Daily Times

WASHINGTON: New Zealand’s Scott Dixon outraced countryman Scott McLaughlin to the checkered flag Sunday to win the Music City Grand Prix for his 53rd career IndyCar triumph. Dixon, who jumped into second place in the hunt for his seventh career season title, edged McLaughlin by a car length after 80 laps over a 2.1-mile, 11-turn temporary street course in Nashville, Tennessee.The 42-year-old Kiwi broke his tie for second on the all-time IndyCar win list with Mario Andretti and now trails only the record 67 career wins of A.J. Foyt.Dixon, who won his only other race this season last month in Toronto, started 14th and persevered despite damage from one of a host of crashes.Pole-sitter McLaughlin said he felt he could have taken racing idol Dixon had there been another lap.Spaniard Alex Palou was third followed by Americans Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta.Australian Will Power kept the season lead with 450 points after the 14th of 17 races, but Dixon jumped from fouth to second, only six adrift with Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson of Sweden only 12 back and American Josef Newgarden 22 off the pace in fourth.Dixon is one shy of matching Foyt’s record of seven IndyCar season titles, having taken points crowns in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2020.IndyCar’s next green flag flies on August 20 on an oval course in suburban St. Louis.