Helio Castroneves Tag

By INDYCAR INDIANAPOLIS – The first day of qualifying for the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil was its typical emotional roller coaster. It was filled with nail-biting four-lap attempts, rain delays that ruined strategies, last-minute bids to bump into the field of 33 and ultimate heartbreak for those left on the outside looking in. The cars and drivers that will start the race on May 27 were established in qualifying on Saturday. Two drivers – Verizon IndyCar Series regular James Hinchcliffe and Indy-only pilot Pippa Mann –Read More

By IMSA Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Fans of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will have a few “home teams” to root on this weekend in qualifications for the 102nd Indianapolis 500. The 35-car entry list includes a host of regular IndyCar drivers who have competed in WeatherTech Championship races over the years, and a handful of drivers and teams who are active participants in IMSA this year. Leading the way is Helio Castroneves, who got his month of May off to a fantastic start at Mid-Ohio on MayRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — Graham Rahal led Thursday’s practice ahead of the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 in the second-busiest day of track activity so far. Rahal’s No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda turned 102 laps but the fastest was the second lap at 226.047 mph. That lap was assisted with a tow but Rahal unfortunately could not get a proper solo run in and was 34th on the unassisted speed chart. “Every qualifying sim I did today everybody came out in front of me, saidRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — Helio Castroneves’s brief return to open wheel racing has so far been a success after the new sports car driver finished sixth in Saturday’s INDYCAR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course as teammate Will Power scored Team Penske’s 200th IndyCar win. After an early stop, Castroneves was able to advance through the field on fresher tires as others pitted. “It was just like I never left, it was a great strategy from the team,” said Castroneves. “We started on the blacks,Read More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — Friday practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series concluded in preparation for Saturday’s INDYCAR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Will Power is the man to beat. The No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet topped the time sheet in both sessions with a fastest lap of 1 minute, 10.0866 seconds in the first session. Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi was second in the No. 27 NAPA Auto Parts Honda while the Ed Carpenter Racing rookie Jordan King was third in the No.Read More

By IMSA Wire Service LEXINGTON, Ohio – The Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio was all about Acura Team Penske from the first practice session of the weekend on Friday through the checkered flag on Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race. Every pre-race practice session ended with both of the team’s Acura ARX-05 Daytona Prototype international (DPi) cars sitting 1-2 on the time charts. In Saturday’s qualifying session, Helio Castroneves took the Motul Pole Award in the No. 7 Acura DPi, nipping teammate Dane Cameron in the No.Read More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio — It was only a matter of time. After four races that ended in disappointment, Acura Team Penske finally made good on their promising team lineup with a dominant drive to victory in the Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor led the way, with Taylor securing the victory after a long closing stint. The pairing of Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron followed to give Penske the top two positions at race’s end. Afterwards, the 28-year-oldRead More

By Aaron Bearden. Contributing Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio — The Acura Team Penske domination continued into Sunday morning at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, as Helio Castroneves led a sweep of the top two spots by the organization’s two entries in the morning warmup for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Castroneves’ lap of 1:14.124 in the No. 7 Acura ARX-05 stood as the quickest time in the session, with teammate Dane Cameron following in the No. 6 Acura ARC-05 with a 1:14.389. The two Team Penske entires have paced every session and will roll off onRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio — Acura Team Penske have continued their reign at the top of the time sheet by sweeping the front row for Sunday’s Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Helio Castroneves wheeled his No. 7 Acura DPi around the 2.258 mile natural terrain road course with a lap of 1 minute, 11.837 seconds with teammate Dane Cameron in the No. 6 going .147 seconds slower. Mazda locked out the second row with the No. 77 ahead of the 55 while Cadillac hasRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio — The IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship returned to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for this weekend’s Acura Sports Car Challenge and Friday practice brought about some interesting results on the time sheets. The Friday morning practice session had dry conditions and the Acura Team Penske DPi machines were 1-2 with Ricky Taylor setting a fastest lap of 1 minute, 13.601 seconds in the No. 7 ahead of Juan Montoya in the No. 6. Cadillacs were three of the next four cars on the timeRead More