IndyCar Series: Peak Antifreeze Indy 300 presented by Mr. Clean

Topics:  Peak Antifreeze Indy 300 presented by Mr. Clean

Scott Dixon
Tony Kanaan
September 8, 2007

JOLIET, ILLINOIS

MODERATOR: Sam, we appreciate your time. Thank you.
We'll get started with second place in championship points, Scott Dixon; third place, Tony Kanaan. Scott, talk about your day out there and your sixth place start out there.
SCOTT DIXON: Day seemed pretty good. The car felt comfortable. Definitely in traffic, we've been pretty happy. Qualifying, all we wanted to do was start near the front. We were a little ways back, which we were a little shocked by, I think. But we're still -- I think the top six are so close. I think it's 14th of a mile an hour. So it's going to be a tough race tomorrow.
Unfortunately, we're on the wrong end of the 14. So we'll do our best to move up the front and see how it goes. But all in all I think we're pretty happy today.
MODERATOR: T.K., from your side, how was your run out there today?
TONY KANAAN: I think we have a pretty good car. We worked really on the race setup. Both sessions, we kind of split it between me and Dario, a little bit. Some of the stuff he was trying to find the speed. I was trying to find the grip for the race, and we came up with a pretty good combination.
So we feel confident for tomorrow. But like Scott says, we worked, worked, worked and when you looked at it, probably ate a little more than I did and that's why he's there.
So it's going to be a tough race, I think. The six of us, I think, we're going to be -- for you guys it's going to be fun. For us it's going to be breathtaking. But so far so good. I think it's going to be a long day.

Q. Tony, it seems that you and Dario are fairly close on a four-car team and it seems like you can help each other out more than maybe the other two drivers. Is it because they have a different driving style or is it all the same? Or do you think there's a little difference there?
TONY KANAAN: I wish we would have had that figured out. Because, of course, we do drive different. I think me and Dario, maybe what the advantage that we have, probably a little bit more experience; we can put up with things than the kids. They're still learning from it.
And I think it's part of the learning process. But it's been a little weird, because me and Dario, seems like we did not struggle in the mile and a half oval and I'm not saying they struggle but they've been slower than us.
And we try to help them out and figure out what's going on. But really I don't know. I don't know what to tell you. It's been a big difference, actually. And we addressed that -- trust me, we addressed that. Michael addressed that, too. So we're trying to fix that for next year.

Q. This 22-car field is the biggest field of the year other than Indy. There are some drivers that are much slower than you guys. Are you concerned that the slower cars, some of the people out there might be a problem tomorrow and could be a factor in the championship?
SCOTT DIXON: You know, I don't think there will be. Chicago, this circuit has a lot of grip. You have plenty of options, with at least three lanes quite solid and maybe a fourth if you're coming up on really slow cars.
I think the only way they would get in the way if it was two or three wide and you couldn't get by with anybody. I don't think that's going to happen. I think it will be pretty spread out between those guys at the back.
I hope it doesn't affect anything like that of the outcome. But, to be honest, I think it's not going to be a big problem.
TONY KANAAN: I agree with Scott. I think there could be a factor gap between the guys running together, but I don't think it will affect the championship result because of it.
So, in a way, I think I'm glad we proved that we're growing the series. More and more cars. People are coming in. So in a way it's good.
Although they still have to pick up the pace, because people who do one or two races a year, it's not fair to them. But I don't think it will play any effect on it.

Q. General question for all three. In particular Scott, because you went through this last year. Given the fact that Detroit and street event like that isn't inclined to have a lot of on track passing for the lead, but this track has traditionally had some exciting finishes. Is it good, do you all feel individually the championship comes down to this particular racetrack and this style of racetrack?
SCOTT DIXON: I think all three of us probably least like it. I think for the fans it's good. But I'd rather be somewhere else, to be honest.
TONY KANAAN: I agree with Scott.
SCOTT DIXON: I'd rather be on Watkins Glen.
Wonder why. I think our experience and what we've all done, I think we'd expect, we'd prefer to be on the road course. But as Scott said, for the fans, this is a great place for it to end. Again, for the fans watching the race it's phenomenal. This track puts on good shows. But it's not one of my personal favorites.
TONY KANAAN: I agree. I think whatever we want never happens anyway, because I think the three of us, we would have won the championship maybe two races ago. And this way I think it definitely makes the championship very exciting. Although it takes it out of our hands a little more because you can't make a huge difference in a track like this like we're comparing to a road or street course. But it is what it is. That's the championship.
That's the way they brought it out. If we have got here to fight for the championship, that means we didn't do a good job beating each other. So it's up to us to decide at the track that we have.
MODERATOR: Dario, if you could walk us through your day and your pole run out there, if you would.

Q. Scott, how reassuring is it to have Dan there next to you and how can you work that into your plan to try to win the championship?
SCOTT DIXON: I don't think it's going to come into it much. I think it's going to be a pretty shootout between all of us. All of us want to win. I think Dan, after the last few races that he's had, I think he definitely wants to get back on the map and I'm sure he's going to be super aggressive. So I'll be looking out for him.
Dario, you might want to, too. Some experience with that one. It's going to be -- it will be nice to have the same colors up there. But to be honest, I don't think it's going to be a big part of how it's going to play out.
MODERATOR: Anything else for Scott or T.K.? Thank you very much.