Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves

Not many people leave a Las Vegas casino a million dollars richer than when they arrived. Two-time IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon will walk away with at least that after collecting his $1 million bonus check for winning the 2008 IndyCar Series championship.

Photos

Dixon and Firestone Indy Lights champion Raphael Matos - along with other drivers, teams and manufacturers – were recognized during the Indy Racing League Championship Celebration at The Palms resort. The honorees were entertained by iconic comedians and magicians Penn and Teller.

Brian Barnhart, president of the competition and operations division of the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series, presented Dixon with a $1 million championship bonus check and his mini IndyCar Series championship trophy. A mini IndyCar Series championship trophy also was awarded to Target Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi.

"To win this title is so much sweeter than the one I won in 2003," Dixon said. "When I won the first championship, I didn't realize what I had won. To win this title, in the way the series was this year with the merge, makes it something I can cherish."

In addition to the championship bonus, Dixon accepted the $25,000 DIRECTV HD Crystal Clear Moment of the Year Award, $10,000 Bosch Platinum Award and received a $100,000 diamond-encrusted champion’s timepiece from Ritmo Mundo.

Ricky Davis, chief mechanic for Dixon’s No. 9 Honda-powered Dallara, accepted the PEAK Motor Oil IndyCar Series Chief Mechanic of the Year Award and its $25,000 prize.

Hideki Mutoh of Andretti Green Racing accepted the $50,000 Bombardier LearJet Rookie of the Year Award and was recognized with the Firestone IndyCar Series Rising Star award. Vitor Meira accepted the Xtrac Championship Award and its $5,000 prize, while Tony Kanaan won the MAC Tools Lap Leader Award.

Matos accepted the Firestone Firehawk Cup along with a $5,000 award from Lincoln Electric, the $5,000 prize as the winner of the Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year Award, $5,000 as the winner of the MAC Tools Lap Leader Award and a championship watch from Ritmo Mundo valued at $25,000. Firestone also awarded a painting by motorsports artist Jim Swintal to Matos to commemorate his title.

"It means a lot," said the 27-year-old native of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, who will graduate to the IndyCar Series in 2009. "It's my most important (title) and the result of a big effort by AFS/Andretti Green crew and I couldn't have landed the ride with Luczo Dragon without the win."

Jayson Madison, chief mechanic for Matos’ No. 27 AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing entry, accepted $5,000 as Mo’sGold Chief Mechanic of the Year.

Dillon Battistini of Panther Racing claimed the $5,000 Gregory & Appel Securing Tomorrow Award, while James Davison of Sam Schmidt Motorsports claimed the Sunoco Most Improved Driver and its $10,000 prize for improving the most total positions during the 2008 season.

IndyCar Series award winners

● Championship driver ($1 million bonus and mini IndyCar Series Cup): Scott Dixon
● Herff Jones Championship Driver Award (ring valued at $5,000): Scott Dixon
● Ritmo Mundo Championship Driver Award (diamond watch valued at $100,000): Scott Dixon
● Canon USA Championship Award (Prize package valued at $2,000): Scott Dixon and Ricky Davis
● Championship team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
● Championship team sponsor: Target
● Championship team manager: Scott Harner and Barry Wanser
● PEAK Motor Oil Chief Mechanic of the Year Award ($25,000): Ricky Davis
● Bombardier Rookie of the Year Award ($50,000): Hideki Mutoh
● Second place championship driver: Helio Castroneves
● Second place championship team: Team Penske
● Third place championship driver: Tony Kanaan
● Third place championship team: Andretti Green Racing
● Firestone IndyCar Series Rising Star: Hideki Mutoh
● DIRECTV Crystal Moment of the Year ($25,000): Scott Dixon
● BOSCH Platinum Award ($10,000 for highest-finishing driver using Bosch spark plugs): Scott Dixon
● Xtrac Championship Award ($5,000 for driver who won most Xtrac Awards during 2008): Vitor Meira
● MAC Tools Lap Leader Award (assortment of tools worth $25,000): Tony Kanaan
● Manufacturer Recognition Awards: Honda, Firestone, Delphi, Dallara, Xtrac and K and N Filters

Firestone Indy Lights award winners

● Championship driver (mini Firehawk Cup) Raphael Matos
● Herff Jones Championship Driver Award (ring valued at $4,000): Raphael Matos
● Ritmo Mundo Championship Driver Award (watch valued at $25,000): Raphael Matos
● Lincoln Electric Company Championship Driver Award ($5,000): Raphael Matos
● Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year ($10,000): Raphael Matos
● MAC Tools Lap Leader Award (assortment of tools worth $10,000): Raphael Matos
Championship team (mini Firehawk Cup): AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing
● Lincoln Electric Company Championship Team Award (welding product): AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing
● Mo'sGold Chief Mechanic of the Year ($5,000): Jayson Madison
● Second place championship driver: Richard Antinucci
● Second place championship team: Sam Schmidt Motorsports
● Lincoln Electric Company Second Place Championship Team Award (welding product):
Sam Schmidt Motorsports
● Third place championship driver: Ana Beatriz
● Third place championship team: Sam Schmidt Motorsports
● Lincoln Electric Company Third Place Championship Team Award (welding product):
Sam Schmidt Motorsports
● Firestone Indy Lights Rising Star: Ana Beatriz
● Ethos for Earth Hard Charger Award ($5,000): Sean Guthrie
● Mesco Building Solutions Building for the Future Award ($5,000): Team E
● Firestone Consistency Bonus ($5,000): Brent Sherman
● Gregory and Appel "Securing Tomorrow" Award ($5,000): Dillon Battistini
● Sunoco Most Improved Driver ($10,000): James Davison