‘Born Racer’, the compelling and inspiring story of Scott Dixon, to be released Oct. 2

By Sep 13, 2018, 1:30 PM EDT
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Foyt. Andretti. Unser. Mears. Dixon.

There’s no question that Scott Robert Dixon is also rightly included in that select group of the greatest race car drivers that the Indy car world has ever known.

The soft-spoken, humble native of Auckland, New Zealand has been the greatest and winningest driver on the American open-wheel scene over the last 15 years – and likely with many more years and even greater success still to come.

With 44 career IndyCar wins as a foundation, Dixon has built a career that potentially could see him earn a fifth Indy car championship (which would be second-most behind A.J. Foyt’s seven titles) in Sunday’s 2018 season-ending and championship-deciding Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway.

Because he’s so unassuming and modest, the 38-year-old Dixon isn’t always immediately recognized for the outstanding accomplishments he’s achieved behind the wheel, driving the last 16 years of his 18-year IndyCar career for team owner Chip Ganassi.

That’s why “Born Racer,” the new documentary about Dixon, his life, his team, his family and the sport is eagerly being anticipated. The powerful and inspirational biopic is to be released Oct. 2 in the U.S.

A press release for “Born Racer” aptly describes Dixon and his life story this way:

“A powerful and inspirational story of dedication, danger, fear, and the rare ‘will’ some of us have to defy all personal limitations. It’s about desire for success and accomplishment and the search for ultimate meaning, purpose in life; a narrative on the unforgiving world of professional racing and the unique individuals who inhabit it.”

The all-access film gives race fans – from the casual to the most avid – a rare behind-the-scenes view of Dixon not just in his four-wheeled, 220-plus mph rolling office, it also delves deep into why race car drivers like Dixon flirt with danger and risk their lives in order to win.

“Born Racer” also takes a very intimate and up-close look at Dixon and his two families: his life with wife Emma and their children Tilly and Poppy, as well as Scott’s other family, his co-workers and teammates at Chip Ganassi Racing.

With its compelling and breath-taking action footage of the world’s fastest and most diverse racing series, “Born Racer” (www.bornracermovie.com) is destined to be not only the authoritative story of what makes Dixon the true champion he is, but also the outstanding human being he is, as well.

“Born Racer” will be available on DVD and digital download.

Here’s the trailer for “Born Racer”:

 

Ford unveils a new Mustang for 2024 Le Mans in motorsports ‘lifestyle brand’ retooling

Associated PressJun 9, 2023, 7:00 PM EDT
Ford Mustang Le Mans
Ford Performance
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LE MANS, France — Ford has planned a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its iconic Mustang muscle car next year under a massive rebranding of Ford Performance aimed at bringing the automotive manufacturer “into the racing business.”

The Friday unveil of the new Mustang Dark Horse-based race car follows Ford’s announcement in February (and a ballyhooed test at Sebring in March) that it will return to Formula One in 2026 in partnership with reigning world champion Red Bull.

The Mustang will enter the GT3 category next year with at least two cars in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, and is hopeful to earn an invitation to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The IMSA entries will be a factory Ford Performance program run by Multimatic, and a customer program in WEC with Proton Competition.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, also an amateur sports car racer, told The Associated Press the Mustang will be available to compete in various GT3 series across the globe to customer teams. But more important, Farley said, is the overall rebranding of Ford Performance – done by renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee – that is aimed at making Ford a lifestyle brand with a sporting mindset.

“It’s kind of like the company finding its own, and rediscovering its icons, and doubling down on them,” Farley told the AP. “And then this motorsports activity is getting serious about connecting enthusiast customers with those rediscovered icons. It’s a big switch for the company – this is really about building strong, iconic vehicles with enthusiasts at the center of our marketing.”

Ford last competed in sports car racing in 2019 as part of a three-year program with Chip Ganassi Racing. The team scored the class win at Le Mans in 2016 in a targeted performance aimed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford snapping Ferrari’s six-year winning streak.

Ford on Friday displayed a Mustang with a Lee-designed livery that showcased the cleaner, simplified look that will soon be featured on all its racing vehicles. The traditional blue oval with Ford Performance in white lettering underneath will now be branded simply FP.

The new mark will be used across car liveries, merchandise and apparel, display assets, parts and accessories and in advertising.

Farley cited Porsche as an automaker that has successfully figured out how to sell cars to consumers and race cars in various series around the world while creating a culture of brand enthusiasts. He believes Ford’s new direction will help the company sell street cars, race cars, boost interest in driving schools, and create a merchandise line that convinces consumers that a stalwart of American automakers is a hip, cool brand.

“We’re going to build a global motorsports business off road and on road,” Farley told the AP, adding that the design of the Mustang is “unapologetically American.”

He lauded the work of Lee, who is considered the top helmet designer among race car drivers.

“We’re in the first inning of a nine inning game, and going to Le Mans is really important,” Farley said. “But for customer cars, getting the graphics right, designing race cars that win at all different levels, and then designing a racing brand for Ford Performance that gets rebranded and elevated is super important.”

He said he’s kept a close eye on how Porsche and Aston Martin have built their motorsports businesses and said Ford will be better.

“We’re going in the exact same direction. We just want to be better than them, that’s all,” Farley said. “Second is the first loser.”

Farley, an avid amateur racer himself, did not travel to Le Mans for the announcement. The race that begins Saturday features an entry from NASCAR, and Ford is the reigning Cup Series champion with Joey Logano and Team Penske.

The NASCAR “Garage 56” entry is a collaboration between Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and is being widely celebrated throughout the industry. Farley did feel left out of the party in France – a sentiment NASCAR tried to avoid by inviting many of its partners to attend the race so that it wouldn’t seem like a Chevrolet-only celebration.

“They’re going right and I’m going left – that NASCAR thing is a one-year deal, right? It’s Garage 56 and they can have their NASCAR party, but that’s a one-year party,” Farley said. “We won Le Mans outright four times, we won in the GT class, and we’re coming back with Mustang and it’s not a one-year deal.

“So they can get all excited about Garage 56. I almost see that as a marketing exercise for NASCAR, but for me, that’s a science project,” Farley continued. “I don’t live in a world of science projects. I live in the world of building a vital company that everyone is excited about. To do that, we’re not going to do a Garage 56 – I’ve got to beat Porsche and Aston Martin and Ferrari year after year after year.”

Ford’s announcement comes on the heels of General Motors changing its GT3 strategy next season and ending its factory Corvette program. GM, which unlike Ford competes in the IMSA Grand Touring Prototype division (with its Cadillac brand), will shift fully to a customer model for Corvettes in 2024 (with some factory support in the IMSA GTD Pro category).