Scott Dixon's IndyCar team in disarray with finale in sight
Scott Dixon's Chip Ganassi Indycar team appears to be in disarray heading into this weekend's penultimate round of the championship at Watkins Glen in New York.
While Dixon lies in second place - 31 points behind championship leader Josef Newgarden - the rest of his Ganassi teammates are struggling results-wise and change is in the air.
Tony Kanaan is off-contract at the season's end and has suffered a disappointing year where he hasn't been competitive on a regular basis.
He made an error in the warm-up to the start of last weekend's race at Gateway Motorsport Park and caused the race to start under yellow. While his team fixed the damage he started the race six laps down and the team opted to bring him in and park his car.
A frustrated Kanaan simply told reporters to, "Go ask Chip," about why he retired. Ganassi refused to comment.
The Brazilian has made it clear that he is a free agent and won't return to the team next season.
Max Chilton was another driver to get offside with his team in St Louis. The former Formula 1 driver found himself well out of contention in the race and was called to the pits 129 laps into the 200-lap race because of a wastegate issue.
"(Whoever gave me) this instruction is brain dead," Chilton said over the team radio. "It's the first time I've had a decent car in a while. Why can't we learn, or are we a quitting team?
"Good riddance. Can't wait for next year."
The team's fourth driver Charlie Kimball is also off-contract and will lose his sponsor at the end of the season.
It all means the future Ganassi Racing is up in the air. There is clearly going to be a change in drivers but the team could shrink in size, which would only hurt Dixon's chances of success.
That is why a fifth Indycar title for the New Zealander will be a huge boost for the team.
He will have his work cut-out for him but has plenty of success at both Watkins Glen and Sonoma - where the season finale double-points race will take place in a fortnight.
- Dale Budge, NZ Herald
