Dixon repeat winner

GLADEVILLE, Tenn. – Having confidence in his top competitor allowed Scott Dixon to make the key pass that led to victory.

Dixon dipped to the inside and drove past points leader Dario Franchitti and Dan Wheldon on lap 95, then ran away with the Firestone Indy 200 on Sunday for his second straight IndyCar victory. He also became the first driver to repeat at the Nashville Superspeedway.

“Both of them going three wide into 3, it’s not always a good situation,” Dixon said.

“I trust Dario, a great competitor and a very fair guy to race with. I knew if I was inside of him, he was going to give me the room. Dan didn’t even know I was there. Luckily, he gave us the room we needed to. It was a little hairy there for a few seconds.”

Dixon, who also won last week at Watkins Glen, became the 14th driver with consecutive IndyCar Series wins.

The man with the fastest car in practice and qualifying made only a few changes to survive the IndyCar Series’ first rainout in seven years. The rain turned a Saturday night race under the lights into a steamy sprint on a hot day where the track was 106 degrees at the start.

Dixon’s second victory this season and eighth of his career pulled him within 34 points of Franchitti with six races left.

Franchitti was second, and Danica Patrick was third, tying her career-best finish.