Old Master Scott Dixon has managed to become an IndyCar champion for the sixth time in his career, thanks to a finish in third place in the final stage of the season in St. Petersburg.
During the race, the reins often changed. In the first laps they belonged to pole position winner Vil Pauer, but after problems in shifting speeds, Aleksandrs Rosi took the lead, but Colton Herta took the 2nd place. Scott Dixon, meanwhile, was 11th, three positions behind his main rival, Joseph Newharden. Pauer withdrew after contact with the wall 30 laps later.
Rosi also slipped and did not reach the finish line, while Herta drove off the track and lost several positions. Hert managed to regain the reins, but in one of the many restarts 20 laps before the finish, Newharden managed to make a great maneuver from third place, passing Hert and Alex Palou.
The last restart was done 15 laps before the finish. Patrisio O’Vārds came in second. Dickson’s main competitor, Joseph Newharden, did what he had to do and won a stunning victory on the hot St. Petersburg track, but Dixon kept his cool on several restarts and finished third, enough to win the title.
IndyCar’s debut at this stage has been Australian Supercars champion Scott McLock for the past three years. The New Zealander had an accident and withdrew, grabbing the brightest debutant of the season, Rinus Vicke. The Penske team has already signed a full season contract with McLocline next year.
Championship standings at the end of the season: Scott Dixon (537 points), Joseph Newharden (521), Colton Herta (421), Patrisio O’Ward (416), Will Pauer (396), Graham Reich (377).
40-year-old Scott Dixon also became the IndyCar champion in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015 and 2018, while last year the New Zealander remained fourth, while the title fell into the hands of Joseph Newharden.
IndyCar St. Petersburg stage results
| V. | The rider | The team | The result | Points |
| 1 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | 100 laps | 51 |
| 2 | Patricio O’Ward | Arrow McLaren SP | 4.140 | 40 |
| 3 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 6.156 | 35 |
| 4 | Sebastien bourdais | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | 7.413 | 32 |
| 5 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Andretti Autosport | 9.752 | 30 |
| 6 | Simon Pagenaud | Team Penske | 10.577 | 28 |
| 7 | Marcus Ericsson | Chip Ganassi Racing | 11.069 | 26 |
| 8 | Charlie Kimball | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | 15.858 | 24 |
| 9 | Graham rahal | RLLR | 16.374 | 23 |
| 10 | Takuma Sato | RLLR | 16.774 | 20 |
| 11 | Colton Herta | Andretti Harding Steinbrenner | 24.214 | 20 |
| 12 | Max Chilton | Carlin | 30.472 | 18 |
| 13 | Alex Palou | Dale Coyne Racing | 43.579 | 18 |
| 14 | James Hinchcliffe | Andretti Autosport | 1’04.066 | 17 |
| 15 | Rinus van Kalmthout | Ed Carpenter Racing | 2 laps | 15 |
| 16 | Oliver Askew | Arrow McLaren SP | 2 laps | 14 |
| 17 | Conor Daly | Ed Carpenter Racing | 2 laps | 13 |
| 18 | Felix Rosenqvist | Chip Ganassi Racing | 2 laps | 12 |
| 19 | Jack Harvey | Meyer Shank Racing | 3 laps | 11 |
| 20 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Herta Autosport | 26 laps | 10 |
| 21 | Alexander Rossi | Andretti Autosport | 31 laps | 12 |
| 22 | Scott McLaughlin | Team Penske | 54 laps | 8 |
| 23 | Santino Ferrucci | Dale Coyne Racing | 60 laps | 7 |
| 24 | Will Power | Team Penske | 65 laps | 8 |
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