Second in a series looking at the IZOD IndyCar Series championship season of Scott Dixon through various eyes. Today, crew chief Ricky Davis says team inspired by driver.

Ricky Davis, crew chief for the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car, points to one area that would distinguish Scott Dixon circa 2003 and the IZOD IndyCar Series driver who earned his third series championship in 2013.

“For lack of a better word, the maturity,” said Davis, who’s been working with the No. 9 car program all but one year (2005) since ‘03 and has been with the team 18 years. “He’s always had a very controlled inner person that absolutely wants the best out of himself and the absolute best out of everybody else.

“Since I’ve known him maybe once or twice at the most he’s had an outburst and it’s controlled in an instant. He absorbs and processes things so quickly. He doesn’t talk a lot; he shows what he does.”

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In part, performance is a motivator for the crew while preparing the car and during the race. Dixon wrapped up his third series title in the past 11 years Oct. 19 in the 500-mile endurance race at Auto Club Speedway. Dixon won four of the final nine races to charge to the front, ultimately edging Helio Castroneves of Team Penske by 27 points.

“We know what he gives us. He never leaves anything on the table when it comes to the race,” Davis said. “The guys feed off his hunger. We know he’ll give us everything all the time and the guys want to be the best they can, whether it be on pit stops or whatever.

“That has helped the few times we’ve had the bad result or didn’t finish. It’s helped get over that hump because Scott is the first one to say, ‘Hey we’ll get ‘em next week.’ ”