Castroneves crew tops

INDIANAPOLIS – Team Penske’s crews are just as dominant in the pits as its drivers are on the track.

Led by chief mechanic Rick Rinaman, Helio Castroneves’ crew beat Penske teammate Sam Hornish Jr.’s crew in final round of the Indianapolis 500 pit stop contest. Friday’s victory was worth $50,000 to the team, and Castroneves added a surprise gift of a $1,500 watch to each crew member.

“These guys are just incredible,” said Castroneves, who will start Sunday’s race from the pole.

In the final, Castroneves’ crew changed all four tires and simulated a refueling in 8.335 seconds, beating the Hornish crew time of 8.888 seconds. Castroneves’ semifinal win against Scott Sharp’s Rahal Letterman crew was in 7.677 seconds, the fastest stop in the contest’s 31-year history.

“Today was a great learning curve for us,” Castroneves said. “We were very prepared, not only out there (on the track) but in the pit stops. You just saw that. This year, the pit stops are going to be a big key here, so everything is going to be so tight.”

It was the third consecutive and a record 10th pit-stop victory overall for Penske, including Hornish in 2005 and Castroneves last year and this year. Penske drivers also have won the race a record 14 times, including Hornish a year ago.

“We come here with three races in mind: the run for the pole, and the pit stop is as high up there for everybody as the pole run, and then the race,” Rinaman said. “We’re not quite there yet. We’ve got one more to do. This puts us into the race with a lot of confidence in ourselves.”

KANAAN ABLE

Tony Kanaan can’t be bothered with the past. He just wants another shot at winning the Indianapolis 500.

“I don’t want to waste my time thinking what can go wrong,” Kanaan said after leading the traditional one-hour “Carburetion Day” practice with a fast lap of 225.467 mph. “I’d rather think about what I can do to have the best race I can have.”

Kanaan will start between pole-winner and countryman Castroneves and Andretti Green Racing teammate Dario Franchitti in the front row Sunday, and he’s considered by many the best of at least 11 top contenders in the 91st edition of the 500.

“You have to just try to be there at the end,” former IndyCar Series champion said Kanaan said. “We have a good car, but it’s a long race.

“Winning might happen, or it might not happen. That won’t be the end of my life. If it happens, fine. If it doesn’t happen, how many drivers can say they almost won this race?”

That includes Kanaan, who after crashing out in 2002, finished second in 2004 and third in 2003. He added finishes of eighth and fifth the past two years.

“Really, the only near miss I had was in 2002, though, when I was in the lead and gone, and I spun in (Bruno) Junqueira’s oil when they didn’t throw the yellow fast enough,” said Kanaan, who will be making his sixth start on the 2.5-mile Brickyard oval.

YASUKAWA’S REGRET

Roger Yasukawa’s only regret was not getting a chance to qualify on the first weekend.

A last-minute addition to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Yasukawa, 29, had only three days of practice but was the fastest in the final two days of qualifications. Sunday’s race will be his first IRL start since Indy last year.

“We’ve been talking about this deal for a while,” the Californian said. “We wanted it to be something that’s not just to be in the race but to be competitive in the race.”

As a second-week qualifier, he’ll start 23rd in the 33-car lineup.

“I kind of wish that I started from the first week, but it is what it is,” he said. “The car is good. I think we’re going to be capable going forward in the race.”

Teammates Buddy Rice, the 2004 Indy winner, and Sarah Fisher will start 16th and 21st, respectively.

LLOYD WINS

England’s Alex Lloyd took the lead on the first turn, stayed in front all 40 laps and beat Chris Festa under yellow to win the Indy Pro Series’ Freedom 100.

“The car was unbelievably quick. I could keep my foot to the floor all the way around,” Lloyd, 22, said.

The victory on the 2.5-mile oval was his fourth in as many races this season. He also won the Liberty Challenge on Indy’s 2.6-mile, 13-turn road course last summer, and this victory made him the only driver to win on both track layouts.

NOTES

Friday’s entertainers included singer Kid Rock, 1999 Indy winner Kenny Brack and his rock band, and Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders.

Brack performed a song he wrote in tribute to A.J. Foyt, who owned his winning car. The lyrics included “Hey, hey, A.J., we love you!” …

John Jones, chief mechanic for driver Roberto Moreno, received the Clint Brawner award for mechanical excellence.