Even after being in first place for 133 of 250 laps scheduled, earning the bonus points for leading the most laps in Iowa Corn Indy 250 Grand Prix, Helio Castroneves lost performance at the end of the race, problems of handling, and ended in 6th place, this saturday June 23rd at Iowa Speedway, venue for the 9th race of the IZOD IndyCar Series. The evening event in the city of Newton, in the U.S. state of Iowa, had a one-hour delay because of rain.

The driver of the Team Penske took the lead of the race before the start, since the pole position Dario Franchitti abandoned still in alignment laps, because of engine problems. Ranked 2nd on the grid, Castroneves led the first 51 and then to his first pit (lap 70), returned to the 1st post. From this, a new period in the leadership was fulfilled by the second pit on lap 156.

It was after this second pit that he returned to the track in 11th position and began to climb. Given the maintenance of good performance observed since the start, returned directly to the fight for victory after the third and last stop. This offensive action continued until the last 30 laps to the checkered flag, but the situation had changed because the tires had great trepidation, jeopardizing the stability of DW12 Dallara Chevrolet # 3.

Despite losing positions successively, finishing in 6th represented a one position gain in the championship, from 5th to 4th place. “The vibration on the tires, caused losing a race that was almost at hand,” lamented Castroneves, who declined to speculate about why the tires had trepidation until a technical review. He said about the team’s work: “We adopted the strategy of three stops and my crew was fantastic in all of them.”

Photo by Steve Swope

Mesmo após estar em 1º lugar durante 133 das 250 voltas programadas e se constituir no piloto com o maior número de voltas lideradas no Iowa Corn Indy 250 Grand Prix, Helio Castroneves perdeu rendimento na parte final da prova, por problemas de dirigibilidade, e terminou em 6º neste sábado, 23, no Iowa Speedway, em prova válida pela nona etapa do IZOD IndyCar Series. O evento noturno na cidade de Newton, no estado norte-americano de Iowa, teve um atraso de uma hora em razão das chuvas.

O piloto do Team Penske assumiu a ponta da corrida antes mesmo da largada, visto que o pole position Dario Franchitti abandonou ainda nas voltas de alinhamento por problemas de motor. Classificado em 2º no grid, Castroneves liderou as primeiras 51 e, em seguida ao seu primeiro pit (70ª volta), voltou ao 1º posto. A partir disso, um novo período na liderança foi cumprido até o segundo pit, na volta 156.

Foi após essa segunda parada que retornou às pista em 11º e passou a galgar posições. Dada a manutenção da boa performance verificada desde a largada, voltou diretamente à disputa pela vitória após a terceira e última parada, na 82ª passagem pelo circuito oval de 0.875 milha ou 1,4 km. Essa atuação ofensiva continuou até faltarem 30 voltas para a bandeirada, mas o quadro mudou por causa da grande trepidação nos pneus, que comprometeu muito a estabilidade do Dallara DW12 Chevrolet #3.

Apesar de perder posições sucessivamente, por não conseguir oferecer resistência aos pilotos mais rápidos, o 6º lugar representou o ganho de uma posição no campeonato, passando de 5º para 4º lugar. “A vibração nos pneus fez com que a gente perdesse uma corrida que estava praticamente na mão”, lamentou Castroneves, que preferiu não especular sobre os motivos da ocorrência antes de uma avaliação técnica. Ele ressaltou o trabalho da equipe: “Adotamos a estratégia de três paradas e meu pessoal foi fantástico em todas elas”.

Foto Steve Swope

Helio Castroneves will start in 2nd place on Saturday, 23 at Iowa Speedway in the ninth race of the IZOD IndyCar Series. The driver of the Team Penske conquerer his place on the first row after finishing 2nd in the “Big Heat Race”, which set the pole position for Dario Franchitti, of Chip Ganassi Racing.

This was a new format adopted for Qualifying for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 Grand Prix, consisting of three short races, 30 laps each, defining the positions of 1 to 25, with the formation of groups from the result of Practice 2.

Upon arriving in 3rd in this practice, Castroneves had secured a place in the race for pole position and was able to move one in relation to his original place of departure for the qualifying race.

