Curt Cavin's Pit Pass: Helio Castroneves looks good in yellow
It's all in the helmet, Helio Castroneves said Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Oh, sure, driving a yellow Pennzoil-sponsored car in the upcoming Indianapolis 500 will be special, the Brazilian said, but the fact his hero, Rick Mears, approved an iconic paint scheme for the helmet means more.
Mears wore a helmet like that — yellow with a red stripe to match the car with his name — from 1983 through the '90 season, so Castroneves felt obligated to ask permission to wear a matching one.
Mears said yes.
"I wish I could wear his name, too," Castroneves said, laughing.
On May 25, Castroneves will try to earn his fourth 500 win, which would tie him with the Speedway's all-time group: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Mears. But winning also would put him in another elite group: Drivers who have won with the iconic yellow paint scheme.
Currently, the club only includes Johnny Rutherford (1980) and Mears (1984 and '88).
Mears said he approved of Team Penske bringing the yellow car back in part because Castroneves, a three-time 500 winner, is a worthy representative. But Mears insisted the helmet design isn't driver specific.
"I didn't own an identity," he said. "I just always wanted to have my helmet match the car."
Castroneves races in a different era than Mears or even Rutherford, one that highlights the design of a driver's headgear. Mears said he never thought of a helmet being his identification.
"I know who I am," he said.
To that point, Castroneves, like many of today's drivers, has traded several helmets with other drivers. The most recent one Castroneves obtained is one from Dario Franchitti, who also won the 500 three times. Mears, on the other hand, only has his own helmets.
The coincidence of Castroneves driving a yellow car as part of a Pennzoil promotion is that Mears is assigned to watch for it as one of Castroneves' spotters.
"It will be much easier for me," Mears said.
Rutherford popularized the paint scheme with a Jim Hall-owned Chaparral known as "the Yellow Submarine." He led 118 laps in it.
Rutherford said he's "partial to the yellow car," and he certainly likes Castroneves driving it.
"That's exciting," he said.
After the 500, Castroneves also will use the paint scheme in the June 28-29 races in Houston, an event Pennzoil sponsors.
"I don't feel the pressure; I feel honored," Castroneves said.
Look for 'sausage' curbs on road course
Oriol Servia said the admiration drivers have for the reconfigured IMS circuit is genuine. It's exciting and fun, he said.
The one area that needed modification is in Turn 8, where drivers climbing over curbing kicked dirt onto the track.
IMS President Doug Boles saw that, too. He said some of the curbing around the track will be changed for next year based on the path the drivers take this week. Another corner-cutting area is in Turn 13.
"We'll put these 5-inch 'sausage' curbs down that will upset the car so the guys will stay off of them," Boles said.
Etc.
Josef Newgarden and rookie Jack Hawksworth were penalized 6 minutes and 3 minutes of track time, respectively, for being late to driver weigh-ins. ... Rookie Carlos Huertas got a drive-through penalty for speeding on pit road. The limit is 50 mph. ... Newgarden had the series' only off-course adventure Thursday, sliding into the gravel trap at Turn 4. ... It's likely that today will be the hottest day of the three-day event. Track temperature was 119 degrees at the start of the afternoon practice. ... The 500 was voted the No. 1 Best Bucket List Sporting Event (beating the Olympics, the Masters, the Super Bowl and the Kentucky Derby) by readers of USA Today and 10Best. ... Friday's activities include the Indy Family Foundation's "Festival on Main," a free, family-oriented event on Main Street in Speedway (6-10 p.m.). There will be driver autograph sessions, food trucks, beer gardens and a kid's zone.
Call Star reporter Curt Cavin at (317) 444-6409.