IndyCar News: Dixon Sets the Pace at Indy 500 Practice with 227.206mph Lap
In the latest IndyCar 2023 news, Scott Dixon, the six-time IndyCar Series champion and 2008 Indy 500 winner, showcased his impressive skills at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, clocking a flying lap of 227.206mph during the practice session.
Dixon, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, expressed his satisfaction with the car’s performance, stating, “> Yeah, I think we rolled off pretty good. We tried to go through some sequences and changes. Some are a little bit okay, some not so much. I think the track conditions changed quite a bit from the start to the finish as well. It was good. Car seems pretty fast, pulls up well, pretty consistent.”
When asked about his strategy for the upcoming Indy 500, Dixon emphasized the importance of staying focused and adapting to the circumstances. “> I think you have to just take the moment as it is. You don’t wanna rush in too much. You know, obviously we got some positions to make up. How long and what the weather does is out of our control, man. So, we can’t do too much about that. Hopefully, move up as quick as possible. I’d like to pass 20 on the first lap, but that’s probably not going to happen.”
Four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, driving for Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) Honda, secured the second spot, just 0.0466s (226.939mph) behind Dixon. Pato O’Ward, representing Arrow McLaren, was the quickest among the Chevrolet-powered entries, sitting 0.0943s off the pace-setting mark.
The top 10 IndyCar standings were rounded out by:
- Colton Herta (Andretti Global)
- Tom Blomqvist (MSR)
- Marcus Ericsson (Andretti Global)
- Agustin Canapino (Juncos Hollinger Racing)
- Felix Rosenqvist (MSR)
- Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing)
- Ryan Hunter-Reay
Notably, Graham Rahal completed the most laps (106) in the session, with a best of 224.353mph that slotted him 17th overall. A dramatic moment occurred when Takuma Sato locked up his brakes, creating a brief smokeshow, but managed to slow down enough to avoid a penalty.
The only caution of the session came out with 16 minutes remaining after Kyle Larson’s No. 17 Arrow McLaren-Hendrick Chevrolet ran out of fuel on the backstretch, requiring a tow-in back to the pits for service.
Stay tuned for more IndyCar news, IndyCar schedule updates, and IndyCar standings as the season unfolds.
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