CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
101ST RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE RECAP
MAY 28, 2017
Castroneves Leads Chevrolet with Runner-up Finish in Indianapolis 500
• Three-time race winner charges from the 19th starting position
• Four Team Chevy drivers place in the top 10 and seven in top 15
• Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya finishes sixth
• Gabby Chaves claims ninth place for first-time entrant Harding Racing
INDIANAPOLIS (May 28, 2017) – Helio Castroneves’ charge in the final 10 laps of the 101st Indianapolis 500 nearly earned the popular Brazilian driver a record-tying fourth victory.
After starting 19th in the No. 3 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet, Castroneves overtook two competitors over the three laps following a Lap 189 restart and bolted to the lead on Lap 194, which drew the crowd of 300,000 to their collective feet. His effort over 200 laps on the historic 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval eventually fell two-tenths of a second short of joining Rick Mears, A.J. Foyt and Al Unser in the four-win fraternity.
Takuma Sato became the first driver from Japan to win the race that featured a record 15 different leaders.
“I want more than anything to get the fourth one for everyone. Believe me, I’m trying,” said Castroneves, who was competing in his 333rd career Indy car race. “Chevy did a great job. I really thought we had it. It was back and forth, back and forth, and exciting for the fans. I think I bent the throttle so hard. The Shell Fuel Rewards car was really good.
“We worked together; we fight together. A great team effort. I will not give up this dream. I know it’s going to happen.”
Four Team Chevy entries finished in the top 10. Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya, who started 18th in the No. 22 Fitzgerald Glider Kits Team Penske Chevrolet, placed sixth. Gabby Chaves finished ninth after starting 25th in the No. 88 Chevrolet for first-time entrant Harding Racing, while Carlos Munoz finished 10th in the No. 14 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet after starting 24th.
Castroneves led eight laps to surpass 300 over his 17 Indy 500 starts. He also has been the runner-up in 2003 and ’14.
The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on June 2-4 is the next event on the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule. The 70-lap doubleheader race weekend – the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit — on the 2.34-mile, 12-turn temporary street circuit on Belle Isle will be telecast by ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET both days. Chevrolet swept the races in 2016. Castroneves earned his first Indy car racing victory at Belle Isle in 2000.
An interview with Indianapolis 500 runner-up HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 SHELL FUEL REWARDS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
Q: TAKE US THROUGH YOUR RACE.
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Well, congrats to Takuma Sato, great job winning the Indianapolis 500. He came close once with Dario, now he finally made it. What can I say? My race was pretty adventurous. We have a lot of things. We started from the back. I knew I had good balance. Then we went to the front about Lap 50, then were in the top 10. Unfortunately, with the accident with (Scott) Dixon and 77 (Jay Howard), it broke a winglet and broke the front wing because it went off the track. I don’t know how, to be honest. It was a good save, I have to say that. This place brings the best out of me. It was pretty good.
Then we had to go back to the 23rd position again. Then I had a good start. They call green. I went. But they said I jumped the start. Very disappointed on that one. I would like to see some reviews. Hopefully they can convince me that I did jump the start. We made the drive-through (penalty), went back again. Got off sync, about to be a lap down and then finally we got a break with the yellow. Got in sync, were able to make some moves again, pass a lot of people. The car was really strong, even with the winglet broken, the car was really strong. Unfortunately, you know, there was that issue.
When I was seeing each Honda going away, I’m like, Here we go. That’s what I said. But they gave the good engine to (Fernando) Alonso, but they gave the meaning engine to Takuma Sato. That was a good one. I tried everything I could with three laps to go, two laps to go. I went outside. Unfortunately, my tires were overshot a little bit. I would have end up in the wall. I thought was good timing because I would try to make a move again. Man, he just took off and that’s it. That was my last chance.
Really disappointed for the fans, for obviously my team. They gave me a great car. I did everything I could, trust me, everything I could. Unfortunately, second place is the best for us today.
Q: Helio, what did you see of the flying car? Pretty much you drove right under it.
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Flying? I saw they were flying. I duck, I close my eyes. When I open, I was in the grass. Hold on, you know. No, I saw the 77 on the gray. I knew he would bounce back, that for sure, because it happened long time ago, I don’t know, 2011, I think, almost caught me. I knew that would be a thing. When I saw Dixon, I say, OK, he might be in trouble.
So I was already moving to the left. But the car, when they connect, they came in the pace so fast towards me in the air, wow, I really throw the car into the inside. All of a sudden, I just saw the grass. I mean, I was in the grass. Actually, there was a hump. I don’t know what happened, the car just jumped. I’m kind of like, Hold on, you know. I thought, OK, look around. Everything is fine. When we stopped because of the red flag, we noticed that there was the winglet broken and the front wing was broken, too.
