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IndyCar
INDYCAR: 10 Questions with Scott Dixon
Auto Racing Editor Marshall Pruett sits down with the 2008 IndyCar Series and Indy 500 champ Scott Dixon for the latest installment of "10 Questions."
Marshall Pruett  |  Posted April 15, 2009   Oakland, CA
Dixon's 2009 season didn't get off to the start he'd hoped for, but the Kiwi isn't overly concerned. (LAT)
Auto Racing Editor Marshall Pruett sits down with the 2008 IndyCar Series and Indy 500 champ Scott Dixon ahead of this weekend's Long Beach Grand Prix for the latest installment of "10 Questions."

PRUETT: Do you read or listen to much of the pre-season predictions about the IndyCar season? Do people's expectations for you have any affect on your outlook?
DIXON: I never really look into that too much. I've had years where people kind of write you off and say, “It's not going to be a good one,” and you end up pulling off an upset. I think Briscoe and myself are kind of an easy pick because we were running at the top at the end of last year. And he’s definitely started the season the right way and we’ve probably started it in the opposite way. But I think when you have drivers that are involved with Penske or Target that's probably going to be a strong finishing for you for hopefully for the season.

PRUETT: Do you expect 2009 to be any harder for you to repeat as champion with the 2007 Series champion -- Dario Franchitti -- as your teammate?
DIXON: Whether he’s teammate or not, I think Dario being involved in the series is always tough. I think anybody who's trying to repeat after the year that we had with six wins and the 500 and the championship, if we could even repeat that again this year, it would be bigger than in ‘09. But having Dario on the team I think is a help for me because he is so good at what he does. It lifts up the team, it lifts up me in trying to push harder; and all in all I think [we'll have] better results. Bottom line, Dario can be tough to beat, no matter which team he’s with.

PRUETT: What were the goals that you set for yourself when you first came over to the States? Did you see yourself driving for Ganassi, winning Indy, etc? Did you allow yourself to dream that far?
DIXON: Well, I guess you might dream of doing something like that, but reality is a totally different factor. Coming over here, each year I’d come over and hope, especially coming from New Zealand, but it's very tough. This is on a much grander scale. I dreamt of being in the ChampCar series at that time, which was so successful in the mid to late 90s that you could only hope to be a part of it. But to be in a world-class team like Ganassi and then thinking of being involved in the 500, let alone coming away winning with it…that’s a lot to grasp. Winning the 500 is something I don't think I ever expected to do, or you’d think about it but you don’t think it’s going to be reality.

PRUETT: You got your start here with one of the teams that isn’t mentioned a lot when people look back to ChampCar, PacWest. They had an incredibly successful ladder system, with you as their most successful graduate. What did they mean to you and how did they help you get you to where you are today?
DIXON: Well, you said it, without PacWest or the owner, Bruce McCaw, I wouldn't have been able to do what I've done. They were very good in the ladder system for myself and for Tony Renna and they had been previous to that. But those teams and guys like Bruce that have the money to help out the younger kids, I think was definitely key. Without him nothing would've happened. It was a fun time with that team.

The Indy Lites program was very definitely successful and achieved a lot. And the ChampCar side had their good times in the early days. And they had a lot of great people. I still see a lot of people that came from PacWest, that are on my car today and are on a lot of other successful teams. It was a shame that it never really achieved what it should have. But I’m grateful for having the opportunity Bruce gave me to help get me to where I am today.

PRUETT: You’re known for being a pretty calm and level headed guy but I have to believe that sometimes when you’re in the car, whether it's someone intentionally blocking you or simply getting in your way, there must be an outburst of some sort, right?
DIXON: You obviously haven't listened to my radio! I cuss a lot – especially on a weekend when “someone” is sitting in my pits, blocking me from getting my tires or fuel… I lash out a bit, don’t worry about that. I've definitely been told a few times to calm down on the radio when many of the Target people get scanners for the race and haven’t appreciated it sometimes…
Dixon's race at St. Pete was hindered by someone that double parked in his stall...which led to some colorful language that Scott says isn't all that rare for those listening in to his radio communications... (LAT)

PRUETT: After having Dan Wheldon as your teammate for 3 years, is it disruptive to your own program when you have a new partner enter the team? How much of an adjustment is it for you personally after having a familiar routine with a familiar teammate?
DIXON: No, I'm still pretty focused. It is a big change in Dario and Dan are very different. I think I keep going back to I’ve been with the team for eight years now and I probably had 10 teammates. Change has been a constant -- definitely in ’04, ’05, there was a lot of people going in and out. I think you learn something different off all of them. But for me, it's kind of been a pleasure, to be honest.

It's been easy with Dario because I've known him since 2001 when I first came into ChampCar and he's been a fantastic driver and a guy that, you know, I’ll definitely ask questions or I have asked questions when I was first coming in. So he's been a lot different of a transition to a lot of the others, so it's been really nice so far. And I'm sure it's only going to get better.

PRUETT: Speaking of asking Dario for advice, he mentioned some “old man” comments you made about him at St. Pete. Can we expect more jokes at his expense?
DIXON: Well, I was giving him a few digs on the pre-race show there about… yeah, he was a guy I respected. I was respecting my elders...like asking a wise man for advice…I guess he didn't appreciate it… (laughs)

And I added sort of a piss take on his gray hair as well. He loves it, and I'm sure he's going to have a few jabs at me.

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