Early arrival for Scott Dixon's baby

Scott Dixon and wife Emma are the proud parents of Poppy Davies Dixon. Photo / Dean Purcell

Scott Dixon has a little girl racer in his life - although she did make a slightly premature start.

New Zealand's Indy Car champion and wife Emma are the proud, first-time parents of Poppy Davies Dixon, born in Indianapolis this week at a healthy 6lb 8oz (2.95kg).

"All are doing fine," Scott Dixon later reported.

His father Ron told the Herald on Sunday yesterday: "I held her and saw her yesterday and she is absolutely beautiful. I think she looks like Scott.

"I'm not one to say how babies look but everyone says she looks more like Scott than Emma but she's a cute little thing.

"She's three to four weeks early - we weren't expecting it."

Poppy was born a couple of hours after Scott Dixon arrived home after his third-place finish in last weekend's Indy Car race at New York's Watkins Glen raceway.

The couple had no idea of the sex of the baby until she was born. Ron Dixon laughed at the suggestion his new granddaughter might be another Danica Patrick - the glamorous Indy Car driver - in the making. "It would be good for the family, wouldn't it!"

Scott appears to be tackling fatherhood with the same attitude he takes to the starting line.

"You'd think he's been looking after a baby all his life," says his father. "He's loving it, enjoying it. You can't get rid of the smile off his face, trust me."

The Dixons are in Toronto, where Scott races tomorrow (NZT).

He is leading the Indy Car championship by 19 points, midway through the season.