Oak Park Newspaper

May 12, 2007

Helio Castroneves Waits until the Last Second to Find Himself the Pole
Winner.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
CASTRONEVES CLAIMS POLE FOR 91st INDIANAPOLIS 500

Saturday, May 12, 2007 ...Drama & excitement kept both fans and drivers on the edge of their seats today. The weather could not have been better… Sunny skies, and nearly no wind. I asked myself.. “Are we at Indy?” The past two years, Pole day was disrupted by rain and cool temperatures. In fact, this was the best weather here since 2001.

Helio Castroneves claimed the AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award for the 91st Indianapolis 500, capping a dramatic Pole Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Castroneves initially qualified fourth, but took advantage of the qualifying format to withdraw his time and re-qualify. With eight minutes left in the day, Castroneves took the top spot with a four-lap average speed of 225.817 mph.

This is Helio Castroneves’ third AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award this Season and the 19th pole position of his IndyCar Series career, extending his series record for career poles.

Castroneves won his third pole in four IndyCar Series events. He
Previously won poles at St. Petersburg and Twin Ring Motegi.

This is Castroneves’ second Indianapolis 500 pole position and his
second consecutive front-row start at Indianapolis. He won the pole in 2003.

Helio Castroneves was awarded $100,000 for winning the pole position for the Indianapolis 500. AAMCO Transmissions awards $10,000 to the pole winner at every other IndyCar Series event this season.

The two-time Indianapolis 500 champion then withstood a late charge from Tony Kanaan who qualified with a four-lap average of 225.757.

Tony Kanaan qualified second, his third front-row start at Indianapolis.

Kanaan has never qualified outside the top five for the Indianapolis
500.

Dario Franchitti, who held the top spot for nearly the whole day, ended up third on the grid with a four-lap average of 225.191 mph.

Dario Franchitti qualified third, matching his career-best start at
Indianapolis in 2004.

All five Andretti Green Racing cars qualified inside the top-11. It is
the first time an entrant has place five cars in the first 11 in Indianapolis 500 history.

Scott Dixon (225.122 mph), defending Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish (225.109 mph) and IndyCar Series points leader Dan Wheldon (224.641 mph) make up the second row.

No driver was on edge more than Michael Andretti ..The veteran owner/driver survived several final-hour attempts to knock him out
of the field.

Second-day qualifying will take place Sunday to fill positions 12-22 in
the 33-car starting lineup.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King was the honorary starter of todays
Morning practice session.

“It’s been unreal. The speeds are unbelievable. When Mel (Harder) took me around in the Corvette I don’t think he went very fast, but it was the beginning of understanding how fast is ‘fast,’ probably only 110 (mph) or something like that. I loved it.

It was great doing the flags. You just concentrate and wave it. I was trying to visualize, if I were in the car, how soon would I have to see that flag. They’re going so fast, so you have to start so early. As soon as I saw them at the end of the track (Turn 4), I thought, ‘I’d better start waving because they’re going to be here before you know it’ I just kept waving the darned thing because they just kept coming. But it was really fun; the speeds are phenomenal, and the noise.”

Your overall impression of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

“Watching it on TV for so many years and listening to Lyn St. James and Janet Guthrie, I had the privilege to talk to Danica (Patrick), Sarah Fisher. It takes a lot of nerves of steel to do this, and it’s fantastic. I’m really appreciative that Lyn St. James has been trying
to get me here since ’92. It’s a tough time of the year for me because tennis is going this time of year, in May, plus I do a lot of other things. It’s so great to be here, the place is so huge, and I know there’s 400,000 people here race time. I can’t wait to spend some time around here.”

INDIANAPOLIS - Qualifying Saturday for the 91st Indianapolis 500 IndyCar Series event on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with starting position, car number in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine and speed:

1. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 225.817

2. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 225.757

3. (27) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 225.191

4. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 225.122

5. (6) Sam Hornish Jr., Dallara-Honda, 225.109

6. (10) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 224.641

7. (12) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 224.410

8. (7) Danica Patrick, Dallara-Honda, 224.076

9. (26) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 223.299

10. (2) Tomas Scheckter, Dallara-Honda, 222.877

11. (39) Michael Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 222.789

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