Helio Castroneves largará na 2ª posição neste sábado, 23, no Iowa Speedway, em prova válida pela nona etapa do IZOD IndyCar Series. O piloto do Team Penske conquistou o lugar na primeira fia após concluir em 2º a “Big Heat Race”, que definiu a pole position em favor do escocês Dario Franchitti, da Chip Ganassi Racing.

Esse foi um formato novo de Qualifying adotado para o Iowa Corn Indy 250 Grand Prix, composto de três corridas curtas, com 30 voltas cada, definindo as posições de 1º a 25º, com formação dos grupos a partir do resultado do Practice 2. Ao chegar em 3º nessa prática, Castroneves assegurou um lugar na disputa pela pole e pôde avançar um posto em relação ao seu lugar original de partida para a corrida classificatória.

Although he led 50 laps of the 225 Milwaukee IndyFest, Helio Castroneves finished in 6th place, at the eight race of the IZOD IndyCar Series, after adopting two-stop strategy. The race held on Saturday, June 16th, in Milwaukee Mile had its start delayed by an hour and a half because of rain, but served its normal course after the start.

“Our strategy was very good and the car was very fast in the first part of the race. It was enough to be very aggressive in most of the time and had a car to win the race. A pity that the final pieces of the puzzle did not fit so well. But 6th place was cool and have more next Saturday in Iowa, “said Castroneves, already focused on the June 23rd race at Iowa Speedway, ninth race of the championship.

Embora tenha liderado 50 das 225 voltas da Milwaukee IndyFest, Helio Castroneves terminou a oitava etapa do IZOD IndyCar Series em 6º lugar, após adotar estratégia de duas paradas. A disputa realizada neste sábado, 6, no Milwaukee Mile teve seu início retardado em uma hora e meia por causa da chuva, mas cumpriu seu transcurso normal a partir do momento da largada, às 16h00 no horário do Brasil e 2:00 pm no estado de Visconsin.

“Nossa estratégia era muito boa e o carro estava muito rápido na primeira parte da corrida. Deu para ser bastante agressivo na maior parte do tempo e tinha um carro para vencer a prova. Uma pena que no final as peças desse quebra-cabeça não se encaixaram tão bem. Mas vamos que vamos, o 6º lugar foi legal e sábado que vem tem mais em Iowa”, disse Castroneves, já focado na corrida do dia 23 no Iowa Speedway, nona etapa do campeonato.

Helio Castroneves will race on Saturday the eighth race of the IZOD IndyCar Series at Milwaukee Mile, a one mile oval located in the city of West Allis, in Wisconsin. It was on this almost 100 year old track, where racing began in 1903, that Helio got the first podium of his career in Indy.

Back in 1998, in his rookie year in the then Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), Castroneves raced with the Bettenhausen Motorsports team, with a Reynard Mercedes Goodyear No. 16, and on May 31st he crossed the finish line in 2nd, which was also known as his best result in years.

“It was a very special day and I’ll never forget it. On the last lap, I was out of fuel and crossed the finish line in momentum. It was by very little that I did not lose the position for Al Unser Jr.,” Castroneves said, recalling the fact that the Al Unser Junior, a Team Penske driver then, finished in the 3rd position with a difference of 0s033 to the Brazilian, who had just turned 23 years of age. The winner of that race was Jimmy Vasser, with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Helio Castroneves disputa neste sábado a oitava etapa do IZOD IndyCar Series no Milwaukee Mile, oval de uma milha localizado na cidade de West Allis, no estado norte-americano de Wisconsin. Foi justamente nesse centenário circuito, com atividades iniciadas em 1903, onde ele conquistou o primeiro pódio de sua carreira na Indy.

Naquela 1998, seu ano de estreia na então Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), Castroneves corria pela equipe Bettenhausen Motorsports, com um Reynard Mercedes Goodyear nº 16, e no dia 31 de maio cruzou a linha de chegada em 2º, naquele que também foi sei melhor resultado no ano.

