Peers have lept to the defence of Kiwi driver Scott Dixon over a marketing campaign from one of his sponsor's labelled him as "boring".
Dixon, 43, is well on his way to becoming an IndyCar legend, with a record six championship crowns to his name and race victories in 20 straight years. His 57 race wins rank him second all-time behind American AJ Foyt.
Known as the 'Ice Man', he has shown a knack for pacing his car's fuel consumption to emerge late in races, while opponents are still pitting.
As IndyCar prepares for the iconic Indianapolis 500 on Monday (NZ time), a promotional video by PNC Bank has described Dixon's success is "brilliantly boring".
"You should get him a few beers," says rival Marco Andretti, who will share the seventh row at the start of the great race with fellow veterans Dixon and Brazilian Helio Castroneves.
"No, he's not boring."
True to his reputation, Dixon is quick to explain the reference.
"I think it's more about the process, right," he deadpans. "Some of the things we find boring, whether it's training every day to the data that all of us go through.
"It's about the process and some would find the process kind of boring, but it's a necessity and something you need to do to be brilliant.
"What PNC has done with their marketing campaign, it's about banking and some people think banking is boring, but if you do it properly, it can be brilliant. It's a bit of a twist on it."
Dixon will need anything but a boring race, if he is to claim his second Indy 500 crown, after qualifying back in the pack.
Countryman Scott McLaughlin will start on pole for the Indy 500, after clock a fastest-ever lap time in qualifying, fellow Kiwi Marcus Armstrong sits 11th on grid, with Dixon 21st.
