For those who did not tune in to look at FOX Sports activities’ protection Saturday afternoon, then you definately missed cameras chopping to a casually-clad Scott Dixon, who’s hanging round Daytona Worldwide Speedway this weekend as buddy and visitor to Jimmie Johnson for the 67th working of the Daytona 500. And it seems his attendance is not only for having fun with essentially the most prestigious NASCAR occasion of the 12 months.
May Dixon, the 2008 Indy 500 winner and six-time IndyCar champion be the following open-wheel legend to strive his hand on the pinnacle of inventory automotive racing? The Kiwi did not rule it out on Saturday when FOX Sports activities spoke to him throughout the last apply session for this 12 months’s 500.
“Yeah, we had been simply speaking about that,” smiled Dixon, overtly teasing a potential 500 bid. “Making an attempt to work out how I can do my entry for subsequent 12 months.” He appeared to indicate that if the deal got here collectively, it might be with the workforce co-owned by buddy Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Sports activities, which is fielding three automobiles this weekend.
If Dixon had been to make a run on the Daytona 500, he would possible be eligible for the newly carried out Open Exemption Provisional, which ensures ‘world-class drivers’ a spot within the occasion ought to they fail to race their means in.
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jimmie Johnson, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Photograph by: Chris Jones
Dixon and Johnson had been as soon as Chip Ganassi Racing teammates throughout Johnson’s IndyCar stint. That is Dixon’s first go to to the Daytona 500 in a couple of decade, the place he plans to cheer his buddy on throughout his twenty second begin in The Nice American Race. Then it is off to Sebring subsequent week for pre-season IndyCar testing.
In the meantime, one other of Dixon’s fellow IndyCar counterparts, Helio Castroneves, is making his debut in NASCAR’s crown jewel occasion. It has been a tough week for Castroneves with restricted laps and a number of incidents throughout the Duel qualifiers and a chaotic ARCA race (the place he nonetheless completed fifth). He’ll begin forty first on Sunday in a rebuilt race automotive for Trackhouse Racing Workforce.
Solely two Indy 500 winners have additionally gained the Daytona 500 — Mario Andretti in 1967 and A.J. Foyt in 1972.
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Helio Castroneves
Scott Dixon
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