The story of the second Music City Grand Prix in Nashville was a bit like the first: Littered with incidents, disrupted by full course cautions and a late red flag, and an unlikely winner that was caught up in an accident not of their own making, that should never have been in position to win by the end.
But after starting 14th, getting hit from behind in a track-blocking multi-car incident, suffering diffuser and suspension damage, and pitting six times including emergency service for repairs – despite all of that, Scott Dixon somehow found himself in victory lane at the end of it all, holding on by just over a tenth of a second from his Kiwi compatriot Scott McLaughlin in second.
On lap 26, Dixon was hit from behind by Dalton Kellett and Simona de Silvestro, while he and Callum Ilott were checking up as Graham Rahal ran into the back of title contender Pato O’Ward. O’Ward suffered terminal gearbox damage, and Rahal also suffered heavy damage to the front end. Their wounded cars stacked up the field behind them in turn seven, including Dixon, who had nowhere to go.
O’Ward retired and finished 24th, suffering a critical blow to his championship chances.
Dixon’s golden ticket to the front of the field came just after making a fuel-only pit stop on lap 50. Another incident for Rahal and Rinus VeeKay brought out the caution one lap later, vaulting Dixon from 15th place, to the net lead of the race. The six-time IndyCar champion drove over half the race on a single set of the harder, primary compound tyres, but had enough pace in hand to withstand McLaughlin’s challenge despite a sketchy exit out of the final corner towards the chequered flag.
The win is of significance in two ways. For the history books, Dixon surpasses Mario Andretti for sole possession of second place on the all-time wins list with 53 career victories. For the pursuit of the 2022 IndyCar Series championship, Dixon now sits just six points behind Will Power for the lead in the championship. Power faded from podium contention due to a gear selection issue and finished 11th, while Marcus Ericsson lost drive with less than ten laps to go and retired from the race, credited with a 14th place result. Ericsson is now 12 points behind Power, third in the table.
Polesitter McLaughlin led the first 22 laps, and were it not for a slow final pit stop under yellow, may have had the track position he needed to overhaul Dixon at the end of the race on newer tyres.
Ironically, a timely pit stop…
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