Indy Racing
Helio Castroneves took the first step to completing a “double” for the third year in a row.
The Team Penske driver will start from the pole in the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi after topping the 18-car field with a quick lap of 205.393 mph (26.6416 seconds) on the 1.5-mile oval. The speed was just off the ’04 track record (205.762) by race winner Dan Wheldon. Guess who will start alongside the two-time Indianapolis 500 champion?
Castroneves is seeking to extend to three years a trend of consecutive victories at St. Petersburg and Twin Ring Motegi. He accomplished it last year and Wheldon won both races in ’05. Last year on the mountaintop racetrack, Castroneves started from the pole (based on championship points after rain washed out qualifying) and dominated (184 of 200 laps led) in the No. 3 Honda-powered Dallara.
Though recording his IndyCar Series-leading 18th career pole – and second in a row—Castroneves shouldn’t expect to run away this time around. The top 10 qualifiers are separated by 0.2970 of a second.
“I found that speed in my pocket,” said Castroneves, who gave Team Penske its third consecutive pole at Twin Ring Motegi. “The car was perfect. This series is very, very competitive, and I know a lot people will try to beat us tomorrow.”
Among those will be Andretti Green Racing and Target Chip Ganassi Racing, who appear to have their cars dialed in to the asymmetrical circuit. Wheldon, the final qualifier, jumped to second on the grid in the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone with a best lap of 205.141 (26.6744).
“It’s obviously very good to start on the front row,” said Wheldon, who won the season opener on the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway and was runner-up to Castroneves in last year’s race at Twin Ring Motegi. “It’s going to be a very competitive race.”
AGR teammates Tony Kanaan and Danica Patrick will share Row 2, with Team Penske’s Sam Hornish Jr. (203.803) and Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon (203.753) filling out the third row.
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IndyCar Series driver Tomas Scheckter is holding a charity auction on eBay to benefit the Gift of Hearing Foundation. The winning bidder will have their name or company logo placed on Scheckter’s helmet for the Kansas Lottery Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway on April 29.
Proceeds from the final sale will be donated to The Gift of Hearing Foundation, which is dedicated to increasing access to cochlear implant surgery and services for those who have been identified as candidates for this technology.
TOMAS SCHECKTER (No. 2 Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone): “I enjoy using eBay, and I thought an auction would be a good opportunity to gain some sponsorship and raise money for the great charity I’m involved with – The Gift of Hearing Foundation. Everybody benefits from it.”
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