The gold rush continues at the Commonwealth Games, All Blacks defeated and Ian Foster's job hands in the balance and a New Zealand one-two finish at the latest Indycar race in Nashville - Cheree Kinnear gives the highs and lows of the weekend's sport all in 90 seconds. Video / Photosport / Sky Sport
Scott McLaughlin says battling with Scott Dixon until the chequered flag was one of the best moments of his racing career.
The Team Penske driver completed a Kiwi 1-2 at a manic IndyCar Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, with his idol Scott Dixon hanging on at thefinish line to win by 0.1067 seconds, the fourth-closest margin of victory in IndyCar history on a road or street course.
After the race, McLaughlin was full of praise for his compatriot Dixon despite narrowly missing out on victory, adding that the six-time IndyCar champ doesn't get the respect he deserves in New Zealand.
"It was just such an awesome battle," McLaughlin said of his duel with Dixon.
"Getting lucky on strategy – I've had that this year as well – that's what happens. You find yourself in the right spot at the right time, you take the track position. But we had to work for our track position and come back, and that's why I had a lot of fun. But to then go toe-to-toe with Scotty was awesome.
"Definitely that starstruck is gone. We're probably a bit more mates now, which is cool and to call your hero a mate is pretty cool. He's just a phenomenal guy. The greatest of all time in my opinion.
"I think he doesn't get enough respect in New Zealand for what he's achieved. I think he's a phenomenal race car driver and a phenomenal bloke. To go toe-to-toe with him is a very cool thing for me in my racing career. It's like a bucket list thing."
Scott Dixon (right) lifts the winners trophy as Scott McLaughlin wins second place. Photo / Getty
McLaughlin, who started in pole position, fell way back in a crash-fest of a race that required multiple restarts, while a costly pit stop dropped him down to 16th.
But he managed to make his way back up to a position to win and almost pipped Dixon at the line.
"We popped out 16th and I was just pissed off. I dropped the hammer and I felt like the seas parted on the restart. I passed all these cars and said 'gee we're on here'. I was quickly in eighth and then there was another restart, I passed two more, then another restart, I passed a couple more. I'm like 'crap, we could have a go here'. I passed [Christian] Lundgaard on the last one and I'm like 'come on Scotty let's go'.
"Even though it didn't work out in my favour, that was one of the most fun races in my career in one of the best race cars I've ever had. The car was so good. I had so much fun."
After finishing in second behind Dixon in Texas last year, McLaughlin was happy he finally got a chance for a "proper duel" in another Kiwi 1-2 finish.
"Texas last year I didn't really battle with him. I just wanted to bring it home second. Today I had a full go with him and it was awesome. It was probably one of the top three best things in my career to date, that race."
Dixon said he would've probably lost the race if McLaughlin had a couple more laps to work with.
"We were worried about him because I knew he'd take chances, he kind of has to with the standings at the moment," said Dixon of McLaughlin.
"He was super fast as well. He had fresh tyres too, so I was a bit of a sitting duck. I think if there was a lap or two more it would have been really tough to [stop].
"Congrats to him on a great weekend. Hopefully that was good for us for points."
Dixon's victory meant he passed Mario Andretti for second on IndyCar's all-time wins list, but more importantly, got him to second in the points standings as he chases a record-tying seventh series championship.
"He's a legend, the GOAT," said McLauglin.
Dixon trails Australian Will Power by six points with three races remaining.
2022 IndyCar standings
1. Will Power (Australia) - 450 2. Scott Dixon (NZ) - 444 3. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) - 438 4. Josef Newgarden (US) - 428 5. Alex Palou (Spain) - 417 6. Scott McLaughlin (NZ) - 392
