INDIANAPOLIS 500 ~he IBislni lIeral~ ~~ii~~------------------~==~~~==~~~~~~~~~~-:R:OB:E:RT~l:AB:ER:G:~~GE:~~IM:'A::GES KISS ' H GROUND HE DRIVES ON: Helio Castroneves kisses the yard of bricks o n t he front stretch after Sunday's Indianapolis 500. HELlO CASTRONEVES WINS THIRD INDY 500 Helio . g Castroneves became the WEEKS AFTER ACQUITTAL ON TAX CHARGES ninth driver to win 1. HEllO at least three Indy CASTR ONEVES BY GEORGE RICHARDS He then sat up, put his hands on his moment. 500s and the first [email protected] head and looked to the sky while "I couldn't believe it, couldn't since Rick Mears INDIANAPOLIS - Helio Castro­ chaos continued to surround him. believe I was kissing those bricks Won his third in neves followed tradition Sunday For Castroneves, Sunday's win again," he said quietly, struggling to 1988. The . afternoon, getting down on hls was his second this year, only the fmd the right words. "It was ~ dream 1.98-second victory 2. DA N margin wasthe knees after winning the Indianapolis fIrst on the track. This victory was a WHEl DON 500 to plant a kiss on the thin row of long time coming for a driver who. • TURN TO INDY 500, 8D largest since Juan bricks which serve as the venerable would have seen his successful Pablo Montoya track's fInish line. career come to a close had he been . C:) MlamiHerald.com/ beat Buddy Lazier After tossing his baseball cap to sent to prison -avery real possibil­ sports/ auto racing ' by more than the side, Castron eves put a big fat ity weeks ago. View aslide show from the Indianapolis 3. DANICA seven seconds in kiss on those weather-beaten stones. Sunday, Castroneves savored the 500 and get all of the latest racing news PATRICK 2000. ·-._ .__........ ­ FROM THE SPORTS FRONT 'It's the highlight ofmy career' "INDY 500, FROM1D doing out front?" Patrick resumed his racing career by lap under green as Dario Helio's father - the elder said. flying on a private jet owned Franchitti jumped in front on Helio Castroneves - joined come true. It was an amazing When told Castroneves by owner Roger Penske. Lap 8. the group, all four holding scene. I am so gratefw.,. It's -was zipping a·roulld the '2.5 "We talked with Helio Castroneves wasn't out hands tight and urging their the highlight of my career. mile oval at over 220 mph, about the win of his life a front ag~ until taking over . loved one toward Victory My life. It's unbelievable. I'm Patrick laughed. "I was 218 couple of w eeks ago," said for good on Lap 142~ Lane. speechless." and a half and was like 'Yeah, Penske, who now has 15 Indy. "The guy won his third . "I thought I was going to Castroneves won his third 'I'm doing pretty good'," she 500 wins (three with Castro­ Indy 500, that's no' mean pass out there for a little ' Indianapolis 500 in runaway said. "If he was doing .220 neves piloting). feat," said Wheldon, the'200S while," Kati said later. ''But I fashion. The Coral Gables with the lead, well, that's "Outside he has that per­ champion. "This race is know, at Indy, this race'isn't resident, who won in 2001 pretty fast." sonality, he climbs the fence, incredibly difficult." over until !he tlag. I couldn't and 2002, grabbed the lead but inside he's as tough of pass out until it was over. I'm on Lap 142 and didn't surren­ FAST COMPANY nails. He had to be to go FULL SU PPORT just so happy." • der it, surviving a pair ofcau­ Patrick's third-place finish through what he went Castroneves often has Added Henao: "It was tions andJi pit stop along the was 'the highest for a female through the last six months .'~ thanked his friends and rac­ great once it ended. During way. driver in the Indy 500 in the Two weeks ago, Gastro­ ing team - especially Penske the race, it was just so stress­ When the race restarted 100th year of Indianapolis neves - after running at - for sticking behind him fuI. What a relief." with 17 laps to go after a Motor Speedway. In the end, Long Beach and Kansas after during the bad times. But it After Helio Castroneves spectacular crash, it was all however, Patrick knows this the trial ended - qualified was his family who truly had kissed the bricks and said his Castroneves. was Castroneves' event. on the pole for the Indy 500. his back, and Sunday they thanks, his immediate sup­ Dan Wheldon and Danica "I'm happy to have him Friday, he found out the one were behind his pit stall all port group joined him on the Patrick ended up second and around;" she said, "but he's count still remaining was the way. grounds of the hallowed hall third, neither making a dent pretty tough to beat." going to be dropped. With 10 laps left, Kati Cas­ Joined by Kati's husband in Castioneves' hig lead. It has been a good couple Synday ... well, Sunday troneves stood close to the Edu Asola, the Castroneves With 15 laps left, Castro­ ofweeks for Castroneves and was big. action, her hands clenched to clan went to the track surface . neves led by 1.55 seconds. his family, who started 2009 "Certainly, it's a great way her face, oversized sun­ in unison, all putting their With six laps left, the margin in limbo. to come ba€k," he said. "1 feel glasses covering eyes mostly lips to the legendary stones. was almost two full secon ds He and sister Kati were fantastic. I feel great." closed.. The family hugged, then - a gigantic number in an charged by federal prosecu­ Castroneves becomes the As the laps clicked down, headed back to Victory IndyCar. For the fmallaps, all tors of criminally conspiring ninth driver to claim three Kati was joined by their Lane. Castroneves saw was Indiana to hide $5.5 million in Indy 500 victories, and it mother, Sandra. T he two It was time to celebrate. sky and packed grandstands income. A Miami jury acquit­ didn't come all that easily. locked hands. Then Helio's "I'm so glad I'm still doing in front of him. ted Helio and Kati Castro­ Castroneves 'lost his spot girlfriend Adriana Henao what I love most," he said, "What· speeds was he neves, and Helio quickly atop the grid on the first full joined the fray. Pretty soon knowing he wasn't alone. ROBERT LABERGE/GETTY IMAGES QU ITE A CLIMB: Helio Castroneves sGampers up the fence on the front stretch to celebrate his third Indianapolis 500 win on Sunday. .. ~-- ..--- -...- .. - ---. - - ...- ~...~....... ....---- . --- -~-~---.