Filed under: IRL

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- Scott Dixon seemed more perturbed with the start of Sunday's Indy Grand Prix of Alabama than he was with the finish, when he fell just short of a win.

IndyCar officials ruled that Dixon improved his position by two spots before reaching the start/finish line, including passing eventual winner Helio Castroneves. Dixon was sent back to his original fifth-place position but figures he actually crossed the line in ninth or 10th.

"The call to start the race was total B.S. We had a clean pass," said Dixon, who wound up second. "If they want us to just start single-file and stay that way, then that's what they should have us do."

Dixon said pole-sitter Will Power started too slow, causing the issue.

"I think the cause for it was Will," he said. "I don't know why he's trying to start in first gear and crawl 20 miles an hour. I think that's ridiculous."

His Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dario Franchitti chimed in then: "I thought you were supposed to keep pace-car speed."

"Yeah, you're supposed to keep pace-car speed, and that is the first ever start I've done in first gear," Dixon said. "So that set it up. So whoever was in front of me got a lot of wheel spin."

Dixon was left futilely trying to overtake Castroneves in the final two laps after coming off a two-lap caution.

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