Helio Castroneves was awarded pole position for today's Indy Japan 300 after yesterday's qualifying session was canceled because of rain.
Castroneves, winner of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg earlier this month, was given pole position for the third race of the Indy Racing League season because he leads the IRL championship with 93 points.
"I always like racing in Japan and I'm looking forward to Saturday's race," said Castroneves, who drives for Team Penske. "Motegi is a challenging place because you're flat out in turns one and two, and you have to downshift in turns three and four."
PHOTO: AP
Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon, second in the standings with 70 points, will join Castroneves on the front row for Saturday's race at the 2.4km Twin Ring Motegi circuit north of Tokyo.
Dixon's teammate Dan Wheldon, looking for his third straight win at Motegi, will be on the second row with Team Penske driver Sam Hornish Jr. Castroneves had a fastest lap of 27.146 seconds in a practice session Friday. Wheldon and Scott Sharp were second and third, respectively. Castroneves has had mixed results in Japan.
In seven starts at Motegi, the Brazilian driver earned two top-three finishes and one pole. Last year he started fourth, but finished 11th after he was involved in an accident on lap 198.
Wheldon, who won the season-opening race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in March, inherited the lead on the 198th lap here last year when Tomas Scheckter ran out of fuel on the front-stretch.
No driver has won three years in a row at the same track during the IndyCar Series era.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
US President Donald Trump said he would attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, but said he does not have much sympathy for ordinary basketball fans who cannot afford sky-high ticket prices to do the same. “They can watch it on television,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday as he flew to Wisconsin for an event with farmers, after he was asked about tickets that have climbed as high as US$8,000 each when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off in Manhattan for the first time in the series. “It’s sorta
RSS