Helio Castroneves Quotations

When I'm driving the race track, it's all about repetition.

I have not changed much. I haven't gotten a big ego or anything.

To be honest, Brazilian people are fun people, and the country is amazing. It's full of beautiful people. I love the beaches.

Dancing is just like racing. You don't learn choreography. They just give you steps to do, and you do them over and over and over. It's very much like what I do in racing.

I like people with a good sense of humor, like Jennifer Aniston. She is amazing and is a great actress.

If you don't finish half of the races, you are not going to have a very good season.

I don't think I would be a good actor! People enjoyed 'Dancing With the Stars' because I was myself, and every time they told me to say something, I would say my own words, so I don't think I could follow a script well!

Unfortunately, I think we made the wrong choice on our race setup, and the Marlboro Team Penske car had a tremendous push in Turns 3 and 4. Those corners were my biggest problem. I could barely touch the throttle going through there. The team made front wing adjustments on both of our pits stops, but it didn't really help. All considering, I'm pretty happy with a fourth-place finish.

Wow, I don't even know what to say. Those final ten laps were the hardest in my life. The race reminded me a lot of 2002 when I won my second Indianapolis 500 -- to be able to win the first time in a touring car is just an amazing feeling. I'm so fortunate to have had this opportunity and to have been able to compete with three wonderful drivers. We had a great team and a fantastic car. I just consider myself lucky to have been in the right place at the right time.

We're not here to make a statement. It's good the results are showing up at the track. The last few years we've been working extremely hard. Toyota worked hard with us, and unfortunately, Honda was always at the top of the game. Right now things are more balanced, so we are very happy those two years paid off.

When everyone jokes about (taking chances), there's a little bit of truth to it, ... Hopefully people have learned from what happened (at Sonoma).

The place is just fantastic! It's going to create a great show for everyone.

She moved inside a little bit early, but she did a great job to get back again and not get in trouble with officials.

Motor racing is going to miss a phenomenal race driver and I'm going to miss a good friend. I think I will learn a lot with Sam. He is an experienced driver even though he is young. He's been fast at a lot of tracks where we haven't done well so I hope to learn from him.

My dad is down there. He's the one who's calling the shots.

Obviously, we are extremely disappointed. I thought we were finally going to finish. I'm not sure what happened to the car.

On oval (tracks) he's a rookie, but on road courses and street courses he's not. He showed that again here.

I wouldn't take anyone for granted. But hopefully we'll continue to do what we do.

I don't know what to do anymore. I just wanted to make him earn it on the outside.

I don't know what the heck he was thinking. He just decided to pass everybody in one corner, and he ended up taking everybody out,

I don't know what the heck he was thinking. He decided to pass everybody in one corner, and he ended up taking out everybody.

If it's dried out in the beginning, obviously I want to go first. But if it looks like it's going to dry in the end, I'm definitely going to go last.

If this was NASCAR and we had bumpers I'd have won. I thought the finish line was a little bit ahead of me. Then they said, 'It's over.' Really? It would have been exciting, one more lap.

I always like racing in Japan and I'm looking forward to (today's) race.

He had a great car. I don't know what he was thinking.

There is more to this world than just this race.

I was just trying to get the side draft. We were trying to get so slow. I wasn't sure if Sam was trying to pass or push. I didn't know which way he was going. I really thought the finish line was ahead of me. I was thinking, 'Look! It's right up there!' And they were telling me on the radio that the race was over.

I was just trying to follow Dan but my car kept moving up. Then I saw Sam coming and that put me side by side. If this was like NASCAR and we had bumpers, I would have won. I'm kind of sad to be second but then again I'm kind of happy to be second. I have mixed feelings.

I saw his engine and car in half and I tried to keep looking away.

Paul Dana, you're in our hearts. You're family.

People might see an opportunity, but I hope people are more patient a little bit, ... This is the last road course, but there is nothing I can do. It's out of my control.

Let me show that I have that (talent).