“Foi um dia muito especial e nunca vou esquecer. Na última volta, eu fiquei sem combustível e cruzei a linha de chegada no embalo. Foi por uma coisinha de nada que não perdi a posição para o Al Unser Jr.”, disse Castroneves, lembrando o fato de o então piloto do Team Penske chegar em 3º com uma diferença de 0s033 para o brasileiro, que acabara de completar 23 anos de idade. O vencedor foi Jimmy Vasser, da Chip Ganassi Racing.

Depois de enfrentar dificuldades no Qualifying, que lhe relegaram ao 17º posto para a largada, Helio Castroneves fez neste sábado uma corrida constante e de evolução no Texas Motor Speedway, chegando em 7º lugar na sétima etapa do IZOD IndyCar Series, em Fort Worth, Texas. A vitória foi conquistada pelo inglês Justin Wilson, da Dale Coyne Racing.

Largando de trás, Castroneves iniciou a prova com ritmo forte e foi galgando posições, chegando inclusive a andar em 2º entre as voltas 193 e 196 da prova de 228 voltas ou 550 km pelo oval de 1,5 milha.

Essa performance ascendente foi mantida mesmo com o problema que teve no quarto de seus cinco pit stops. Já andando em 6º, Castroneves teve sua manobra atrapalhada pelo piloto Josef Newgarden, que errou o pit da Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing e parou justamente no lugar destinado ao carro #3 do Team Penske. Essa confusão custou ao brasileiro quatro posições.

Na fase final, quando chegou a disputar a ponta com seu companheiro de equipe Ryan Briscoe, optou por uma pilotagem mais conservadora, uma vez que o balanço do carro já não era o mesmo e uma tocada mais dura poderia provocar um acidente.

“Olha, a coisa não começou muito boa aqui no Texas, não. Mas todos nós do Team Penske trabalhamos bastante e conseguimos um bom resultado na prova para o AAA Insurance Dallara Chevrolet, se comparado com o Qualifying. O negócio agora é manter essa evolução para o próximo sábado”, disse Castroneves, referindo-se à etapa de Milwaukee, oval que sediará a oitava etapa do campeonato no próximo sábado, 16.

Foto por Steve Swope.

After facing difficulties in Qualifying, which relegated a 17th position start, Helio Castroneves made a come back during the race on Saturday at the Texas Motor Speedway, coming in 7th place in the seventh race of the IZOD IndyCar Series in Fort Worth, Texas . The checkered flag was taken by Justin Wilson from Dale Coyne Racing.

After starting far back, Castroneves began the race in a strong rhythm and was climbing positions, and leaded in 2nd place between laps 193 and 196 on the 228 laps or 550 km by 1.5 miles oval.

This performance was maintained even after the problem he encountered in the fourth pit stop. While racing in 6th position, Castroneves had a mishap when driver Josef Newgarden, who missed the location to his Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing and stopped instead in the place of the #3 car for Team Penske. This confusion cost the Brazilian four positions.

In the final phase, when disputing first place with his teammate Ryan Briscoe, Helio chose a more conservative driving, since the balance of the car was no longer the same, and a tougher attempt could have caused an accident.

“Yeah, things did not start very good here in Texas. But all of us at Team Penske worked hard and got a good result in the end of the race for the AAA Insurance Dallara Chevrolet, if comparing to the Qualifying. The idea now is to keep advancing for next Saturday,” said Castroneves, referring to the race in Milwaukee, the oval track that will host the eighth race of the championship on Saturday, 16.

Photo by Steve Swope.

“Great opportunity to charge from the back.” While adopting an aggressive strategy at Texas Motor Speedway, Helio Castroneves will compete in the 7th race of the IZOD IndyCar Series with his Dallara Team Penske Chevrolet DW12.

The event will be held tonight from 8:50PM (EST), with 228 laps of the 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth (TX).

The average of his two laps for Qualifying, Castroneves reached 213.402 mph, which put him in 17th position on the grid. However, he will start 16th, since Mike Conway will be serving a penalty of 10 grid positions (for changing an engine).

“I have to charge to the front,” summed up Castroneves, who has won three times at Texas Motor Speedway (2004, 2006 and 2009).

The race is live at NBC Sports at 8:50pm (EST).

