Scott Dixon and Leilani Munter teleconference: 2003 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon and Leilani Munter, the Indy Pro Series’ newest driver, were the guests on yesterday’s Indy Racing League teleconference.
Dixon, who has won the last three IndyCar Series events, talked about the points race with Andretti Green Racing’s Dario Franchitti, who has seen his lead over Dixon cut from 65 to 24 points during Dixon’s win streak and maintaining his momentum.
Q. Is there a different mindset when you're leader in the points as compared to the chaser in the points?
SCOTT DIXON: “For us, we know what we've got to do. We've basically got to go as fast as we can, apply as much pressure as possible and try and win every race, and that's what we've been doing for the last few races of the season. I think we've had the ball roll our way a few instances, especially when the AGR guys kind of took care of themselves and enabled us to sort of bump up and save fuel and stuff like that.
I'm sure that Dario (Franchitti) now is kind of looking over his shoulder. We've definitely taken a big step on his points. And it's gotta be sort of getting to them a little bit. But that's what we can hope. Everybody's been in the situation before. Kind of similar between AGR and Ganassi and the '99 (CART) season when (Juan Pablo) Montoya came out with the win. So hopefully it rolls out that way for us.”
Q. You have great momentum going. Is there any secret to carry momentum race to race?
SCOTT DIXON: “No, I think the biggest thing that's happened, that's helped is winning races. It definitely helps from everybody on the team from the spotters to the mechanics to everybody just gets on a lot better. I think decisions are made a little easier. People just like hanging out with each other.
When you're on a bad run, people get sick of each other and don't get on as much. And I think going into Watkins Glen, we knew we'd be successful there for the past two years. And that was a big confidence boost. And then coming away with another victory that just carried with Nashville, we had a victory the year before, so it just kind of snowballed. Hopefully we can keep it going. I know I haven't had a huge run at Michigan before, but definitely would like to change that record.”
Munter, who will make her Indy Pro Series debut at Kentucky Speedway on Aug. 11, talked about the difference between the Indy Pro Series car and the stock cars she has previously raced.
Q. You touched on it briefly there, but maybe give us a little bit more of your initial impressions of the Indy Pro Series car from the test there at Kentucky.
LEILANI MUNTER: “Definitely is very different from a stock car. Our stock cars are so heavy. The different divisions that I ran in, all of them were over 3,000 pound cars. So that's one big difference.
Two, the downforce is obviously so much more, the Indy Pro cars. You're so much more lighter. You're really close to the ground. So it really felt different. I didn't know what to expect when I went out there. But it didn't take me long to get up to speed to where I was out around the track and felt comfortable.
I definitely feel like they feel a little bit more stable than the stock cars. Like when you go into a corner at Daytona in an ARCA car and you hit the bumps that are in the corners there, the car kind of moves around on you. It almost feels like you're floating on top of the track. And in the Indy Pro car I really felt like I was glued to the ground, and I'm sure it was my first test so we had quite a bit of downforce in the car.”
For a complete transcript of today’s call, visit indycar.com/media. Contact IRL Media Relations for log-in information.
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The next IndyCar Series event is the Firestone Indy 400 at Noon on Aug. 5 at Michigan International Speedway. The race will be televised live by ESPN2 and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network. The next Indy Pro Series event is the Kentucky 100 on Aug.11 at Kentucky Speedway. The race will be broadcast at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 16.
