Scott Dixon is heading for the exit at Chip Ganassi Racing, with the team announcing Thursday that the six-time NTT INDYCAR Series champion has told them he will not return in 2027. The decision ends a 24-year run with the organization for the 45-year-old New Zealander, whose resume with Ganassi includes 59 victories and a 2008 Indianapolis 500 win.
End Of A 24‑Year Partnership
Team owner Chip Ganassi said Dixon "recently informed the team that he will not be returning in 2027" after the organization put a multiyear contract on the table designed to let him finish his career at Chip Ganassi Racing. "We respect that he's chosen a different path and wish him nothing but continued success," Ganassi said in a statement carried by INDYCAR. The polite tone does not hide the reality that one of the most successful pairings in modern open-wheel racing is officially on the clock.
Dixon's Record And Honors
Driving the No. 9 car, Dixon stacked up championships in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2020, along with a haul of wins that places him among the all-time leaders in INDYCAR history. His career landmarks extend beyond the box score. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2024, and he received a knighthood from New Zealand in the New Year honours list last December. Those milestones are documented by the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and New Zealand media, while KSL pulls together those honors along with his headline career totals.
Silly‑Season Shakeup
Dixon's pending departure instantly becomes the centerpiece of IndyCar silly season. Coverage this week has already connected him to Arrow McLaren as a likely landing spot for 2027, a move that would count as one of the biggest driver-market coups in the series' recent history. A report from RACER said teams are preparing for the shakeup, even as Ganassi has stressed that the immediate focus is on closing out the current campaign as strongly as possible.
What To Watch This Weekend
Dixon will not have to wait long to face questions about how the split might affect things on track. He is the defending winner of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid‑Ohio, which runs this Sunday in Lexington, Ohio, and the event will serve as an early litmus test of how driver and team handle the new reality. Event and venue information is available from Mid‑Ohio's official site, which lists the track's address as 7721 Steam Corners Rd in Lexington, Ohio.
The looming end of Dixon's run with Chip Ganassi Racing closes a defining chapter in modern IndyCar history and sets up one of the sport's most-watched off-seasons. As the year winds down, fans and teams alike will be tracking the free-agent dominoes and, in particular, what comes next for the No. 9 seat.
