Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon pulled off a classic masterstroke at the 2025 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, taking victory with a perfectly judged two-stop strategy and punishing a late-race mistake from teammate Alex Palou, full report and results below. The win marked Dixon’s 59th career victory and kept alive his remarkable streak of winning at least one race in every season since 2005.
Starting from ninth on the grid, Dixon kept his head down in the early chaos that unfolded on Lap 1. Trouble brewed immediately as Josef Newgarden locked up and slammed into Graham Rahal in Turn 1, taking both drivers out on the spot. Will Power also suffered race-ending contact, while several others were caught up in the midfield melee. The incident brought out an early caution and allowed Dixon, who had already committed to a fuel-saving two-stop strategy, to lock in his game plan.
Meanwhile, polesitter Alex Palou led the field from the green flag and quickly settled into a commanding rhythm. On a three-stop strategy, the Spaniard looked untouchable in clean air, carving out a comfortable lead over Christian Lundgaard and Colton Herta behind. But while Palou was extracting pace from his No. 10 Ganassi machine, Dixon was quietly climbing up the order through patient fuel management and smart track position.
The race turned further in Dixon’s favour on Lap 31 when Christian Rasmussen ran off course and triggered the day’s second full-course caution. The brief neutralization gave Dixon just enough breathing room to secure the fuel mileage he needed to make his strategy work, while also compressing the field behind Palou.
Palou made his final pit stop on Lap 72 and rejoined the race ahead of Dixon, maintaining the net lead. Over the next several laps, he looked set to wrap up what would have been his seventh win of the season, extending the gap to nearly two seconds as the laps ticked down. But with five laps to go, everything changed.
Under pressure from Dixon, who was now right on his tail, Palou carried too much speed into Turn 9 and ran wide onto the grass. The mistake, his second minor off-track moment of the race, proved fatal to his victory chances. Dixon, never one to let an opportunity slip, dove past and took the lead with clinical precision.
From there, Dixon expertly managed the gap, using alternate lines through the Keyhole to stifle any attempt from Palou to counter-attack. Despite Palou having fresher tires and slightly better pace, Dixon’s defensive driving and track IQ sealed the deal. He crossed the line just 0.4201 seconds ahead to claim a dramatic and strategic victory.
Behind the Ganassi 1–2, Lundgaard secured a solid third-place finish after a consistent drive, while Colton Herta and Pato O’Ward rounded out the top five. Rinus VeeKay also impressed, gaining 17 positions from his starting spot to finish ninth.
IndyCar Mid-Ohio GP full results
