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http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20060813&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=608130455&Template=printart
SPARTA, Ky. -- A week after watching Helio Castroneves pass him in the point standings, Sam Hornish Jr. watched Castroneves pass him on the scoring pylon for the pole position for today's Meijer Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway.
"I think the guy that finished second (in qualifying) is going to win," Hornish said, smiling afterward.
The two-team race for the Indy Racing League series championship continued yesterday as the drivers from Marlboro Team Penske dominated time trials while Target Chip Ganassi's Dan Wheldon finished third.
Andretti Green Racing's Tony Kanaan finished fourth.
Castroneves posted a lap at 218.328 mph to earn his third consecutive pole and his fifth of the season. It was Marlboro Team Penske's first pole at Kentucky Speedway, and the 1-2 start by Castroneves and Hornish gives Penske it's fifth of the season.
"I'm going to enjoy the moment," Castroneves said, grinning. "It'll be a good night."
The Meijer Indy 300 starts at 3:45 p.m.
Hornish held the top spot at 218.307 mph until Castroneves' qualifying run. Wheldon (217.003) was third and Tony Kanaan (216.766) fourth.
"It was a pretty fast car for a while," Kanaan said. "We didn't work on the qualifying."
Most of the drivers who had remembered a bumpy track said this year the track felt smoother. Hornish guessed it was as smooth as it had been since it was new pavement.
Castroneves said the smoother track would help his chances and make the race less unpredictable than it was in previous years.
"It will help everyone; it will help me," Castroneves said.
An unpredictable run could shake the point situation as today's race will continue the tightest IRL title chase since 2002. Just eight points separate Castroneves and Hornish, and Castroneves is only 17 points ahead of third-place Wheldon.
With top-five finishes in four of his past five starts, Wheldon seems to be gaining momentum. The Ganassi driver notched the fastest lap in yesterday's first practice, 218.612 mph.
"We need to make sure we finish ahead of the Penske guys," Wheldon said.
But a smoother race could be good news for Castroneves, who is chasing his first IRL championship.
Hornish had the series lead until last week, when a water pump broke on his Dallara Honda and he finished last. That caused him to drop 38 points to second place and allowed Castroneves to take the lead.
"He's only eight points ahead of me," Hornish said. "I don't even need his water pump to break. I could just beat him to pass him."
SPARTA, Ky. -- A week after watching Helio Castroneves pass him in the point standings, Sam Hornish Jr. watched Castroneves pass him on the scoring pylon for the pole position for today's Meijer Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway.
"I think the guy that finished second (in qualifying) is going to win," Hornish said, smiling afterward.
The two-team race for the Indy Racing League series championship continued yesterday as the drivers from Marlboro Team Penske dominated time trials while Target Chip Ganassi's Dan Wheldon finished third.
Andretti Green Racing's Tony Kanaan finished fourth.
Castroneves posted a lap at 218.328 mph to earn his third consecutive pole and his fifth of the season. It was Marlboro Team Penske's first pole at Kentucky Speedway, and the 1-2 start by Castroneves and Hornish gives Penske it's fifth of the season.
"I'm going to enjoy the moment," Castroneves said, grinning. "It'll be a good night."
The Meijer Indy 300 starts at 3:45 p.m.
Hornish held the top spot at 218.307 mph until Castroneves' qualifying run. Wheldon (217.003) was third and Tony Kanaan (216.766) fourth.
"It was a pretty fast car for a while," Kanaan said. "We didn't work on the qualifying."
Most of the drivers who had remembered a bumpy track said this year the track felt smoother. Hornish guessed it was as smooth as it had been since it was new pavement.
Castroneves said the smoother track would help his chances and make the race less unpredictable than it was in previous years.
"It will help everyone; it will help me," Castroneves said.
An unpredictable run could shake the point situation as today's race will continue the tightest IRL title chase since 2002. Just eight points separate Castroneves and Hornish, and Castroneves is only 17 points ahead of third-place Wheldon.
With top-five finishes in four of his past five starts, Wheldon seems to be gaining momentum. The Ganassi driver notched the fastest lap in yesterday's first practice, 218.612 mph.
"We need to make sure we finish ahead of the Penske guys," Wheldon said.
But a smoother race could be good news for Castroneves, who is chasing his first IRL championship.
Hornish had the series lead until last week, when a water pump broke on his Dallara Honda and he finished last. That caused him to drop 38 points to second place and allowed Castroneves to take the lead.
"He's only eight points ahead of me," Hornish said. "I don't even need his water pump to break. I could just beat him to pass him."