“Grande oportunidade de sair lá de trás para chegar na frente”. É dessa forma, revelando uma estratégia agressiva no Texas Motor Speedway, que Helio Castroneves encarará a sétima etapa do IZOD IndyCar Series com o seu Dallara DW12 Chevrolet do Team Penske. A prova será realizada neste sábado a partir das 21h45 (horário brasileiro), com 228 voltas no oval de 1.5 milha de Fort Worth (TX).

Na média de suas duas voltas lançadas no Qualifying, Castroneves obteve 213.402 mph, que o colocou na 17ª posição no grid. Entretanto, largará um posto à frente, visto a punição imposta a Mike Conway (perda de dez posições por troca de motor). “O negócio é ir para cima”, resumiu Castroneves, que já venceu três vezes no Texas Motor Speedway (2004, 2006 e 2009).

After having his name given to a “pastel” (brazilian empanada) in Sao Paulo, during the Sao Paulo Indy 300, Helio Castroneves now also is sharing his name with a sandwich in Texas. The initiative came from the restaurant chain Weinberger’s Deli and the promoters of the Firestone 550, the seventh race of the IZOD IndyCar Series, which will be held this Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. While “Pastel Castroneves”, created in Mercadão Central in Sao Paulo, is filled with smoked turkey breast, soft cheese spread and leeks, the culinary tribute in Texas is going down a different path. Made with toasted pumpernickel bread, the Helio Ham has hot grilled ham, basil mayonnaise, red onions, butterchip pickled jalapeño and swiss cheese. “I’ll be honest, it is impossible to know which is the most delicious, the “pastel” from São Paulo or the sandwich from Texas. It’s best to eat them both,” suggested the Team Penske driver, who will start preparing for the oval race in Forth Worth this Friday, June 8th.

Depois de virar nome de pastel em São Paulo, por ocasião da São Paulo Indy 300, Helio Castroneves também passa, a partir de hoje, a nomear sanduíche no Texas. A iniciativa foi da rede de lanchonetes Weinberger’s Deli e dos promotores da Firestone 550, sétima etapa do IZOD IndyCar Series, que será realizada neste sábado no Texas Motor Speedway.

Enquanto o Pastel Castroneves, criado no Mercadão Central de São Paulo, leva em sua receita peito de peru defumado, requeijão e alho poró, a homenagem gastronômica no Texas enveredou por outro caminho. Em pão de centeiro integral tostado, o Helio Ram leva presunto, maionese de manjericão, cebolas roxas, pimenta japapeno em conserva e queijo suíço.

“Vou ser sincero, é impossível saber qual é o mais gostoso, se o pastel de São Paulo ou o sanduíche do Texas. O negócio é comer os dois”, recomentou o piloto do Team Penske, que inicia nesta sexta-feira, 8, as atividades no oval de Fort Worth, cidade localizada nas cercanias de Dallas.

Helio Castroneves suffered consequences due to track issues that took place at the streets of Belle Isle in the Detroit Grand Prix and finished 17th place, a position very different from the one he was holding when the race was intercepted by a red flag.

After qualifying in 9th position, the Team Penske driver moved up one position on the grid due to the loss of ten positions by Graham Rahal, who would start in front of Helio but was penalized for an engine change.

At the start of the race, Castroneves quickly moved up one position and was climbing positions fast, even with the characteristics of the track, that has few passing points. He was in the 5th position when racing officials decided to pull a red flag and stop the race in lap 45, as they saw the detachment of rubber compound that was used to eliminate some cracks on the track.

After applying quick-drying asphalt and attempting a repair, the race resumed with a shortened total finish number of 60 laps instead of the 90 as it was the initial plan. Some accidents occurred at this second phase of the race and one of them was Castroneves’ Dallara Chevrolet’s front wing was damaged. Once he returned to the track, there was no more time left to advance.

“What happened was such a shame. My car was very good and the event is to be congratulated for working so well with the ability to react fast before a problem as we had here. In the final part of the race, unfortunately, I lost control of the car and could not regain the positions I had been in the early part of the race,” said Castroneves, who will racing next Saturday in Texas.