Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Doesy Wildegrave
from News Talk Zed be at Scott Dixon. Was was
the twenty third year range that we work out? Wow,
crazy crazy still there, six times champion and he's competing again.
Saint Pete starts off on Monday morning and.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Scott joins us. Scott Dixon, how you doing.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I'm doing good man good. Excited for the new season
to kick off.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Good to hear, always excited. It doesn't matter how many
times you do this at kicks in, doesn't it all
the time? What is it about?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Well, I think it's the long off seasons. But you know,
luckily I'm able to do a bit at it. I'm
so racing as well in sports car stuff with Daytona
and then prepping for for Seabring twelve hour here recently.
So yeah, the off season this year was pretty quiet
on the Nycar front, with no real testing, kind of
had one day at Seabring before we kick off this week.
So yeah, last year we had quite a bit just
(01:05):
due to the fact of the hybrid testing and all
that kind of stuff. So yeah, it's there's been a
lot of drivers sitting around for a little while. So
it's good to get going here.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
What's new this year, if anything at all, when it
comes to the season, when it comes to the series,
when it comes to the car, when it comes to
the team.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
So quite a few changes, mostly on the team front.
We went from five cars back down to three, which
I think is a great move. They've done a new
engineering alliance deal with my Shank Racing, which they previously
had been with Andretti, so it's kind of five cars.
You know, Armstrong is still a teammate, he's you know,
kind of leased out or used out to shank my
(01:45):
Shank Racing, and then obviously you know, being back with
an ex teammate, Felix rosen Quest, so you know, it's
quite a great combo. I think on the car side,
there's not too much. I think energy levels change a
little bit on the hybrid, you know, just more usage.
I think per lap is kind of one of the
key differences. And then some bigger differences on the tire front.
(02:07):
I think between the you know, the black or you know,
standard tire to the option tire, which I think is
green or red this year will have a bigger difference,
so you know, the softer tire will degrade a little
bit more, but have you know, kind of a higher
peak speed. And then for the series, you know, a
new new deal with the broadcaster with Fox, which has
been fantastic advertising and all the stuff at the super
(02:31):
Bowl and you know, they've been really knocking out of
the park. So you know, all of the races in
America will be on live TV, which is great. Hasn't
been like that for quite a few years, so it's
a big push forward. I think definitely for the sport,
a bit.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
More pressure on you and the team to make sure
you put on a good display.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
That pressure is a waste man. Pressure is a privilege,
and you know, for us it's just you know, it's
always the same mindset, right, You're just going out there
to try and win each race and that will start
obviously with the first one this weekend. But no different
on that front.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Him As far as picking up what last year, if
you had a big off season, you had plenty of
time to think. I'm sure what was the main takeaway
from twenty twenty forty I think for you and Chip
Ganassi Racing.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, frustration. I think on the nine car side, you know,
it was still another great year for the ten obviously
going back to back championships, so, you know, a championship
year for the team again, which was fantastic. You know,
Alex and the ten Card group did a phenomenal job.
You know, for us, we led kind of the first
half of the season and then and then you know,
(03:37):
we just had issue after issue with tire failure and
then a hybrid failure, and you know, then got crashed
out a couple of races. And as soon as you
get knocked out of one or two man, you're really
out of the running. And you know, the ten Card
did a fantastic job of having rough weekends and still
turning them into two great points point stays. So you know,
for us, I think the performance was there. We had
(03:58):
some great races, obviously, a couple of wins. The wind
count for a lot of people, it was kind of
spread last year, you know, for Alex only two race
wins but won the championship. We had two race wins,
but just didn't really capitalize on the low points. But yeah,
I think for us, you know, definitely a rebuilding off
season and just making sure that we cover you know,
(04:19):
all avenues and making sure that you know, we get
the most out of each session and each race, and
you know you only need to average kind of a fourth,
fifth or sixth finishing position to win the championship, So
you know, you got to make the most out of
the bad days the hybrid.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Do you think that's settled down a wee bit to
pick much up from last season that when you had
that failure, I'm sure you've jumped straight onto it. Anything
in that space.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
You need to look at. Yeah, some of that is frustrating,
you know for us. I think the first race, you know,
it didn't even make the start pace lapse, you know,
kind of went out of the pits, and then you
know it kind of got into a bit of a
cycle and drained the battery and then killed the car.
So you know, those hopefully a little worked out. I
think the parameters and kind of settings, you know a
(05:02):
little bit better to try and stop that stuff. We
still actually had a failure at the one day preseason
testing with ours, so you know it was a high
mileage unit. So hopefully that's a lot of those issues out.
But I think when you add you know, kind of
more items to you know already a pretty you know,
a pretty you know, interesting kind of setup for the car,
(05:24):
and you know, all the systems that you have. You
just hope that you know, one of those things don't
catch you out. So you know, a lot of that
stuff's out of your hands. Man, you can't worry about it.
You just got to get after it and make the
most of it and hopefully it doesn't happen to you.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
What do you coming up quarter of a century racing?
This has it got an arter or easier as far
as what happens in the cockpit, not the racing itself.
How do you think it's developed as a series.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Yeah, I think it kind of you know, it's it's
a bit of a roller coaster. I think some years
are easier than others, you know, championship years where you've
really been on a roll. It's not like you do
anything different, it's just sometimes it kind of rolls with you. So,
you know, I think the details, it's always been about
the details. But I think more teams, you know, there
are no small teams now, so you know, I think
(06:06):
you've really got the capability from just about everybody on
the grid that's going to have a shot at winnings.
