Thrifty Dixon steals Long Beach win with bold fuel gamble

©IndyCar

IndyCar veteran Scott Dixon proved once again that no driver in the series is more renowned for fuel efficiency than the Chip Ganassi Racing charger.

In a display of calculated risk and patience, Dixon pulled off a dramatic fuel strategy to snatch his first win of the 2024 season in Sunday’s Long Beach Grand Prix and his 57th career win in IndyCar.

In the final third of the 85-lap event, the Kiwi stretched a single tank of fuel for a staggering 34 laps!

The audacious gamble allowed Dixon to hold off a fast-charging Colton Herta, who opted for a more traditional, pit-stop heavy strategy, while his CGR teammate Alex Palou was third.

Dixon’s margin of victory? A razor-thin .9798 seconds!

“That was tough; that was really tough,” commented the 43-year-old.

“Honestly, I didn’t think we were going to make it, and they kept giving me a (fuel) number, and it just wasn’t getting ... I was close but not enough. Luckily, we were on the safe side there.”

Championship leader Josef Newgarden looked poised to challenge Dixon for the win, but a late-race incident with Herta pushed him back to a disappointing fourth-place finish.

©IndyCar

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.