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Scott Dixon - Source: ONE Sport -
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Well what does a Television Motorsport Producer do when he has a few days annual leave on his hands? Head for the races of course!
Over the next few days I will be giving you my insight to the Indy Car Series Grand Finale from the Miami Homestead Speedway in what amounts to a winner-take-all race, between our own Scott Dixon (current series leader) his Target Chip Ganassi Racing team mate Dario Franchitti (currently second) and Team Penske's Ryan Briscoe (who now sits third but only eight pints behind Dixon).
Scott comes into this final race from 33 points behind to 5 points in the lead after a great win and outstanding performance just three weeks ago at the Twin Ring Motegi track in Japan.
Will this Sunday see him become a back to back series champion and a three-time Indy Car Series Champion - One Sport will certainly be bringing you all the action on PowerBuilt Tools Motorsport this Sunday from 2:30pm.
Now a bit like my fearless team of Bob McMurray and Robert Rakete and their reports each May from the famed Indianapolis 500 I thought I would start my first report off with a bit of air travel humour for you before we get into the heavy stuff on Friday.
New Zealand to Los Angeles - no real problems just the normal long flight, watched many movies ,a breeze though customs and out of the airport within fifteen minutes from landing - a new personal best!
An overnight stay in Los Angeles due to the flight schedules and NZ coming onto daylight saving.
Then today a 4:45am start for a 7:30am flight to Miami via Charlotte North Carolina. Many coffee moments that is for sure!
Moment number one however was at check in - an Indian man and his family were checking in near me (party of 4) with the normal amount of bags and oversize carry on's that everyone in the US seems to think they can take on board the plane plus a carpet/ rug rolled up and with what looked like the grandmother of the family taking care of it.
Cunning plan
Cunning plan one thinks - they use her to guard the rug and avoid paying for excess baggage as granny quietly looked after the carpet in the distance and then they proceed to try and take on this large rolled up rug / carpet as a carry on - yep that is right carry on.
Now this thing looked like to would be more suited to the main living room area of an average home.
Naturally to say after a lot of hand waving and various other words they did not get away with it!
Moment number two came in the queue for the boarding of the plane. I heard in the distance "wait for me, wait, please wait" a young woman in her early thirties (quite good looking) is running towards the gate hoping to make the flight - but here's the interesting bit she was wearing a rain coat and her pajamas. She got on the plane unlike the rug. Gosh aren't early flights great. Only in LA as they say.
We had a three hour stopover in Charlotte airport which I have to say is pretty much like any other airport in the world other than one thing - they have a NASCAR shop within the airport - and they now have some of my money as well.
I also took the glance to have a glance throught the local newspapers. USA Today was once again all about Danica Patrick and her latest announcement that she is going to try her hand at a few Nationwide Series NASCAR races (that's one level below the main game the Sprint Cup Series) for the Dale Earnhart Jr team - so much for the contract with AGR and no NASCAR. She is expected to announce soon that she has in fact signed a three year deal with AGR but it will now apparently allow for a partial schedule in NASCAR.
From the on the mend file Will Power is expected to be seen at the track this weekend and is recovering very well from that nasty crash back on August 22nd at the Infineon Raceway. He will be here in a support role for Team Penske but not a driving one but is hopeful to be back in a car before the end of the year in testting.
Tomorrow I check in at the track - try to catch up with our boy Scott as he meets members of the Miami Dolphins NFL team at the local football stadium and get ready to also meet the voice of Indy Car Series radio Mr Mike King (no not the kiwi one).
For now I am going to leave you with my pick of the day - Scott Dixon at the pre-season test at Homestead Miami Speedway earlier this year where on the first night of testing he was clearly the fastest man on track - good vibe one feels.
Go Dixie we all say!!
