Scott Dixon continued his hallmark consistency in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES by securing third place in the 2025 championship standings.
Driving the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in 2025, the six-time series champion added yet another impressive chapter to his legendary career.
Dixon captured victory at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by the All-New 2026 Passport on July 6, extending his record streak to 21 consecutive seasons with at least one victory. Next best is Will Power, who had 16 straight seasons with a win between 2007-2022, followed by 11 years in a row from Bobby Unser (1966-76).
Dixon has won at least one race in 23 of his 25 seasons.
Dixon this season also passed Mario Andretti (407 starts) for the most career starts in INDYCAR history, doing so in the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. He reached start No. 419 at Nashville Superspeedway, the season finale.
But despite what looks like another strong season on paper, being tied with Christian Lundgaard and Power for third-most top-five finishes this season (six), having the second-most top-10 finishes (12) and securing his 19th top-four points finish in the last 23 seasons, Dixon offered a more measured assessment.
“I think for where we are in the championship, mind-boggling,” Dixon said. “But I think it also shows just, you know, a lot of people have had pretty horrible years, with the exception of Alex (Palou). So, it’s been an interesting year, and I’m looking forward to moving on to next year.”
Dixon (photo, above) has enjoyed the best vantage point to witness Palou’s dominance. Since joining Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021, Palou has claimed four of the last five championships, including three straight. Dixon last won the title in 2020 and has only finished ahead of Palou once – in 2022 — when he placed third and Palou was fifth.
This season, Palou collected eight wins, including a victory in the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, and clinched the title with two races remaining. His dominance cast a long shadow over the rest of the field and emphasized how uneven many of the typical competitors for the championship performed.
Josef Newgarden, who had earned multiple victories in each of his first eight seasons with Team Penske, only won the season finale at Nashville Superspeedway and ended the year 12th in the standings. Will Power was Penske’s highest finisher in ninth, while Scott McLaughlin went winless and finished 12th in points. Colton Herta, the 2024 championship runner-up, also failed to reach victory lane.
“I just feel like the usual suspects or people that have been fighting for a championship really didn’t have it this year,” Dixon said.
Still, Dixon remains optimistic. He and his Chip Ganassi Racing team plan to make targeted improvements during the offseason as he chases a record-tying seventh championship, which would place him alongside A.J. Foyt.
“We’ll do our deep dives this offseason,” Dixon said. “There are a couple key things we can change that would definitely make life easier. We’ve had speed; we just didn’t always have it when we needed it.”
Dixon knows what it takes to execute on race weekends. He holds a series-record 145 podiums. His 53 career second-place finishes are just three shy of Andretti’s record, and his legacy remains very much active.
Dixon, 45, isn’t eyeing the exit just yet and expects to add to those exemplary accomplishments in the years to come.
“If it doesn’t feel natural anymore, that’s when you know,” he said. “But I still feel like I’ve got a couple good years in me. The fire’s still there.”