Scott Dixon Down Under press coverage

[ChicagocrewIRL]

It seems there is now a very funny controversy happening in the press coverage of Scott Dixon's win in the Australian and New Zealand press.

The New Zealand Herald reported that before Scott Dixon's Indianapolis 500 win, none of the Australian newspapers ever mentioned the fact that he was born in Brisbane Australia. But now it seems all the press in Australia begins every article about post Indianapolis 500 win Scott Dixon as "Brisbane born" or "Australian born" Scott Dixon. It was just a very funny situation but it shows how winning this race is so important to a driver's career. One Aussie newspaper even mentioned that Scott Dixon could be the best IndyCar driver ever.

Also, the New Zealand Herald printed this very flattering picture of a 13 yo Scott Dixon who became the youngest single-seater driver in New Zealand national motorsport history.

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1417/fidixon1601wn2.jpg
2008 Indianapolis 500 Champion

[ShiftingGears]

...Told you we could claim him :p :

[45 Below]

Hey well ... you've already run off with Phar Lap, the Pavlova and Russell Crowe ... actually you can keep Russell, he's got really strange recently.

[45 Below]

Getting back on topic ... You guys might enjoy this piece from TV3 news. It has some footage shot about the same time as the newspaper pic. There's also some great footage of him a year or two later, climbing out of a rolled Nissan with a cushion taped to his *ss so he could see over the wheel. He was driving it in an invitational event when it was tipped over with a bit of help from a couple of other competitors who I suspect wanted to teach the young upstart a thing or two. AFAIK that's his only outing in a tin-top ... no wonder he doesn't want to go to NASCAR.

http://www.tv3.co.nz/Video/MotorsportDixonfirstKiwitowinIndy500/tabid/317/articleID/57228/cat/70/Default.aspx#video

[underpowered]

It was just a very funny situation but it shows how winning this race is so important to a driver's career. One Aussie newspaper even mentioned that Scott Dixon could be the best IndyCar driver ever.

Best IndyCar Driver ever......big call......I thought that was the Italian guy......Mario Andretti.

[ChicagocrewIRL]

Best IndyCar Driver ever......big call......I thought that was the Italian guy......Mario Andretti.

I guess it's hard to convey tongue in cheek comments on a written forum, but it was a pronouncement from a very proud Australian and New Zealand press corps. So take it for what it is.

[Rolandas]

Also, the New Zealand Herald printed this very flattering picture of a 13 yo Scott Dixon who became the youngest single-seater driver in New Zealand national motorsport history.


The title of that NZ Herald article is "World's fastest Manurewan". When I got a glimpse of it on indy500.com title page I misread it in a quite offensive way - had to go to the newspaper's site to find out that it's actually the name of the town he's from...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10512664

[ChicagocrewIRL]

The title of that NZ Herald article is "World's fastest Manurewan". When I got a glimpse of it on indy500.com title page I misread it in a quite offensive way - had to go to the newspaper's site to find out that it's actually the name of the town he's from...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10512664

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!! :)

I had to do a double take when I firsty read that headline myself, but yeah, they have some weird town names in Kiwi land.

Say it with me .... MAN NU REE WAN

[ChicagocrewIRL]

I would dare say that this is the biggest sports story in New Zealand since they captured the America's Cup .

Scott Dixon is such a great story and such a great representative of what an Indianapolis 500 Champion should be.

And the huge bonus is he isn't some NASCAR/FORMULA 1 chasing wannabe like some other past Indianapolis 500 "champions" (you know who you are).

IndyCars is where he has wanted to end up since he started driving.

Let's hope his example spurs on a new generation of Kiwis, Aussies, Brits, Canadians, Japanese, Brazilians, and yes even Americans who want to make IndyCar their career destination, not their stepping stone.

[underpowered]

IndyCars is where he has wanted to end up since he started driving.

Let's hope his example spurs on a new generation of Kiwis, Aussies, Brits, Canadians, Japanese, Brazilians, and yes even Americans who want to make IndyCar their career destination, not their stepping stone.

Well said!

He wants to stay in IndyCar and become one of its greats. Thats what I like about him.

