Why Dixon thinks IndyCar schedule favors Penske in title-deciding races

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon says that IndyCar’s season-concluding events, that now include three short oval tracks, will make the title race “definitely interesting”.

Dixon is chasing a seventh title this season – which would tie AJ Foyt’s all-time record – and is 53 points behind team-mate Alex Palou. Team Penske’s Will Power is second, 49 in arrears of Palou.

Power would’ve been closer but for a costly crash with team-mate Scott McLaughlin in Toronto that earned him a drive-through penalty that relegated him from fourth – when running ahead of Palou – to 12th.

Dixon, who won three of the last four events last year, scored a 141st career podium in Canada, which ties him with Mario Andretti on the all-time list. But last season, three of the four final tracks were road and street courses – and he thinks that favors one team in particular.

“I think it's definitely interesting with how it ends,” said Dixon. “We’ve got one road course (Portland) left.

“What is it, four short track (races)? Should be good for the Penskes, I guess (smiling). Whether it was tailored that way, I have no idea.”

David Malukas and Will Power at the Milwaukee Mile Open Test

Photo by: Penske Entertainment

IndyCar dropped its Texas Motor Speedway round for 2024, replacing it with a double-header event at Milwaukee’s one-mile oval, which returns to the series’ roster for the first time since 2015 on Labor Day weekend.

The other double-header was at Iowa Speedway, where Team Penske swept both races with McLaughlin and Power.

“But I think we had really good cars at Iowa, as well,” pointed out Dixon. “It was a little bit different there. It was a struggle for passing.

“We'll see. It's been a long time since we've been in Nashville. It was a great place for our team. Milwaukee has been in the past, as well.

“St. Louis… Anything's possible, man. We'll keep trying.”

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

Photo by: Phillip Abbott / Motorsport Images

With double the points effectively on offer with Milwaukee’s two races – and McLaughlin proving their potential by making a 90-point jump in the title race in Iowa’s double-header – teams will have one eye on that weekend, which comes after the upcoming St. Louis and Portland rounds.

“Milwaukee will be interesting,” he confirmed. “They've really got to work on the formula for those tracks because nobody wants to just follow the leader.

“Unfortunately, with the repave at Iowa, that kind of ruined the best short track we've had for a good five, 10 years.

“It will be interesting to see the Milwaukee test for us, almost zero deg as well, extremely hard to pass. We'll have to see how that plays out. I know they're talking about bringing a softer tire.

“Deg is key. You need three or four seconds over a stint. That spices it up, makes it interesting. Firestone don't want to hear people talking about degradation, but it creates great racing.”