With the countdown on to the Halberg awards on February 18, Newshub is running through the credentials for the sportsman and sportswoman of the year contenders. In part two of the series, Shaun Summerfield looks at why IndyCar driver Scott Dixon should take out the Sportsman trophy.
It is tempting to take the underdog approach when trying to argue the merits of Scott Dixon as New Zealand Sportsman of the Year, but New Zealand motorsport doesn't have the mortgage on fighting well above its weight; it's generally what Kiwi's do.
Dixon's success in the US has already earned him a Halberg Award as NZ Sportsman of the Year in 2009, after winning both the IndyCar Championship and Indianapolis 500 the previous year. Only an engine fault stopped him from achieving that impressive double again in 2015.
But, even if he had earned a second 'face' on the Borg Warner trophy, would it have been enough to earn a second Halberg?
His 2015 season has taken him to 5th on the all-time list with 38 career wins, just one race victory behind the great Al Unser Senior. Statistically then, he is pretty damned close to being an IndyCar great.
But, one top motorsport figure I spoke to referred to our nation's preference for rugby, specifically the All Blacks.
"How does a sport compete with a something that is a religion?"
The official Halberg Awards website seemed a touch skewed in its description of the finalists in the Sportsman Category. Dan Carter was described as having "had an outstanding season for the All Blacks, including the Rugby World Cup, culminating in being named 2015 World Rugby Player of the Year."
Dixon's bio meanwhile simply said "won the 2015 IndyCar Series."
Just five words to describe the most successful driver on the IndyCar grid, not to mention one of the world's best racers (currently 7th on the Autosport World Rankings just behind Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and rally driver Sebastien Ogier).
Is all that enough to win a Halberg Award in 2016?
Off course, he wouldn't be a finalist if it didn't. However, against an incomparable Dan Carter, I doubt it.
Newshub.
