Scott Dixon recently met with young Indy NXT driver Liam Sceats to discuss various topics, including the similarities in their career trajectories. The six-time IndyCar champion offered valuable advice to his fellow Kiwi.
Dixon and the young Sceat crossed paths after the Indy NXT qualifying session at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, where the HMD Motorsports driver had qualified an impressive fifth place ahead of the main race. The 20-year-old revealed that he was hoping to raise the support needed for him to continue racing in the Indy feeder series.
Having won the Indy Lights title in 2000, Dixon shared his insights with Sceats, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong performances throughout his career to progress in IndyCar.
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In a video shared by motorsport journalist Marshall Pruett, the Chip Ganassi driver expressed his admiration for Sceats and other young New Zealand drivers making their mark in Indy NXT.
“It’s been fun to watch Liam through Junior categories and the rest,” Scott Dixon said.
Dixon, speaking about Sceats and his career trajectory, emphasized the need for the 20-year-old to secure sponsors that would help him continue racing in IndyCar.
“...Liam requires all the help he can get. You know, I think, obviously, for me, it was people like Peter Johnson, Kenny Smith—who was chatting with me the other night - you know, Tony Quinn has been a big help. You know, the Gilltraps," he added.
"You know, I think we need that. Without that—for me, without the investors I had—I would have never been able to get to where I am today. We worked it out, and it is a proven thing that can work,” Dixon continued.
The IndyCar veteran concluded by expressing his excitement about having Sceats join the American open-wheel racing series, saying:
“Obviously, the next generations as well—so proud of having Kiwis over here. It was pretty dry for a while, so it’s good to see some up-and-comers at the forefront. We’ve got to keep him going for the season.”
Sceats’ debut in Indy NXT did not pan out as he would have hoped. Despite qualifying fifth for the Florida race, he had to settle for 18th place on race day following a torrid St. Petersburg Grand Prix. The HMD Motorsports driver will aim to redeem himself in the season's second race at the Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.
Scott Dixon expresses discontent with second-place finish
Scott Dixon has voiced his frustration following his second-place finish at the season-opening St. Petersburg Grand Prix. While many would consider the result a strong start, the New Zealand driver endured one of the most grueling races of his career - completing the entire race without a radio communication system.
The Chip Ganassi driver was forced to manage his race strategy, making critical decisions on when to pit based solely on his fuel gauge. This approach ultimately proved costly, as his final pit stop saw him rejoin the race behind five cars. With overtaking proving difficult, Scott Dixon could only recover to second place at the Florida event.
Speaking to the media about the difficulties he faced, Scott Dixon acknowledged his frustration, particularly because he felt he had a strong race in hand.
“Ah, yeah. I am pretty pissed off, man. I think we had a good race. We had a good race going and, you know, we didn't get it done so it doesn't feel good, that's for sure," he was quoted as saying by Motorsport Week.
Detailing his strategy, the six-time IndyCar champion explained how he had to rely on instinct and experience without radio guidance:
"You have a fuel light so you can run — you know when the car is going to run out. I didn’t know if they could hear me, so I was just telling them I’m just going to run to the light and see what happens. Ultimately I think for me, it was just one lap too long,” he concluded.
