IZOD IndyCar Series: Indy Japan 300

Topics:  Indy Japan 300

Helio Castroneves
September 19, 2010

MOTEGI, JAPAN

THE MODERATOR: Helio, congratulations on the win. Talk about today's race, you seem to be in a class of your own in terms of speed.
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Certainly Team Penske, he gave me a fantastic car. As I said yesterday, a big credit for the guys in the shop and great pit stops, Ron Ruzewski, my engineer, gave me an incredible set up this morning, and then the entire group on the number three did a hell of a job.

Q. Did you ever feel challenged out there today? Not the track, but your competitors?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Not really. Certainly I was very focused, but there was one point that two or three drivers were out of sequence, and I had a big moment on the restart on turn four. That was the only issue that I had during the race, but as soon as my boys put me back in the lead in the clean air, I was very comfortable there.

Q. Why do you go so fast than other cars?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: It was good work between me and Ron trying to find that fine spot. And this car was very similar than 2006 when we also had a similar result and very strong performance. So we are able to find the right spot and that's why I was very fast.

Q. Were you completely focused on your own race or were you advised of what Will was doing in the championship?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: No, I was only focused on my race.

Q. The 12-point advantage --
HELIO CASTRONEVES: It's better to be a 12-point advantage than being 12 behind. He still has a 12-point advantage. I feel he show a great performance today and finished third, and it's going to be a great battle. So anything we can make to bring this championship to Team Penske, we are going to do it.

Q. For Will, the goal of the team is going to win the championship at Homestead and he's going to be testing in about a week, he said; is there anything in your experience as a driver, since he's never raced at Homestead, is there anything that you can help Will with his race craft?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: He's certainly come along very good on the ovals. Not only myself, but Ryan, we kind of give him tips. But Will has an incredible talent as we see on the road course. So the driver, when you get to that point, he picked up fast. So we don't need to keep like in his ear and do this, do that.
He learns very quick, and he's showing out there, too.

Q. Do you change the settings when you do pit stops? Do you do any changes in the car setting?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: No. Just minor things, tools that I have inside the car, and I think when you do that, I was very comfortable with what the car was doing today.

Q. You're kind of on a roll, do you feel like that and is it kind of coming to you?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Yeah, I certainly want to carry this momentum for next year and I certainly feel that next year is going to be even greater for the team. But certainly, it was a great work for the entire team having three cars and help us tremendous.
Yeah, I feel a good momentum, especially my guys, the number three group, but again, we still have a job to be done, which is bring this championship to Team Penske.

Q. Please explain your feeling at being here the second time, describing with the fans here?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Fantastic. Thank you so much all of you and I can't wait to come back next year.