INDIANAPOLIS, 25 May 2003 — Brazilian Helio Castroneves attempts to become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 three times in succession today, but the field is full of would-be spoilers.
The 28-year-old, driving a Dallara/Toyota for the powerful Penske Racing Team, is also seeking a record 13th victory for a team at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“It’s a 3 1/2 hour race, with six or seven pit stops. I don’t think we want to change our strategy,” he said recalling his consecutive victories.
Castroneves won his first pole here at the fastest speed in six years and starts as favorite, but if anyone knows how fickle the Speedway is you only have to look at Michael Andretti who will retire after today’s race.
Andretti leads all active drivers with 398 laps led, and, yet hasn’t tasted the traditional winner’s milk.
Speaking at the track on Friday he said: “I’m not even thinking about it as my last race. I’m still very, very focused on it being just another race that I’m trying to win.”
Andretti and two partners have bought out the assets of Barry Green to field a powerful four-car Dallara/Honda effort called Andretti/Green Racing.
Tony Kanaan, of Brazil, starts second while Robby Gordon, now a NASCAR regular, will make his fourth attempt to do the double, adding a 600-mile Winston Cup race that evening.
Dan Wheldon, the exciting rookie from Britain, the first Englishman since Nigel Mansell to race here offers great promise. Andretti qualified 13th lowest of the team.
Gil de Ferran, Castroneves’ compatriot and teammate, has switched to the Panoz G Force chassis, after a brief comparison test.
“I was fast in qualifying and race trim in both cars. Now we can focus on just one car, which is what’s really going to give us the edge,” said the twice CART champion.
In 2000 Chip Ganassi brought Juan Pablo Montoya to the Speedway who ran away from the competition. This year he brings fourth fastest qualifier, Scott Dixon, from New Zealand, and twelfth place Tomas Scheckter, the South African son of World Champion Jody Scheckter in Panoz G Force Toyotas.
Team Rahal has a Dallara/Honda for 1999 winner Kenny Brack in the sixth starting spot and another one for 1996 CART champion, Jimmy Vasser.
