IndyCar: How Scott Dixon can clinch his 6th championship

Scott Dixon has led the point standings since the season opener. Here is how he can clinch the 2020 IndyCar championship.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon has led the IndyCar championship standings since dominating the season opener at Texas Motor Speedway back in early June.

But for the 15th consecutive year, the championship battle is set to come down to the season finale, despite the fact that this year’s season finale is not a double points-paying race and the fact Dixon had opened up a 117-point lead over second place at one point.

The only driver within striking distance of the five-time champion for the 2020 championship is Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, who trails him in the standings by 32 points (502 to 470).

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Even if Newgarden outscores Dixon by 32 points in the season finale on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida this Sunday, October 25, Dixon will win the title since he has locked up the tiebreaker.

Dixon has won four of the season’s first 13 races while Newgarden has won three. But even if Newgarden wins the season finale, Dixon will own the tiebreaker due to having more second place finishes (two to one).

Because of the four possible bonus points, the maximum point total for each driver in this race is 54, with 50 points awarded to the winner, one point awarded to the polesitter, one point awarded to every driver who leads at least one lap and two points awarded to the driver who leads the most laps.

With 24 cars in the field, the minimum point total for each driver in this race is six, meaning that a maximum of 48 points can be made up by any given competitor on any other competitor.

So how can Dixon clinch the title?

If Newgarden scores maximum points (54), he will finish the season with 524 points. This means that any scenario in which Dixon scores 22 points (most simply done with a ninth place finish) will secure him his sixth championship.

Here is a list of all of the point totals which Newgarden can score and what Dixon needs to do to win the championship in each scenario.

NOTE: Newgarden can’t score exactly 50 points because race winners are guaranteed at least one lap led.

54 points
- Newgarden: Win + four bonus points
- Dixon: needs 22 points (ninth place finish OR as low as 12th with four bonus points)
53 points
- Newgarden: Win + three bonus points
- Dixon: needs 21 points (10th place finish + one bonus point OR as low as 11th with two bonus points, 12th with three bonus points or 13th with four bonus points)
52 points
- Newgarden: Win + two bonus points
- Dixon: needs 20 points (10th place finish OR as low as 11th with one point point, 12th with two bonus points, 13th with three bonus points or 14th with four bonus points)
51 points
- Newgarden: Win + one bonus point
- Dixon: needs 19 points (11th place finish OR as low as 12th with one bonus point, 13th with two bonus points, 14th with three bonus points or 15th with four bonus points)
44 points
- Newgarden: Second place finish + four bonus points
- Dixon: needs 12 points (18th place finish OR as low as 19th with one bonus point, 20th with two bonus points, 21st with three bonus points or 22nd with four bonus points)
43 points
- Newgarden: Second place finish + three bonus points
- Dixon: needs 11 points (19th place finish OR as low as 20th with one bonus point, 21st with two bonus points, 22nd with three bonus points or 23rd with four bonus points)
42 points
- Newgarden: Second place finish + two bonus points
- Dixon: needs 10 points (20th place finish OR as low as 21st with one bonus point, 22nd with two bonus points, 23rd with three bonus points or 24th with four bonus points)
41 points
- Newgarden: Second place finish + one bonus point
- Dixon: needs nine points (21st place finish OR as low as 22nd with one bonus point, 23rd with two bonus points or 24th with three bonus points)
40 points
- Newgarden: Second place finish
- Dixon: needs eight points (22nd place finish OR as low as 23rd with one bonus point or 24th with two bonus points)
39 points
- Newgarden: Third place finish + four bonus points
- Dixon: needs seven points (23rd place finish OR as low as 24th with one bonus point)
38 points (or less)
- Newgarden: Third place finish + three bonus points
- Dixon: simply needs to start the race (would score six points with last place finish)

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Tune in to NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, October 25 for the live broadcast of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg from the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida to see who will be crowned 2020 IndyCar champion.