BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –  Helio Castroneves ran his hand through his hair and basically said “game on” to new Team Penske teammate AJ Allmendinger’s assertion that the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and “Dancing With the Stars” champion has the second-best hair in the paddock.

Of course, Allmendinger jokingly claims his is the best.

“Well, you be the judge when we finish the race and we take the helmet off.  I think that will be the answer,” Castroneves replied with a smile. “But it's cool to have AJ around. Having AJ on the team, it's pretty fun. It's great to continue to have a good atmosphere. I'm really, really excited for 2013 to start.”

Allmendinger participated in the first of two days of an IZOD IndyCar Series Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park in the Chevrolet-powered No. 2 IZOD Team Penske car. He was 16th on the time chart at the end of the day -- less than seven-tenths of a second off the times of his front-running teammates.

He’ll compete in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama on April 5-7 and the 97th Running of the Indianapolis, with the prospect of other races.

“It’s fun at least because when I left there was still all the best there and unfortunately they were split between two series,” said Allmendinger, who won five races in Champ Car in 2004-06. “You can sit there and argue all the time, ‘OK, who’s better?’  It was a terrible argument because you couldn’t compare it. 

“To have it back to one series and to have all these guys, it’s fun to watch because you have to show up with your ‘A’ game.  If you don’t, it’s not like your fifth or sixth, you’re going to be 20th. That’s what makes it fun.  It’s good to see the guys that I raced against and I think (there is) a good mix of both. 

“There’s Dario (Franchitti) and Helio (Castroneves) and those types of guys that have been in the series for a long time that are still really fast.  Then you have the young guys like Will (Power) and (James) Hinchcliffe and RHR (Ryan Hunter-Reay) and all these guys that were really fast as young guys that have come in and they’re stars of the series. It’s a fun series and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”

Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg names grand marshal

The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg – the IZOD IndyCar Series’ season opener March 24 -- has named U.S. Army Specialist and St. Petersburg resident Charlie Lemon as the grand marshal.

SPC Lemon is a double-amputee combat veteran and local ambassador for Wish for Our Heroes, a national charity focused on assisting military members faced with hardship.
 
Susie Wheldon, wife of the late IZOD IndyCar Series driver Dan Wheldon, will wave the green flag and participate in the pre-race ceremonies.

Quicken Loans returns as Team Penske associate sponsor

Quicken Loans will be an associate sponsor of the Team Penske Nos. 3 and 12 cars for the season. It also is the presenting sponsor of the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit, which is part of the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix on May 31-June 2.

The “Duals” is the first doubleheader race weekend in IZOD IndyCar Series history.

Quicken Loans was a sponsor on the Team Penske cars of Castroneves and Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran in 2003.

Of note

Some drivers practiced standing starts, utilizing the light system set up at pit out during the first day of the Open Test at Barber. Standing starts will be used at Race 1 of the doubleheader weekends at Toronto and Houston. … The Chevrolet and Honda engines the teams have installed for the test count toward their 10,000-mile total for the season. An unapproved engine change-out here will result in a 10-grid spot penalty for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. … Thirty cars are entered in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda opener this weekend at Sebring International Raceway.