NASCAR: 3 drivers who could be next for Trackhouse’s PROJECT91

Trackhouse PROJECT91 possibilities: No. 3 – Scott Dixon

Yes, it’s a trio of drivers from the Australia-New Zealand neck of the woods. But Scott Dixon is in his own category of driver.

He sits in second place on IndyCar’s all-time wins list with 53 victories and counting, and he has also scored the second most championships in America’s premier open-wheel series with six. He is behind only A.J. Foyt in both categories.

Dixon has also won the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Rolex 24 at Daytona four times, and he even stood on the podium back in the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Much like Scott McLaughlin and Daniel Ricciardo, the IndyCar legend has performed well in everything he’s driven, but he has yet to race in NASCAR. That hasn’t been from a lack of effort.

Back in 2011, he and then-Chip Ganassi Racing NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray swapped rides. McMurray drove the No. 9 Honda at the 17-turn, 2.38-mile (3.83-kilometer) Barber Motorsports Park road course after the IndyCar test, before Dixon took the No. 1 Chevrolet around the four-turn, 2.66-mile (4.281-kilometer) high-banked Talladega Superspeedway oval.

Unfortunately for the six-time IndyCar champion, driving a restrictor plate Cup car around the massive Talladega track by himself was a few notches short of a thrill, given the low difficulty level.

"“Going out on the track and running at speed wasn’t the most difficult part, because that’s not the style of racing that they do at Talladega. It’s all about the drafting and the pushing. I’d love to have had a go out there with some other people.”"

In the 12 years since his test, Dixon has not climbed back into a Cup car. With his time and attention focused on his IndyCar career during that stretch, competing in a NASCAR race was never a major priority.

In 2021, however, the Kiwi admitted that he is still willing to give it a shot, if given the chance.

"“I would still love to try it, NASCAR. I’ve tried a few times with Chip (Ganassi) and kind of booked it, and then he said I would have to pay for it if I crashed it. That’s kind of where it (was) left.”"

No time is better for the open-wheel legend to race in NASCAR than right now. Chip Ganassi Racing may not be in the sport any longer, but the team that purchased all of their assets after the 2021 season happens to be Trackhouse Racing Team.

With many employees and team members having been retained by Justin Marks from Ganassi’s NASCAR operation, the connection is alive and well.

With Dixon’s immense success, particularly in the United States, throughout his 20+ year career, he is household name and a talent who would make any NASCAR or IndyCar fan’s eyes glow if he were to hit the track for some Cup Series competition with PROJECT91.