Dixon aims for second Indy win while rueing so many close calls

INDIANAPOLIS 500

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Katherine Legge prepares to race during practice for the Indianapolis 500 on Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. DARRON CUMMINGS — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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By Dave Skretta

The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS>> Scott Dixon started on the pole for the Indianapolis 500 a year ago, quickly went to the front and led 95 laps, and there was every reason to believe he would finally kiss the bricks for the second time after 14 years of trying.

Then one of the greatest drivers of his generation was caught speeding on pit road — by 1 mph. The penalty shuffled Dixon to the back of the field, and he only managed to climb back to 21st, well behind teammate and race winner Marcus Ericsson.

Yet it wasn’t that rare mistake that Dixon dwells on the most these days.

“I think it’s always the ones that finish under caution. There’s been three or four of those,” said Dixon, who qualified sixth for Sunday’s 107th running of the Indy 500, and who was a popular voice at Thursday’s annual media day. “You just can’t be in the fight. Those are the tough ones.”

Dixon, who has led an Indy 500-record 665 career laps, trailed only Dario Franchitti in 2007, when a crash between Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti brought out yellow. More rain began to fall and the race ended that way on Lap 166 of 200.

Five years later, the race ended under caution when Franchitto and Takuma Sato crashed on the last lap with Dixon in second.

And three years ago, Dixon led a race-high 111 laps before a crash by Spencer Pigot with five to go brought out caution. That was how the race ended, with Sato the only one ahead of the six-time IndyCar Series champion.

Wilson has surgery to repair fracture in back >> IndyCar driver Stefan Wilson had surgery to repair a fractured vertebrae that he sustained in practice for the Indianapolis 500, and car owner Don Cusick said Thursday that he was “in great spirits and feeling better.”

Wilson was about halfway through a two-hour practice Monday when he was hit from behind by Katherine Legge as they went through Turns 1 and 2. Legge’s car hit the wall with the rear, but Wilson was turned nearly head-on when he made contact.

SPECIAL SESSION>> Legge and Graham Rahal were given a special 15-minute session Thursday to shake down their cars after Monday’s crash. Rahal replaced Wilson in his ride.

Rahal is moving from a Honda car, which he failed to qualify for his Rahal Letterman Lanigan team, to a Chevrolet-powered car with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. That meant practicing pit stops with a new crew and dealing with some other details.

Legge experienced a “crunching” sound that Honda engineers were trying to diagnose before Friday’s final practice.