Q: Helio, last five or ten laps, how much did that feel like 2014? And why or why not?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Man, it was different. It was different. 2014 we had something more. I’m just look, he did a 221.5 his last lap. By myself I was doing 220 .0. They were a mile and a half faster than us.
2014, probably a half mile an hour, maybe 0.7. You could see for me was really, really strong. Especially when you pass, they back off, lift off. When they come back, they come back really strong.
Actually, when I went past, I think three laps to go, on the outside, I knew I would make it. As soon as I start turning, the car start pushing. I’m like, Oh, this is going to be a problem. Then I thought it would create momentum for us, but unfortunately not even that. I wasn’t even able to get that. So really a shame, really disappointed for that.
Q: WAS RUNNER-UP TOUGH TO ACCEPT?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Yes, it’s tough to accept. After so many things happen, that’s at least give you the perspective that I did my best. I really push it. The guys did a phenomenal job. We drove our heart, no question. The good news, sounds like we’re leading the championship. Hey, there is always a positive note. I think that it is very positive.
Yes, finishing second again sucks. So close to get the fourth. I really am trying. I will not give up this dream. I know it’s going to happen.
Q: Helio, talk a little bit about the first pass you made. I think you got him in three there late in the race. You came back around, were going after him again. I think that was in one. Talk about the difference, maybe why you didn’t wait for three again.
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Man, I made so many passes, now I’m kind of like confusing. I passed Takuma Sato outside Turn 3 for the lead? No, was 8, (Max) Chilton. I think was Chilton.
The thing is, with Chilton, I was pretty distant. The Andretti guys, they were really strong. If I did make a pass, probably because Chilton was in front, was actually helping me to get a little bit of a draft. That’s why I made the pass. But I could not. Turn 2 was really good, back straight was really good. Unfortunately, I was not able to do it. Trust me, I was really trying.
Q: Helio, you just watched a replay of going under Dixon. What is your reaction now that you’ve seen yourself?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Pretty impressive, I have to say. I was like, Wow. See, he was passing me even before the finish line. There was not even a chance. Anyway, yeah, I’m not sure if his front nose touched the winglet. I was pretty lucky to avoid that. I’m glad he’s okay, because it was a pretty nasty accident.
Q: You had the famous quote on Thursday, If the Honda’s go full blast, they will not last. Are you sitting there with fingers crossed?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: They had 20 engines. I’m like, Man, I hope none of them last. Unfortunately, one end up winning. Yep, I knew it, at least one would make it. I have to say Takuma Sato prevail.
Q: Helio, on the last run you had going in, kind of a late run on the outside, it didn’t stick. Was there any regret on your part at that point that maybe you didn’t wait for a better opportunity? Was that pretty much the only chance there was?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Well, very good observation. I had the feeling the car would run off. He was behind. Still three laps to go, or that was the third lap. I remember Roger (Penske) said something. First, I don’t think I would make it. Second, I think I would put myself in a very bad position to fight for the last two laps. So I have to thinking, you know, knowledge, try again on the second one.
Unfortunately, I mean, I couldn’t do it. The car just start pushing a little bit. It just didn’t suck in. I was very surprised, to be honest, because I thought at least was going to be very similar to what happened to 2014. But didn’t even do that. That was a shame.
Q: Helio, 2003, you came up short; 2014, you came up short. If you looking back, if you can compare these three losses.
HELIO CASTRONEVES: The first one, 2003. I knew that A.J. Foyt Jr. would back off that much in Turn 2, I would go for it. That basically made me lose the race. Obviously, I was about three, four seconds ahead, or two seconds ahead of Gil (de Ferran). It was so bad that I have to slow down to third gear so that we don’t crash. Obviously, Gil came with the momentum and passed me. That would be the biggest one.
Now, ’14 and today, I did everything in my power, in the Chevy power that we had, to make it happen. Unfortunately, it came short again.
Q: Helio, all the trips we used to make over to Motegi, you would see what a huge following Takuma Sato had in Japan.
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Yeah.
Q: The guy was known as a crasher a lot of times in this series. When he signed with Andretti, did you say, That might be the final ingredient he needs to start winning a lot of races?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Listen, Takuma Sato is a veteran, a great driver. He has a lot of misses. But when he get it, he get it, and not only in qualifying and racing. But today was his day. I didn’t pick up anything different about signing with the Honda team.
But he did a great job. Just proved that age is just a number, because he’s probably around 40, correct? There we go, see. I’m telling you guys. You guys think, Hey, you old, you old. We get better when we get old. I’m glad he’s over the hump, showing we still can win races and be competitive.