Scott Dixon once again showcased his mastery in strategy and fuel management, clinching victory in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race amidst the chaotic conditions of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. This race, held on the streets of Detroit, saw Dixon expertly navigating the challenges with his strategist Mike Hull to win in his No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Dixon, a six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, edged out Marcus Ericsson by .8567 seconds. Ericsson, driving the No. 28 Delaware Life Honda for Andretti Global, achieved his best result of the season, while Marcus Armstrong secured his first career podium finish, taking third place in the No. 11 Root Insurance Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
“The team called it perfectly,” Dixon said. “We were on the right strategy. We won, man. How cool is that? It’s just always the variables. Trying to stay out of trouble, trying to keep your car on track. We had rain. It was all over the shop out there. You had no idea how the transitions were going to fall or even the strategy. So stoked for everyone on the team. That was cool.”
This victory propelled Dixon to the top of the championship standings, giving him an 18-point lead over teammate Alex Palou. It was Dixon’s second win of the season, following his triumph at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in April. With this win, Dixon now has 58 career victories, moving closer to A.J. Foyt’s record of 67 career wins.
“For sure; I think it always is,” Dixon remarked when asked about his pursuit of Foyt’s record of seven series championships. “Until you’re out of it, you’re going to keep chasing it. It’s a team effort.”
Kyle Kirkwood achieved a season-best fourth place in the No. 28 AutoNation Honda for Andretti Global, while Alexander Rossi continued his strong performance, finishing fifth in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Rossi, the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner, has finished in the top eight in his last three starts.
“It’s been a really hard weekend, so there’s a lot of relief from that one because it’s been really hard so far. The team did an amazing job with the strategy. We made some strong changes overnight and were able to weather everything. I think we had good pace as well as good strategy. I’m just thankful for being able to bounce back and everyone sticking with it this weekend,” said Rossi.
Dixon and Hull executed their strategy flawlessly, making their final pit stop under caution at the end of Lap 56 and banking on enough yellow flags to conserve fuel until the finish at Lap 100. Their gamble paid off, as two more caution periods allowed Dixon to save enough Shell 100% Renewable Race Fuel to maintain his lead and fend off Ericsson’s challenge.
In his illustrious career, Dixon has often turned improbable fuel-saving strategies into victories, as seen in his wins at Long Beach in April and at World Wide Technology Raceway last August. Today’s race in Detroit was no different, with Dixon skillfully managing fuel and strategy to secure the win.
The final 13 laps of the race on Detroit’s nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street circuit were particularly intense. Ericsson, lapping nearly a second faster per circuit than Dixon, moved past Kirkwood for third place and then set his sights on Armstrong. Despite Dixon facing turbulence and a slower pace from Colton Herta’s No. 26 Gainbridge Honda, he managed to maintain his lead.
Ericsson, who had rebounded from being eliminated on Lap 1 of the Indianapolis 500, pushed hard in the final lap, cutting Dixon’s lead significantly. However, it wasn’t enough to catch “The Iceman.”
“After the Month of May we had, it was really, really tough mentally,” Ericsson said. “I’m new in this team. I want to show myself as a top driver, as they hired me as. It was really important. We had so much pace. One more lap, and we might have been able to get that win. But great day.”
The chaotic race featured eight caution periods and 47 caution laps in the first 73 laps, with strategists constantly adjusting their plans. Rapid changes in tire strategy and a brief rain shower added to the unpredictability, but Dixon, Ericsson, and Kirkwood managed to navigate these challenges effectively.
Dixon took the lead for the final time on Lap 66 when Palou made his last pit stop. Palou, who had a streak of 23 consecutive top-eight finishes, ended up 16th, breaking his impressive run.
Detroit was the first time Arrow McLaren Chevrolet driver Théo Pourchaire finished in the top ten, however, it was a case of what might have been…
“Today was the first top-10 finish in my NTT INDYCAR SERIES career. It’s not a bad result, but I am frustrated because I think I could have competed for a win or a podium. I was right there on pace, or even quicker, than the No. 9 through the first part of the race. Then, we were not lucky with the strategy and I made a mistake on a restart. I am sure that we will bounce back in Road America. The first podium and the first win is close to me and the No. 6 onsemi Arrow McLaren Chevrolet crew. We will do an even better job next week,” said Pourchaire.
During lap 15, Santino Ferrucci clipped Helio Castroneves after hitting a bump on the track, causing Castroneves to spin out. The incident worsened when rookie Kyffin Simpson, with nowhere to go, collided with Castroneves. Ferrucci was handed a stop-and-go penalty for avoidable contact but managed to stay out of trouble for the remainder of the race, steering clear of another close call during the middle stages.
“First off, I really want to apologize to Helio (Castroneves),” said Ferrucci after climbing from the Sexton Properties Chevrolet. “That’s one of my closest friends in racing and we blatantly got into the back of him and ruined his day and for all of those guys, so I’m sorry for that. For us, hell of a rebound getting wrecked at the start, to a stop and go penalty, back to last twice, the rain. I mean, helluva strategy on the stand from the boys to put us back into ninth. I’m just really proud of this Sexton Properties Chevrolet team. It was a solid race day considering all of the emotions of this weekend, and can’t wait to get on to Road America.”
The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES event is the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, scheduled for Sunday, June 9. Live coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
