Scott Dixon

Not everyone gets their own Day proclaimed in their adopted home-town. The 24th September 2018 officially became “Scott Dixon Day”. The Mayor of Indianapolis bestowed this highly unusual honor on the highly successful top driver on the IndyCar circuit and the 2nd all time IndyCar champion.

This was certainly a day to remember for Dixon. It was also the World Première of a documentary highlighting what by any standards has been a spectacular career. “Born Racer” - the title says it all. When he was barely 13, the authorities in his native New Zealand decided to issue a special road license enabling the eager teenager to pilot a saloon car 2 years before the legal age. TV viewers watching the Pukehohe Park raceway were impressed and somewhat surprised to glimpse a cushion strapped to his back. All this so that young Scott could actually reach the pedals ! No wonder there were tears in his eyes. No wonder his countrymen would later name him New Zealand's Sportsman of the Year - not only once in 2008, but again in 2013.

Throughout his glittering championship career, Dixon has proven his courage and grit, rising through the ranks to become one of the top three IndyCar drivers of all time. He is second in the rankings of the most consecutive starts made since joining the series in Michigan in 2004. His astronomical rise has seen Dixon win the Series Championship in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2020, when he dominated the championship all season long – an extremely rare feat, last achieved by Sam Hornish in 2001. If there is one thing that no one could possibly deny, it is his staying power. Dixon has been with Chip Ganassi Racing since 2002. This is the kind of long-term commitment he will also relish as part of the RM family, which he joined in 2019.

The Mayor of Indianapolis is not alone in recognising Dixon’s achievements; Queen Elizabeth II also made him a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2019, bestowing him with a highly coveted distinction.