At Indy, a stack-up crash – ironically caused by his younger Chip Ganassi Racing team-mates – led to him being punted from behind and spinning onto the infield grass on the opening lap. No bother, he pitted under the yellow, got rid of his least-preferred tyre, and split the remaining distance into two stops.
With his rivals ahead all three-stopping, he knew that hitting his fuel number with stable lap times were the keys to the comeback, and he beat Graham Rahal – who’d absolutely hosed everyone else that day – by half a second.
When asked for his secret to saving fuel, Dixon replied: “Lifting. I don't know, man. I would say Honda. I was actually shocked, just the pace that we had. The car just kept doing the same lap times, mid-73s to 74-flats. The fuel mileage, huge credit to Honda and HPD, it was remarkably easy to get.
“I thought only the Hondas could make it from that point [his first stop with 80 laps remaining]. I didn't think the other manufacturer could do it. That was a good thing for us.”
At St Louis last weekend, he made a three-stop strategy work when nobody else could, and most of his rivals ended up stopping five times. Again, he had to work his way to the front, after an engine change grid penalty dropped him to 16th. Again, he won – this time by the best part of a lap!
Of course, “lifting” and adjusting his braking points is his expertise but how about the other side of the coin: Honda? Its American racing president is David Salters, whose previous life was in Formula 1 working for Mercedes, Ferrari and Cosworth, has seen many brilliant drivers at close quarters, and he has nothing but high praise for the six-time IndyCar champion.
“It’s a pleasure for us to watch him do it,” says Salters. “Motor racing is a team sport, the driver is at the pointy end and he’s a very smart and fast driver and it makes a difference, and then there’s a whole group of people behind him beavering away on the chassis and powertrain.
Source: Autosport