Motorsport: Scott Dixon moves to top of IndyCar championship standings with win in Detroit, Kiwi Marcus Armstrong takes maiden podium

Scott Dixon celebrates winning the IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix. Photo / AP

Scott Dixon has moved to the top of the IndyCar championship standings, courtesy of taking the chequered flag at the Detroit Grand Prix on Monday (NZ time).

After starting fifth on the grid, 43-year-old Dixon drove home for his 58th career victory, and became the first driver of the 2024 season to take the chequered flag for a second time.

As has become his trademark, Dixon’s victory was built on the back of a masterful display of race management, saving both his fuel and tyres to reduce the number of pitstops needed, and holding on on the narrow streets of Detroit, where opportunities to pass were minimal.

“The team called it perfectly, we were on the right strategy,” said Dixon post-race. “Huge congrats to everyone.

“I’m so stoked for everyone on the team. It’s a team effort, no one single person does it by themselves.”

The victory takes Dixon to within nine of the all-time leader, American legend AJ Foyt, who took 67 chequered flags in his IndyCar careers. Dixon now tops the championship standings with 216 points, 18 clear of teammate Alex Palou in second.

Only Foyt has won more championships than Dixon, with his seven crowns one clear of the Kiwi’s six.

What’s more, no driver has ever won in Detroit more than Dixon, with Monday’s victory being his fourth, and comes a week after he surprised to take third place at the Indianapolis 500.

Meanwhile, Dixon’s Chip Ganassi teammate and compatriot Marcus Armstrong also enjoyed a day to remember, crossing the line in third for his maiden IndyCar podium, in his first full season racing in America after switching from Formula Two last year.

Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson of Andretti Global bisected the two Kiwis to finish second, after a late charge to deny Armstrong the second step on the podium, before running out of time to try to catch Dixon.

There was no such luck for fellow Kiwi Scott McLaughlin, who after qualifying in fourth place saw his race ended prematurely. McLaughlin sits eighth in the championship standings, 75 points behind Dixon.

The IndyCar championship next Monday (NZ time), for a third race in as many weeks at Road America, Wisconsin.

Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.