Castroneves Quickest for Team Chevy, Penske on Belle Isle

DETROIT (June 2, 2017) – Helio Castroneves set the fastest lap on Team Chevy’s home turf during the opening practice day for the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit – part of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix weekend. Castroneves, the championship leader in the Verizon IndyCar Series, posted a lap of 1:15.1511 (112.573 mph) in the No. 3 Hitachi Chevrolet IndyCar for Team Penske.

Castroneves is a three-time winner on Belle Isle, the site of his first career IndyCar victory in 2000. He led a group of four Chevrolet 2.2-liter, twin-turbo, V6-powered entries in the top-10 Friday.

“The Hitachi Chevy IndyCar looks really strong here,” said Castroneves, who set his quick time in the second of Friday’s two official practice sessions. “We had a good, solid car out of the truck. Along with my teammates, we’re working together so tomorrow we can repeat what we did this morning. I have a very special feeling for this place. Plus my boss (Roger Penske)… his home is here and his work is here. It’s great. This is my 18th year with Team Penske, and I’ve become good friends with a lot of his people. It’s great to have a family in Detroit cheering for you. Plus Detroit has always been nice to me.””

Simon Pagenaud, second in Verizon IndyCar Series points, was fourth-quickest Friday in the No. 1 DXC Technology Chevrolet IndyCar at 1:15.4577 (112.116 mph). Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 hum by Verizon Chevrolet for Team Penske was sixth-fastest with Team Penske’s Will Power eighth in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet.

Of the four quickest Team Chevy drivers, Castroneves and Pagenaud set their best times Friday afternoon with Newgarden and Power quicker in the morning session.
Qualifying for the first race of the Dual in Detroit is set for 10:05 a.m. ET on Saturday with the race scheduled for 3:50 p.m. ET.

DRIVER POST PRACTICE QUOTES:
Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet: “The Hitachi Chevy IndyCar looks really strong here. We had a good, solid car out of the truck. Along with my teammates, we’re working together so tomorrow we can repeat what we did this morning. I have a very special feeling for this place. Plus my boss (Roger Penske)… his home is here and his work is here. It’s great. This is my 18th year with Team Penske, and I’ve become good friends with a lot of his people. It’s great to have a family in Detroit cheering for you. Plus Detroit has always been nice to me.”

JR Hildebrand, No. 21 Fuzzy’s Vodka Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet: “My last run here was in 2012, I’ve been here a few times since then watching the race but it’s nice to be back on track! We were able to hit the ground running today. We have plenty to work on overnight, but to be in the Top 10 in the second practice, we’re definitely making improvements. I’ve got a lot of things to work on here this weekend, but I feel pretty good about everything so far. We’re just try to continue to make progress as the weekend goes along and stay out of trouble while we’re doing it.”

Conor Daly, No. 4 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet: “We made some good progress in the second session. The tires are certainly interesting this weekend on how the reds and blacks work or vice versa. I think we learned some good things today. We’re almost on the verge of being in the top 10 which is nice. We just have to continue to chip away at it.”

Spencer Pigot, No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet: “It’s nice to be back with ECR this weekend in Detroit. We had a decent first session and a bit of a messy second session on my part, so I’ll be trying to improve that for tomorrow. We also need to work on the balance but we have a good idea of what to do and I’m looking forward to qualifying tomorrow morning.”

AN INTERVIEW WITH HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:

“We are going to make it happen. The Hitachi Chevy IndyCar looks really strong here. We had a good, solid car out of the truck. Along with my teammates, we’re working together so tomorrow we can repeat what we did this morning. The good news is that we lead the championship, and that’s something I’m working very hard on. We have to continue executing and never look back.”

YOU SAID YOU LOVE IT HERE. WHY? “It started when I won my first race ever. I have a very special feeling for this place. Plus my boss (Roger Penske)… his place is here, his home is here and his work is here. It’s great. This is my 18th year with Team Penske, and I’ve become good friends with a lot of his people. It’s great to have a family in Detroit cheering for you. Plus Detroit has always been nice to me.”

WHAT WAS THE TAKEAWAY FOR YOUR DEBRIEF WITH JOSEF NEWGARDEN? “We were exchanging information. He went in another direction, and we also went in another one. All the drivers are doing something different. Tomorrow is the big day with qualifying right in the morning and the race not long after. We wanted to make sure we were feeling the same thing. So far, I believe we will have four fast machines out there.”

IN 2014, YOU WERE SECOND AT INDIANAPOLIS, CAME HERE AND WON A RACE. YOU WERE SECOND AGAIN SUNDAY, AND IF THE TREND CONTINUES YOU WILL WIN A RACE HERE. “What gives me confidence is that every time I come back here, I have the best car and best group of guys who give their best. And that’s not only here but at every place. For several reasons, this place for me brings the best out of me just like Indianapolis.”

HOW DIFFICULT IS THIS WEEKEND FROM A STRATEGIC STANDPOINT? IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOU QUALIFY WELL YOU ARE HURT BY YELLOW FLAG TIME, AND IF YOU ARE IN THE BACK YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD. HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR THE UNEXPECTED? “We definitely are looking at all the possibilities. You can only do what you think is best. Last year, we unfortunately got penalized by a yellow when we went a lap longer instead of pitting while we were in the lead. It’s difficult but we can only control things in our control. Hopefully we will be as prepared we will be as prepared as possible to put ourselves in the best possible position.”

HOW SMOOTHER DOES THE TRACK SEEM THIS YEAR. “They did a nice job sanding out the back straight. It’s completely different. I liked the way it was! But it’s great. From the airport and coming over here, you see a lot of people. That’s exactly what we need everywhere. I’m really glad to see so many people here. Belle Isle looks phenomenal.

IT MAY RAIN SUNDAY. HOW DO YOU LIKE RACING IN THE RAIN? “I don’t have a problem with it. As long as you in front, you can see! Yes there is a possibility Sunday, but I’m thinking one day a time. Tomorrow sounds like it will be pretty clear. We will do everything we can do to keep doing what we are doing and collect as many points as possible.”

YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE REALLY WORKING WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. DO YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BLISTERS ON YOUR HANDS? “No, right now there are no problems. In the past, I don’t recall having any issues with blisters. It is physical here because of the twists and turns at this place.”

WITH QUALIFYING ONLY A 12-MINUTE SESSION FOR BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, HOW MANY RUNS DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET? “Good question. This place changes so much because of the concrete. I was looking at the temperatures, and we were about 100 degrees and when clouds came over it dropped about seven degrees in 30 seconds. So it shows that the track changes temperatures quickly. Our cars are so sensitive to that, so it’s extremely important to be out at the right time and to come out of the truck with the car well setup. I’m glad we’ve done that again this year. It sounds like between the red tires and black tires, there is some difference. It will be a real treat tomorrow for sure. There will be interesting strategy for qualifying and obviously for the race, too.”