INDYCAR’s Scott Dixon wants back-to-back wins at Long Beach but without the drama

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Scott Dixon obviously wants back-to-back wins at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. 

He just doesn’t want to win it this year the same way he did in 2024.

Oh, there was something cool about the way the six-time series champion won a year ago, in what is arguably INDYCAR’s second-biggest event of the season. 

Fuel mileage wins aren’t always sexy, but Dixon’s incredible display had everyone wondering how in the world he got such great fuel mileage. 

It is almost comical to watch a replay of the race and hear the skepticism of him prevailing with the strategy. It was designed to have Dixon get to the end, with the assumption there would be some additional laps under caution. 

Those additional laps never came.

It was dramatic, and it also wasn’t the easiest thing for Dixon, as he had to push just enough to keep Colton Herta and Alex Palou behind him.

“I would rather not do it in such dramatic fashion,” Dixon said on Thursday prior to doing his walk around the 1.968-mile street circuit. “Last year was definitely pretty tough. The last 10 laps were probably the most intense finish to any race I’ve had.

“The [Indy] 500, when I won in ’08, obviously there was a bit of separation. But you’re just worried that something’s going to break or you’re going to have a caution. Whereas here, you had a pack of two or three that were trying to chase you down.”

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver says he has watched replays of the race but not with the commentary.

“I watch a lot of races, but I actually watch them with the sound turned off — just to kind of get the flow yourself, opposed to what’s going on,” Dixon said. “[I watch] a lot of on-boards, too. I think it’s quite fun to watch the on-board of your race, or even Alex [Palou], who was in a position chasing down for the podium finish as well.

“I’ve seen some of the highlight reels and the interesting parts of how they thought the race is going to pan out.”

There will be two big changes for Dixon and everyone else this year. One is the hybrid power unit, which wasn’t introduced until the middle of last season. There’s also a new Firestone alternate tire, and this new version wears more quickly than previous versions. Teams must use the alternate tires for two laps (including one under green).

“You’ve got maybe slightly less fuel mileage with the hybrid, depending on the conditions,” Dixon said. “Otherwise, I’d say that’s fairly similar. But I’d say that probably the biggest thing is tire degradation.”

Dixon, who also won at Long Beach in 2015, said winning for a third time at the 50th running of the event would be special.

“Long Beach is special in so many ways,” Dixon said. “You look at the history of the event, celebrating 50 years. It’s also the home race for Honda. … There’s a lot on the line.

“So, obviously, for me, trying to go back-to-back would be pretty special.”

To open the season, Dixon started sixth and finished second at St. Petersburg, where the lack of a working radio resulted in him pitting on the wrong lap as far as the best strategy. At Thermal, he started 11th and finished 10th.

He has also seen his teammate Palou win the first two events.

“I was going to say that [my season has been] pretty good, except for when you look at what Alex has actually done,” Dixon quipped. “Kudos to him and our team. They’ve done a tremendous job. 

“St. Pete, I think we’re definitely on to a win there and just having no communication was very tough to try and work out the pit strategy there at the end. Thermal was really my fault. It was a fast car and not making it through [to the top six in qualifying], which we should have easily, but the mishap that I had with the [No.] 5 car [of Pato O’Ward]. … Performance-wise and speed-wise, I think we’ve got great speed out of the car. 

“I’d like to think the third race should go pretty well.”

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.