I was trying to go as fast as I could. I didn't know I was in the lead. I was this close to the wall.

I tell you, if we would be like NASCAR - have bumpers - for sure I would have won the race. But this is not NASCAR.

I think it will be important to make sure I'm in the best condition possible for this weekend. At the beginning of the season, I began preparing for the road courses by lifting more weights and trying to improve my conditioning. I've found that the combination of swimming and then running really adds a new dimension to my overall performance as I have built my stamina significantly over the past several months.

We were very close many times. I don't think there were a couple of times that a hair could have even be between the wheel and my wheel. I don't think we ever touched. I tell you, I respect him a lot after this race. Not that I didn't respect him before, but he definitely drove like a champion.

Yeah. You know, we're not here to rub it in or make a statement. It's shows that for the past two years we've worked very hard.

You have to be smart. He went from hero to zero, getting the pole position and doing what he did.

We had some trouble with the engine electronics this afternoon. I still think we're in good shape.

You aren't going to be able to pass by going past the guy and keep going so it will take quite a while to set up a pass. I will follow him closely and wait for him to make a mistake before I can make the pass. I have a very good car for that. I will also be saving fuel and pick up positions in the pits so I have so many things on my side.

What a team, what a team. I drove it like I stole it.

Everything is going the way we are planning but until the checkered flag, you can't count on it. Today, we are extremely happy. That's what we need to be thinking about and enjoy this moment.

The way I see it, we're pushing each other. Sharing information is good because it's going to make both cars better. I think our team and the way it works is the right chemistry and the right combination, and we're looking to keep doing the right thing.

The way boxers are ready to attack is the same way we must be ready to attack the steering wheel.

It was very weird. There were some wet spots. I put rain tires, dry tires, rain tires. I kept on going back and forth. It was very hard to find balance. Toward the end I felt comfortable.

Sam is a truly competitive driver. Yes, I want to beat him and he wants to beat me. But at the end of the day, we want both cars up there and we want to make the boss happy.

Some drivers might be twisting their nose or don't like the idea. The way I see it, it's good for everybody.

Once you do it, you have to keep it going. You have to understand, he (Stewart) is not the one who started that. When he's in the mood to do it, he might do it. I have fun with it, and obviously it would be a thrill to climb this fence here and celebrate with the fans.

Actually, I have to ask you: What's the weather going to be like tomorrow?

You can't make a grave move with 60 laps to go. It's a lack of patience, ... If a guy is not in the points, he doesn't have to take your points away. He went from hero to zero -- to be in the pole position and then to make a move like he did.

It's a track where everyone can go flat easy. It's a track where equipment sometimes takes over for the driving. But that's for speed. The draft is very important here and we have been learning what it takes, so hopefully we will be able to learn from that and win.

It was a tough run and we tried really hard. The track changed a little bit from the morning to the afternoon which was a little bit to our favour. We tried something in the beginning of the top-six qualifying and it didn't work, and we had to stop right away. We used the tyres up and the track was better. At the end of the day, I don't think we would have been able to catch Ryan. He did a good job. Now we look forward to the race tomorrow and hopefully will do well.

It's awesome starting up front. We were fast in practice, but I know everybody will pick it up as well tomorrow.

It's hard to lose a colleague, a person who is doing the same job you're doing. But we're all here, and all the drivers know the risk and the danger of the sport. We are here because we love what we do.

It's hard to lose a colleague, a person who is doing the same job you're doing.

It's great to finally win here in Japan. We had a very strong car. Ever since we got off the plane, the car has been responding well.

It's great to finally win here in Japan.

Everybody has a destiny. That's the only thing I would tell him. He's there for a reason. He should just do the job he was hired to do.

Even when I was in the lead, I was getting too close to the wall, trying to make up time. I drove like I stole it.

That's a good problem to have. Maybe they'll have to bring out a piece of fence to the start-finish line.

Eighty-percent driver, I think the last 20 percent is the team, or 30 percent because of pit stops.

