Wilson tips Dixon to wrap up title
Detroit race winner Justin Wilson believes Scott Dixon is the strong favourite to wrap up the IRL IndyCar Series title in tomorrow's championship finale at Chicagoland
Wilson thinks Dixon's 30 point lead over rival Helio Castroneves is comfortable enough that the Ganassi driver will simply need a conservative finish to claim his second title.
"With a 30 point lead, 50 points for a win, and 10 points for starting, your money has to be on Scott," said Wilson in an interview with the Autosport Podcast. "He just has to finish and I think he's got it wrapped up."
Although Wilson reckons Dixon only needs to think about scoring points, he suspects that the Kiwi's Ganassi car will prove to be the class of the field anyway. Ganassi have won four of the five 1.5-mile oval races held so far this season, with Dixon taking three of those victories.
"Ganassi have been so quick on this type of track," said Wilson. "They've put a lot of time and money into the one and a half mile ovals, so right now I'd say Scott (will win the title)."
The title showdown would be closer had Castroneves not been ordered to relinquish the lead to Wilson in Detroit as a punishment for blocking. Without that penalty, the Brazilian would only be 20 points behind Dixon going into Chicagoland.
Wilson believes the officials made the correct decision in Detroit, but said he didn't blame Castroneves for pushing as hard as possible to retain his lead, and admitted that he probably would have done the same had he been fighting for the title.
"I think it's a case of people trying to much as much as they can on every angle - whether it's the officials or what you can get away with in the car," said Wilson.
"Helio is a great driver. When it comes down to fighting for the championship, like he's doing, I'd like to think I would have done the same thing, because there's a chance that they wouldn't call it, and that's the risk you take.
"If they don't call it, you've got an extra ten points and you're that much closer to claiming the championship. I wouldn't say he's got a (bad) reputation, I think he's doing what you have to do to try and win."
For the full interview with Justin Wilson, listen to the Autosport Podcast.
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