Season points leader Helio Castroneves took the pole today for Saturday’s Indy Japan 300 when rain washed out qualifying, his third straight top starting position on the 1.5-mile Twin Ring Motegi oval. (The race is Friday night in the United States).
“I’m sitting in the right spot in the championship to be in this situation and I’ll take it,” Castroneves said. “We feel we have a consistent car. In the last few years we were very fast here, and I feel we can continue. Once you have a good car and (qualifications) are rained out, you prevent a lot of competitors to improve. Hopefully, we can do what we did in 2006.”
In 2006, Castroneves was awarded the pole based on entrant points after qualifying was rained out, then led 184 laps en route to the 6.3-second victory.
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