto. He qualified within the Firestone Fast Six in 2012 but engine problems knocked him out early in the race.
OUTLOOK: Dixon will be a top-three contender for the IZOD IndyCar Series championship once again even if luck isn’t always on his side.