Kiwi IndyCar driver Scott Dixon blames bad luck for his poor start this season, having notched only one race victory from his first eight outings.
Dixon, 40, currently sits third in the IndyCar standings heading into the Grand Prix of Road of America on Monday NZT.
Dixon is 36 points off championship leader Pato O'Ward (299 points) and 35 points behind second-placed Alex Palou (298) - his Chip Ganassi teammate.
But six-time IndyCar champion Dixon knows that things could be much different in his quest for a record-equalling 7th crown, after losing out on the chance for at least two victories.
Despite starting on pole position at the Indianapolis 500, a pit stop horror saw Dixon lapped by the rest of the field, eventually recovering to finish 17th.
Dixon was again caught out by pit strategy in Detroit last weekend, settling for eighth instead.
All up, the Kiwi has had just one victory so far this season, coming in the first race of the Texas doubleheader, but could have easily had two after settling for fourth in the second race of that weekend.
"I think we've had decent showings, but I don't know, I think we've had a bit of rough luck," Dixon says.
"If you look at Indy, it just took us out of the running for the race, which was very early on. And once you fall a lap down, we spent 90 percent of the race trying to get the lap back, which no one else was able to do.
"And then Detroit, I think it was stuff that was out of our hands. It didn't really create opportunities.
"I feel like we've been knocking on the door, had it rolled our way a little bit. I wouldn't say we've had major issues or lack of speed or anything like that."
But while Dixon hasn't had the results he could have, the rest of his Chip Ganassi teammates have thrived, with Palou and former Formula 1 ace Marcus Ericcson also securing race wins.
"The team's done a very good job and I think we've done a very good job of splitting strategies too - which has covered the field.
"We've seen three of the Ganassi cars get a win this year - which is fantastic."
If you compare that to last year's results, which saw Dixon open the season with three consecutive wins at Texas, Indianapolis and Road of America, the Kiwi is off the pace by his own standards.
But in the hunt for a seventh title, the Kiwi knows he has what it takes to match the legendary A.J. Foyt as American motorsport's most decorated driver.
"There's lots of positives, but when last year's start was three wins in the first three races, that's a great way to start the year, obviously this season hasn't started that way.
"[I'm] still third on points, I think [if] you look back on previous years, that's still a strong start for us.
"But it's definitely time to go head down, and hopefully chase another championship."
