While the focus was on Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’ pair of drivers being on the podium, Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves finished in between them on track, crossing the finish line in the second spot. It marks his second straight top-five to start the year after finishing fourth at St. Petersburg two weeks ago.
“It was a tough weekend for us. We definitely did everything we could,” he commented. “The conditions were very difficult, but I have to give a big thumb’s up for the entire Verizon IndyCar Series, the track workers to push to make this race happen. I mean, if you would have said in the beginning of the morning, there was no way we’d be racing. So for the amount of water that was out there, it turned out to be great.”
It wasn’t without issue, though, as Castroneves sustained front wing damage after contact with Francesco Dracone. The contact put Castroneves in the right position, though, as he pitted on the caution before the leaders pitted, allowing him to take advantage and gain valuable track position when the leaders pitted a caution later.
“Roger (Penske) is very good in math, if you know that, and he was able to put it together with Jonathan, and I guess understand what might happen,” Castroneves said of their strategy. “I don’t know about if it was a time race laps and things like that, and I guess they figured it out and put us back in the game.”
Restarting in the second spot, Castroneves battled hard with James Jakes over the final laps, holding off the SPM driver to keep hold of the runner-up spot.
“It was a good, fun fight with James Jakes,” he expressed. “We were pushing each other, and unfortunately, there was a big accident, which I don’t know what happened, but obviously we take the points. We take the opportunity, and move on to Long Beach. ”
Looking back on the day, Castroneves says that it was “better to be lucky than good” due to all the variables that played apart with the multiple cautions, the race coming down to a time limit rather than the scheduled laps, and the track being wet due to heavy rains in the morning. The amount of cautions and wet track though left many fans frustrated, taking to social media to complain about the event. However, Castroneves says that unfortunately, it’s the weather situation that they were dealt.
“The track was dry, but in two areas it was a river,” he commented. “It was water running in those areas. For us, when we’re passing around those areas, even on the straightaway, you don’t have to do anything. Just not even turn. The car was about to take off. It was like ice. So for those people that don’t understand, we’re trying our best, obviously, to keep the car on the pavement. But our cars are not supposed to be in those conditions, you know, and that’s why I give the credit for the series for pushing. We all want it. Don’t get me wrong. We want to race. We don’t want the yellow because it takes the rhythm away.”
The two spots that stood out for Castroneves to be the trouble spots were the final turn – 13 – and the backstraightaway between turns nine and 10. As a result of the conditions , it made for tough conditions for all the drivers as Castroneves states it’s very hard when you have slick tires to keep the car underneath you in those areas.
“Even I got caught in one of those restarts and I’m spinning out out there because, again, it was damp,” he added. “Sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish where it’s wet because of the color of the asphalt. You know, it was hard. There was no question it was a great testament for everyone to keep under control in those conditions. But, again, for us to be able to be here, it’s just a great testimony of never give up and pushing everybody to the limit.”
Despite the issues with the event, Castroneves would like to see the series return to NOLA Motorsports Park once again, based on what how physical and technical the track was during testing and practice under dry conditions.
“Every first event you have some ‑‑ and they went through a very ‑‑ a great test,” he commented. “Meaning the worst conditions is the wet, and it was raining like no other day to be honest, and to pass this test, to move on, it was a great credit for the entire people in New Orleans. Yes, for sure, we want to go back, and hopefully it will be a drier day, sunshine out there, so everybody, not only ourselves, but all the fans can have a better time.”