[garyshell]

Well said!

He wants to stay in IndyCar and become one of its greats. Thats what I like about him.


I hope you are right about that. How many others have we heard say that until the Nascab dolars came knocking?

Gary

[indycool]

Like Gary, I hope you're right, too. But I watched the Victory Banquet on TV and there were a lot of guys who said or indicated one way or the other that this is where they want to be. Now, that might be situation, or state of the moment, but they sounded sincere.

Particularly Bernoldi, who compared his "500" experience here to his F1 career, but Viso, Alex Lloyd and a couple others said this is where they want to be.

[racer69]

In terms of specialist racing magazines in Australia, Dixon has always been referred to as an "Aussie-born Kiwi"

[Senna_NZ]

I would dare say that this is the biggest sports story in New Zealand since they captured the America's Cup .

IndyCars is where he has wanted to end up since he started driving.
Biggest sports story in NZ since Michael Campbell won the U.S open in 2005 I'd say.

And Scott has always dreamed of driving in F1. I still hold out hope that he'll make it there but it doesn't look very likely :(

[scotty09]

I was finally pleased to see him on the cover of the NZ herald on tuesday and headlining the news (at last getting the coverage he deserves), so often in NZ its rugby or cricket failures that dominate the sports news.

Did anyone else in NZ get anoyed with espn showing dancia at the end not dixon and his team?

On a side note: I think its a pretty strong bet that the Surfers Paradise race will be full of kiwi's in October (its on during a national holiday weekend in NZ).

[millencolin]

It seems there is now a very funny controversy happening in the press coverage of Scott Dixon's win in the Australian and New Zealand press.

The New Zealand Herald reported that before Scott Dixon's Indianapolis 500 win, none of the Australian newspapers ever mentioned the fact that he was born in Brisbane Australia. But now it seems all the press in Australia begins every article about post Indianapolis 500 win Scott Dixon as "Brisbane born" or "Australian born" Scott Dixon.

Nah, not entirely true. Althouh the Indycar series didnt get much coverage at all over the last few years (Champ Car bein a little more dominant), but it was often mentioned that Dixon was born in Brisbane, especially in my local paper bein that i'm from brisbane. I think the Kiwi's are overhypin the fact that they beat Australia in something... now thats quite rare in any code of sport :p :


The best bit of coverae I read thouh in Australian based newspaper media was an article that mention Dixon's win thouh but it also labelled danica Patrick 'Superb!tch'. It went into mre detail then just the Briscoe incident too

Although it took danica to have another stroppy charade, at least theres more coverae in Aust. Now for it to take off, we need Briscoe or especially Will Power to win

[millencolin]

On a side note: I think its a pretty strong bet that the Surfers Paradise race will be full of kiwi's in October (its on during a national holiday weekend in NZ).

IT ALREADY BLOODY IS!!! :p :

[ChicagocrewIRL]

Biggest sports story in NZ since Michael Campbell won the U.S open in 2005 I'd say.

And Scott has always dreamed of driving in F1. I still hold out hope that he'll make it there but it doesn't look very likely :(

I'd like to see any historical news items where Dixon states that he "dreamed" of driving in Formula 1. By all accounts I have read on the websites of the various local newspapers in New Zealand, IndyCar is where he wanted and wants to be.

Also .... You're saying Michael Campbell winning the U.S. Open was bigger than New Zealand winning the America's Cup ??? I highly doubt that.

[Senna_NZ]

I'd like to see any historical news items where Dixon states that he "dreamed" of driving in Formula 1. By all accounts I have read on the websites of the various local newspapers in New Zealand, IndyCar is where he wanted and wants to be.

Also .... You're saying Michael Campbell winning the U.S. Open was bigger than New Zealand winning the America's Cup ??? I highly doubt that.
I've read it in many places. It states in Wikipedia too.

And I didn't say that Michael Campbell winning the U.S. Open was bigger than New Zealand winning the America's Cup :rolleyes: I said this was the biggest NZ sporting achievement since Michael Campells triumph. That got even more coverage here than Dixons win has.