LEXINGTON, Ohio – Five of Scott Dixon’s 37 Indy car career victories have come at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and a sixth would surely be timely in his pursuit of a fourth Verizon IndyCar Series title.
Track president Craig Rust jokes that one of the 13 turns on the 2.258-mile road course might eventually be dedicated to the “Master of Mid-Ohio.” Since Indy car racing returned to the track in 2007, Dixon has seven podium finishes and 201 laps led.
The Target Chip Ganassi Racing veteran is third in the standings with three races left. Last August, Dixon charged from the rear of the field to win.
“A lot of credit goes to the team," he said, "and it's a track that is good for me. It's a long list that makes me do well at this track. It’s an aggressive place.”
A Chip Ganassi Racing Teams entry has won at Mid-Ohio in six of the past seven years.
With five laps led, Dixon will overtake former teammate Dario Franchitti for seventh on the all-time list with 4,580. Helio Castroneves is the active leader with 5,422 laps led; Mario Andretti is the career leader with 7,595.
Manufacturer points update
INDYCAR announced the following manufacturer championship points update following the Iowa Corn 300, which was held July 18 at Iowa Speedway:
Honda received a deduction of 100 manufacturer points for engines that did not attain their life cycle minimum. According to Rule 10.6.4.3 of the Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook, 20 manufacturer points are deducted for an engine that fails to reach its 2,500-mile life cycle. The Honda engines on the No. 5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Nos. 26 and 28 Andretti Autosport and No. 98 BHA with Curb-Agajanian entries did not reach their life cycle minimum before being changed out after the Iowa Corn 300 race weekend.
Following the adjustment, Chevrolet has totaled 1,279 manufacturer points for the season and Honda has 911.
Other stats and such
Marco Andretti will seek to make his 165th consecutive start, which would break a tie with Emerson Fittipaldi for seventh all time. Tony Kanaan is the active and all-time leader with 246 consecutive starts.
Andretti, the only driver to complete every lap this season, has been running at the finish in the past 16 races.
Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay’s next start will be the 183rd of his career, which will tie Dick Simon for 24th on the all-time list.
The next victory for Chip Ganassi Racing Teams will be its 100th in Indy car competition.
CFH Racing’s Josef Newgarden, a two-time race winner this season, is the lap leader at 296 in four races. Twenty-nine drivers have led a lap.
Team Penske’s four drivers have combined for nine earned pole starts, topped by Will Power with five. It has three victories.
Of note
Verizon IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe, who was injured in a practice crash May 18 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, underwent a second -- and final -- surgery July 30. "Can't wait to be strapping back in," he said.