The banana is good for retaining water, and the sugar brings me up. It's going to look like oatmeal when it's done, but it tastes much better.

No, that would be a lame excuse, to be honest. He's a good driver, he's fast, but that was definitely a full-face error.

It was a bad move on Ryan's part, you know. He had a great car, he was fast. Both of us were fast. Danica was trying -- she noticed that we were really fast and she was trying to give us a way. I don't know what the heck he was thinking. He just decided to pass everybody in one corner and he ended up taking everybody out. It's just ridiculous. He's a good driver. He's fast, but there was definitely no patience at all.

They have to worry about finishing ahead of me. I have to just finish ahead of them. At this point of the season, you don't think what might happen or keep track of the points; you just go for it, and that is what we are planning right now.

It was just not enough. If we were like NASCAR and had bumpers, I'm sure I would have won the race.

Once I made the top six, it was, 'OK, now it's time to go for it,

Every time you're out there at this place, you're always learning. Obviously, we want to be on top of the charts, but right now you need to be smart, take advantage of this day and put it in your pocket.

Every time you go out on the track, which is very technical and unique, you learn something different. This place, if you keep practicing, keep running and learning every corner, you'll be consistently fast.

I'm going to take it nice and easy. With my experience, I know you don't win a race on the first lap.

I'm definitely optimistic about our competitiveness in 2006. I think if this team works hard all year, we'll be in good shape for the championship. There are so many good drivers in this series, it won't be easy, but that is what makes winning all the better.

I'm sure it's going to be faster. And hopefully we're right on top of it.

Incredible. I mean, we have to face it, this is the second-best event of the series.

I know what's going on, but for me it's very comfortable having my dad, my sister taking care of things. It's an investment. I know I'm not going to race forever.

I'm proud of you. You're going to win a race soon.

Indy is the next race and it's part of the championship and ... it's kind of special. I know the team and everything is going in the right direction, but it's too early to get emotional.

I'll do my best, ... That's all I can promise.

I hope my competitors did not learn anything,

I really didn't know I was winning until I was behind the pace car.

Close to the end, when I saw Sam coming, I tried to make a move. I tried to take advantage of the momentum, put me side by side with Dan. But it just was not enough. If we would be like NASCAR and have bumpers, I'm sure we would have won the race by now.

Being patient, and backing off. A race is not won on the first lap. A car changes during a race.

I don't know, ... If I pass Lap 22 or 23, I'm probably going to answer that later. But so far, I just know to Lap 20.

Hopefully the 2 mph advantage we have on the speed chart continues the same way in the race.

I feel better because you basically have to drive the car. At some of the other tracks, you're just along for the ride. I guess, especially at the short ovals, we've been working extremely hard and our best chance of seeing victory and running really, really fast is at those tracks. I'm very happy to see both cars sitting on the front row.

I don't think we ever touched. At the beginning, I think he was trying to know what I was doing and tried to see what my car was capable of doing. I respect him a lot after this race, not that I didn't respect him before. He definitely drove like a champion.

I can't believe it. To lose (a race) that close, I don't what to feel, to be honest right now. Should I be happy? Should I be sad? I don't know. It's a weird feeling to finish second in this kind of situation, so close. We got ourselves back a little bit into the championship, and moved up into fifth. Let's keep moving. We gave it all we had, but we just couldn't push ahead on the final lap. Being realistic, Dan (Wheldon) is probably going to win the championship, but it would be a great goal to have two Marlboro Team Penske cars finish in the top five in points.

I can't believe it. I actually thought I had won the race. I tried very hard. Based on previous races with Dan, there was no way I was going to give him much room, but he beat me anyway. I guess it was not meant to be.

This is a good way to improve your concentration.

In a long race, if I'm worried about fatigue, my concentration is the first thing to go.

It would be good karma.

All the drivers know the risks and the dangers, but we're here because we love what we do. It's not the first time it's happened and, unfortunately, it probably won't be the last time.

The last time we were here, we were backing off and cutting back in power and you could feel it. But everybody's the same out there.