So you know, the competition level is much more stout.
You know, the first championship I won back in two
thousand and three, you know, I think I DNF five
or six races. You know, you wouldn't even be in
the play. But that was just because reliability was you know,
wasn't on, wasn't the forefront. Then, whereas you know, you
(06:28):
now have some drivers completing you know, every lap of
the season, which you know that's what you've got to
really do to make sure that you're in the running
for the championship.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
What about the we skid that you have apparently minor
re damage. You weren't hurt, but a bit of a
shake up.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Oh the tests, Yeah, the test was like the way.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
You've completely forgotten about it already.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah, you move on. The test was a bit rof
We we actually blew the engine on the first lap,
which took us out of running for the first day.
And that's one of your four engines that you get
for the season, so at some point we'll get a
penalty for that, which was definitely for streeting. And then yeah,
had a locked rear with the increased hybrid you know,
(07:12):
toll on the on the real axle rear axle, and
then kind of got in the grass a bit and
just tapped the wall, which you know, bent the upper wishbone.
But you know we were out kind of thirty minutes later.
It was nothing too crazy, but yeah, you know those
are those are some of the things when you're pushing
hard that that happened.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I suppose it gives you a distinct reminder of the
extraordinarily fine lines that you guys ride every time. We're
talking millimeters at some stage'll just I suppose of anything,
not a shakeout, but you look at this and go, yep,
we're right on the edge here. I can't forget that
because you're a reminder, isn't it, Scott, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
It does. You know, you got to you've got to
maximize everything, and finding the limit is a you know,
is definitely a big point of that. So you know,
sometimes you cross over it and kind of have a
bit of a reset and get after it. But yeah,
you're always pushing to the maximuman.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Unlike Formula one, very very close, and I think that's
part of the of the IndyCar series of all the
vehicles all pretty similar really, and the quality of the drivers.
I meanb a couple of years ago, she was a
bit rookie thick and got a bit wee bit reckless.
Do you think the closeness of the competition last year
and the quality of other people on the track is improved,
(08:24):
You think it's going to be a better season when
it comes to that for sure.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
You know, again, I think you've kind of lost you know,
the seasons of you know, there might have been some
years where there was really only you know, ten to
fifteen really competitive cars. I think at the front and
the point end of the field that's never really changed,
you know, It's it's always been super intense, you know.
I think it's just the depth of the field now
is as drastically increased. You know, a lot of the
(08:50):
tracks will be at capacity now. You know, some cars
may have to go home if they're not part of
the leader circle or you know, part of you know,
the charter program. So you know, I think the series
is really healthy at the moment. I think this year
with the Fox Steel will really build on that.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
So it's it's definitely the depth. As I keep saying,
there are really no small teams anymore. Each team functions
extremely well, They're well budgeted and you know they have
a great team drive a combo that you know, the
depth is pretty intense.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
What's the charter? Tell us about that? Sorry? Eating straight
over my head? What do I need to know?
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Much similar to you know, if one where you have
the concord agreement and you know there's only really up
until this year there was twenty cars. Sorry they added
actually for the next season, which Cadillac is going in,
which was you know, a pretty long discussion I think
for them and trying to figure out how that was
going to be. NASCAR has a charter system now I'm
(09:51):
not sure how many are eligible or I think it's
about forty. Indy Car has kind of capped at twenty six.
Premier is coming this year from Europe and they'll be
you know, twenty seven and twenty eight. But if they
you know, don't qualify, well, there is a possibility that
some of as cars can go home. So you know,
there is a charter group where if you had three
or more cars, you are locked in for three. If
(10:14):
you only had two, then you locked in for two.
So you know, it's just a way of monetizing and
committing to the teams that have been here for a
long time and giving them some you know, some wealth.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
The most important thing for you is what happens coming
up this week came back to Saint Petersburg. Is there
a bit of comfort around that track that you've moted
on so many times?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Definitely, you know, I think it's one of the best
IndyCar events that we have on the calendar. You know,
Saint Pete and that town really embraced the race, which
is half of the battle sometimes, you know, But it's
had a great longevity so far. It's one of the
biggest and best races that we have much you know,
similar to Long Beach or the Indy five hundred or
you know some like that. So you know, it's it's
(10:57):
a fun track. It's probably the best place you can
kick off the season. And you know, we've had some
fantastic results. I think I've been you know, second there
five times and on the podium many are times, but
never actually won it. So you know, trying to fight
for that first one at St. Pete.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
I didn't really want to mention the amount of times
you've finished Bridesmaid in that race. You climbed it instead.
A last thing's gott and I was always thanks for
making the time to speak to see News Talk ZB ovals, B,
street circuits, the road circuits. What's the balance like this year?
Does it suit you?
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Yeah, I think it's it's pretty similar to last year.
You know, I think some editions of super speedways down
the road could be good. You know, obviously they're adding
you know, Dallas next year, at Texas around you know,
the stadiums there, which is going to be fantastic. There's
you know, talks of Mexico City coming back, and then
also Denver. You know, there's a lot of great new
(11:50):
aspects I think in towns and cities that are going
to be back on the calendar, which are fantastic. I think,
you know, we're what seventeen races this year. You know,
it'd be good to get back to the kind of
around number of twenty or twenty two. So you know,
hopefully they can they can improve on that. But yeah,
I don't know. I feel like ovals we could do
with you know, some more superspeedways. We've got a great
(12:10):
mix of short short tracks right at the moment, so
hopefully they can build on that for the future. For
more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
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