Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Friday, July 3, 2026
Chip Ganassi Racing Confirms Scott Dixon’s Departure After 2026 Season
Chip Ganassi Racing confirmed Thursday that six-time champion Scott Dixon will not return to the team in 2027, ending a 25-year partnership. Team owner Chip Ganassi said he offered Dixon a multiyear contract extension, but Dixon declined. “We respect that he’s chosen a different path and wish him nothing but continued success,” Ganassi said in a statement. “Scott will always be a special part of this team’s history.” Dixon, who has won 58 of his 59 career IndyCar victories with CGR, said the decision came down to “looking at some different stuff, maybe a change of scenery.” Dixon will continue racing for CGR for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Dixon and Rosenqvist Reported to Join Arrow McLaren for 2027
Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon and 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist are both set to join Arrow McLaren for the 2027 season, according to reports by ESPN and RACER. Dixon, departing Chip Ganassi Racing after 25 years, would give Arrow McLaren a formidable lineup alongside Pato O’Ward. Rosenqvist, in his third season with Meyer Shank Racing, previously competed for Arrow McLaren from 2021 to 2023 before moving to MSR. Meyer Shank confirmed separately that Rosenqvist will not return to the team after the season. If the reports prove accurate, Arrow McLaren would field one of the strongest and most decorated driver lineups in IndyCar history for 2027.
IndyCar’s Most Coveted Seat: Who Fills Ganassi’s No. 9 for 2027?
Scott Dixon’s departure from Chip Ganassi Racing opens what many consider the most sought-after cockpit on the IndyCar market: the No. 9 Honda. IndyCar.com’s Inside Line column examined the leading candidates to replace the six-time champion. Christian Lundgaard of Arrow McLaren is considered a logical choice and a potential straight swap if he moves to CGR while Dixon moves to McLaren. Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing — a team with an established CGR alliance — is another widely discussed option. Rookie Dennis Hauger of Dale Coyne Racing also features in the conversation, and analysts suggest CGR could pursue a driver not currently competing in the IndyCar Series.
Palou Leads by 60 Points with Record Title Bid Entering Final Nine Races
Alex Palou arrives at Mid-Ohio with a 60-point lead over David Malukas and a 61-point advantage over Kyle Kirkwood as the NTT IndyCar Series championship enters its final nine races. The reigning three-time champion is chasing a record-tying fourth consecutive title and fifth overall. Palou has won at four of the remaining eight venues on the schedule, but oval track events have been identified as opportunities for rivals to close the gap. Three members of the IndyCar.com Inside Line panel named Team Penske’s David Malukas as the strongest challenger during the championship’s stretch run.
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio: IndyCar’s Fourth of July Tradition Returns
The 43rd running of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio takes centre stage this holiday weekend on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course in Lexington, Ohio. Practice opened Friday afternoon, qualifying follows Saturday at 2:30 PM ET, and the race is scheduled for Sunday at 12:52 PM ET on FOX. Championship leader Alex Palou — who has two wins and a pole at Mid-Ohio in his recent record — enters as favourite. Defending champion Scott Dixon, who won here in 2025, will also be closely watched in the immediate aftermath of his shock Chip Ganassi Racing departure announcement. Streaming is available on FOX One.
Source: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Dixon Eyes 60th Career Win at Mid-Ohio in Emotional Final Ganassi Season
Scott Dixon heads to Mid-Ohio defending his 2025 race victory while the IndyCar community absorbs news of his impending departure from Chip Ganassi Racing. The New Zealander has 59 career IndyCar victories — 58 of them with CGR — and his next win would make him only the second driver in series history to reach 60. IndyCar.com’s July 2 race preview cited Dixon’s departure and his dominance at Mid-Ohio as two of the weekend’s defining subplots. Dixon won at Mid-Ohio in 2025 from an unfavourable starting position, and the defending champion heads to Lexington amid one of the most dramatic weeks of his storied career.
Drivers’ Championship
1. Alex Palou — 374 pts
2. David Malukas — 314 pts
3. Kyle Kirkwood — 313 pts
4. Christian Lundgaard — 297 pts
5. Pato O’Ward — 257 pts
6. Felix Rosenqvist — 248 pts
7. Scott McLaughlin — 248 pts
8. Josef Newgarden — 247 pts
9. Marcus Ericsson — 213 pts
10. Scott Dixon — 211 pts
11. Marcus Armstrong — 203 pts
12. Graham Rahal — 200 pts
13. Rinus VeeKay — 187 pts
14. Will Power — 180 pts
15. Alexander Rossi — 180 pts
16. Kyffin Simpson — 179 pts
17. Santino Ferrucci — 168 pts
18. Louis Foster — 147 pts
19. Dennis Hauger — 143 pts
20. Romain Grosjean — 132 pts
21. Nolan Siegel — 125 pts
22. Christian Rasmussen — 117 pts
23. Caio Collet — 113 pts
24. Mick Schumacher — 102 pts
25. Sting Ray Robb — 100 pts
26. Conor Daly — 24 pts
27. Takuma Sato — 20 pts
28. Jack Harvey — 8 pts
29. Jacob Abel — 6 pts
30. Helio Castroneves — 5 pts
31. Ed Carpenter — 5 pts
32. Ryan Hunter-Reay — 5 pts
33. Katherine Legge — 5 pts
Teams’ Championship
1. Team Penske — 657 pts
2. Chip Ganassi Racing — 640 pts
3. Arrow McLaren — 576 pts
4. Andretti Global — 564 pts
5. Meyer Shank Racing — 451 pts
6. Rahal Letterman Lanigan — 380 pts
7. ECR — 297 pts
8. Juncos Hollinger Racing — 287 pts
9. A.J. Foyt Enterprises — 281 pts
10. Dale Coyne Racing — 275 pts
11. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing — 32 pts
12. Abel Motorsports — 6 pts
13. HMD Motorsports — 5 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency