Scott Dixon gave Chip Ganassi Racing many reasons to smile after the rough week they’ve had on the business side of the equation. (Photo: Jack Shanlin | The Podium Finish)
Scott Dixon ended a drama-filled week for Chip Ganassi Racing amid the Alex Palou contract dispute with McLaren to snap a winless streak that lasted for over a year by taking the checkered flag in the Honda Indy Toronto at the Exhibition Place street circuit.
Dixon held off a late challenge from Colton Herta and Felix Rosenqvist. Both drivers ended up settling for the final two spots on the podium.
“Ended a streak there, which is fantastic,” Dixon said. “Just so happy for the team. A crazy year for the 9. The PNC Bank No. 9 back in winner’s circle. It just feels so good.
“Hopefully we’re kind of in the title hunt now. I’m hoping this is the start of the roll. I know the team definitely deserves it.”
Dixon leaves Toronto fifth in the championship, 44 points behind championship leader Marcus Ericsson, who expanded his lead to a 35-point margin over Will Power by finishing fifth in the No. 8 Honda.
Scott Dixon picked up his fourth career victory on the streets of Toronto. (Photo: Jack Shanlin | The Podium Finish)
Prior to winning in Canada, Dixon’s last trip to the NTT IndyCar Series winner’s circle came 442 days ago on May 1, 2021, at Texas Motor Speedway. The Toronto victory holds extra significance because it’s Dixon’s 52nd career IndyCar win, moving him into a tie for second on the all-time wins list in IndyCar history with motorsports giant Mario Andretti.
Dixon and Andretti shared an exchange on Twitter after the race:
Mario thank you Legend, for your incredibly kind words. To even be mentioned in the same conversation as you my friend is an honor . https://t.co/zYOOFWYy5i
— Scott Dixon (@scottdixon9) July 17, 2022
The race-winning move was ultimately decided on Lap 17 when Dixon’s No. 9 team chose the undercut strategy to get ahead of pole winner Herta by executing the perfect pit stop. On the following lap, Herta entered the pits for service, a move triggered by Dixon.
When Herta exited the pits, Dixon successfully completed the undercut and got around Herta. For the remainder of the race, Dixon controlled his own destiny and added to his accomplished IndyCar legacy.
“To be close to Mario, every time I’m asked these questions, I’m just so thankful that we still have AJ and him in the pits,” Dixon said.
“We get to see them; we get to talk to them. It’s just fantastic. It’s huge, man. I just feel so lucky to be a part of this group.”
Following a caution for debris in Turn 1 on Lap 55, Ganassi teammates and championship contenders, Palou and Ericsson, experienced a hairy moment.
Palou almost turned Ericsson around but backed out of it to avoid an ugly moment in what’s been a whirlwind week for the reigning IndyCar champion. However, Ganassi still found trouble on Lap 60.
Alex Palou tried his best to limit the outside noise and finished sixth in Canada. (Photo: Jack Shanlin | The Podium Finish)
Near the rear of the field, Jimmie Johnson spun following contact with Kyle Kirkwood which brought out the full-course caution.
On Lap 45, Rosenqvist made contact with Alexander Rossi, shoving the No. 27 Andretti Autosport Honda into the wall and ending Rossi’s day early.
Race control decided not to penalize Roseqnvist for the incident. Depending on how McLaren forms its 2023 driver lineup across its racing programs, there’s a possibility that Rossi and Rosenqvist could be teammates at Arrow McLaren SP next year in IndyCar.
WILD.
Future McLaren driver Alexander Rossi and current McLaren driver Felix Rosenqvist make contact, and Rossi hits the wall! #INDYCAR
📺 : @peacockTV
💻 : https://t.co/dQFdTWkQMq pic.twitter.com/FhWcdTpE6T— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) July 17, 2022
“He normally races hard,” Rosenqvist said. “I’ve been racing him previously where it’s been to his advantage in that situation and I’ve lost a bunch of spots.
“Today he lost his race. Obviously, I don’t want to see him in the wall, but it was just a hard pass, hard racing. There wasn’t a penalty, so I think that kind of explains everything.”
Felix Rosenqvist doesn’t know where McLaren will place him in 2023, but he made it perfectly clear that he prefers to stay in IndyCar over a return to Formula E. (Photo: Jack Shanlin | The Podium Finish)
Takuma Sato’s Sunday afternoon cruise in Canada was short-lived following contact with the wall on Lap 1 at the start. Sato, like many others, tried jockeying for position and was the unfortunate victim of getting squeezed out of room on the tight Toronto street circuit. This incident was the first yellow flag of the race.
The NTT IndyCar Series heads from Toronto to Iowa next weekend for a pair of oval races at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 23 (4 p.m. ET on NBC) and Sunday, July 24 (3 p.m. ET on NBC).
Honda Indy Toronto Top-10 Results: Dixon, Herta, Rosenqvist, Rahal, Ericsson, Palou, Pagenaud, Lundgaard, McLaughlin, Newgarden.
