WEST ALLIS, Wis. -- Firestone 550 winner Helio Castroneves said he was "very shocked" to learn that the No. 3 Team Penske car was cited by INDYCAR for a post-race technical inspection infraction.
The No. 3 Team Penske car was fined $35,000 and docked 15 entrant points for not complying Rule 14.6.6.14 (Underwing).
"I was very shocked because the team did an absolutely amazing job," said Castroneves, who opened a 22-point margin on Marco Andretti atop the IZOD IndyCar Series championship standings with his first victory of the season June 8. "I would not allow this scenario to outshine what we did because even that made my car go actually slower. For us, a simple mistake does not justify what we did. For us, it is great to have the win and have this momentum and put all of those things behind.
"Unfortunately it was a little mistake that at times apply because the schedule has been very busy for everyone. And maybe details like that happen just because people are so tired of turning street cars to road course."
Castroneves led a field-high 132 laps and led Ryan Hunter-Reay across the finish line by 4.6 seconds in the 228-lap race on the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval.
Penske Racing president Tim Cindric said in a statement that neglecting to "tighten the braces that position the rear of the diffuser following pre-race inspection" led to the infraction. He said the crew checked the car in the wind tunnel after arriving at its North Carolina base.
The Breakfast Project recognizes Kanaan's achievement
The answer: 2 percent. The question: What type of milk did Tony Kanaan request for his winner’s circle celebration following the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race?
Kanaan, who drank and doused himself in milk May 26 while enjoying his first-time accomplishment, and his KV Racing Technology-SH Racing crew received further congratulations June 14 at The Milwaukee Mile compliments of The Breakfast Project.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” said Kanaan, who’s competing in the Milwaukee IndyFest this weekend. “Milk has everything a body needs to fuel you for the day and milk has everything to do with the ‘500’ so I have to thank the milk processors.”
The Breakfast Project is part of the national got milk? Milk Mustache campaign (@MilkMustache), which the Indy 500 champion would enjoy participating in.
“I’ve seen a few and I would definitely do it if asked,” he said.
BTW: It’s National Dairy Month.
Watch the Iowa heat races
Streaming video of the heat races for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by DeKalb will be available on www.indycar.com and INDYCAR 13 app at 6:45 p.m. (ET) on June 22.
Video will be augmented by the IMS Radio Network broadcast and real-time Timing & Scoring. The 250-lap race June 23 will be broadcast by ABC (2:30 p.m. ET).
Of note
Ed Carpenter, who raced USAC midgets and Silver Crown cars in the early 2000s with Jason Leffler, has a decal on the No. 20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka car in honor of the driver, who died from injuries suffered in a sprint car crash June 12. Carpenter and Leffler also were teammates on the Dollar General racing effort in 2010 with Ed driving for Sarah Fisher Racing and Jason for Turner Scott Motorsports. Ed Carpenter Racing team manager Tim Broyles designed the decal and has offered it to all teams to place on their cars for the Milwaukee IndyFest race. ... The Firestone Firehawks for the Milwaukee IndyFest are the same compound and construction used for the 2012 race. … Carlisle Companies will be an associate sponsor of a Team Penske car beginning in 2014.