Dixon’s win earns nearly $3 million

INDIANAPOLIS – Scott Dixon was exhilarated and screaming. He also felt dazed and alone after winning the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

A day after the biggest victory of his life, he took a more leisurely spin around Indy. He rode slowly around the 2 1/2-mile oval on a white speedway bus with assorted members of the media.

And Monday night, he received a check for almost $3 million, a record prize from the richest purse in open-wheel racing history.

“I don’t normally yell too often,” he recalled. “But I was definitely yelling and I had a few four-letter words in there as well to the team. Winning here, it’s like nothing else.

“I keep saying to people that’s the funniest part of it because all you’re wanting to do is get back to the pits and enjoy it with everybody else.

“You feel so alone out there on that (cool-down) lap, and all you can do is talk to them on the radio.”

He’ll have plenty to talk about now.

The winner’s share of $2,988,065, announced at the annual victory dinner, broke the record of $1,761,740 for Buddy Rice’s win in 2004. The total purse was $14,406,580, topping the $10,668,815 set last year. The only richer prize package in auto racing is for NASCAR’s Daytona 500 at about $18 million.

Marco Andretti took home $782,065, also a record for third place. Ryan Hunter-Reay, who finished sixth, received $328,065, including a $25,000 award as rookie of the year.

Dixon’s total for winning was more than $1 million more than his combined earnings for his five previous starts at Indy and moved his career 500 total to $4,881,997, fifth among all drivers.

The 27-year-old New Zealander was “almost dumbfounded” when he got to Victory Lane.

“It’s such a strange feeling,” he said. “And, for me, I don’t show emotions too much. I don’t know, it’s almost like you’re in a dreamland.”

On Monday morning, Dixon was still struggling for perspective.

“It hasn’t really kicked in yet,”he said. “I think it’s going to take a week or two to really soak it up.”