Chip Ganassi's Scott Dixon was fastest around the oval in Texas when the starting shot went for this year's IndyCar season, as well as many other sports delayed as a result of the corona pandemic.

- It's such a strange time right now. I can't thank the team enough, it was such a team effort, said the New Zealander wearing mouth protection to NBC, adding that he wished the fans could have been there.

The stands - which can normally take 135,000 visitors - echoed empty as he crossed the finish line.

The victory, Dixon's fourth at the Texas Oval, also meant that the 39-year-old tangled AJ Foyt's record of 18 straight seasons with at least one win.

Stallmate Rosenqvist drove well during much of the race, where he approached Nixon, but after the last depot stop he got stuck behind other cars.

When he made an attempt to pass James Hinchliffe on the outside of the second curve with ten laps remaining, he lost control and the car hit the wall and Roswnqvist was forced to break.

- It was a bad decision on one occasion during an otherwise perfect race, and that is enough, says the Swede after the race in a press release.

He describes it as a huge disappointment.

- We had fantastic speed today and this could have been as good as any - now it was nothing. It is tough to digest.

Simon Pagenaud came in second, and Josef Newgarden finished third.

Marcus Ericsson finished in 19th place, and thus did not get the start as a new stable mate to Rosenqvist and Dixon that he had hoped for.

The next Indycar race will be in Indianapolis on July 4th.

ARCHIVE: Indcyar stars competed virtually (March 29):

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