Castroneves Gets First CART Win

Helio Castroneves of Brazil earned his first CART victory, beating Max Papis of Italy by 4.415 seconds in the Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit.

“Now they know who Helio Castroneves is,” said Castroneves, who has won at all levels on three continents since beginning his career in go-carts at age 12. “I knew it would come, but you’re still pulling your hair.”

Castroneves, the seventh different winner in seven CART championship races this season, took the lead when pole-sitter Juan Montoya of Colombia went out with a broken driveshaft on the 62nd lap of the 84-lap race and pulled away over the 2.3-mile road course.

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Michael Schumacher of Germany drove a conservative race in his Ferrari in the rain at Montreal en route to his fourth victory in the Canadian Grand Prix and his fifth of the season.

The two-time Formula One champion also solidified his hold on the points lead, as series runner-up David Coulthard of McLaren-Mercedes was unable to overcome a penalty near the start of the race and did not score a point. He finished seventh.

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Eddie Cheever earned his fourth career Indy Racing League victory and the first for an Infiniti engine, taking the lead on lap 172 and crossing the finish line on a caution flag in the Radisson 200 at Fountain, Colo. . . . Audi swept to its first victory in the Le Mans 24-Hour race, taking the top three places after leading almost from beginning to end. Italy’s Emmanuele Pirro completed the victory, sharing the 368-lap drive with Germany’s Frank Biela and Denmark’s Tom Kristensen. . . . Tony Schumacher claimed his second top-fuel victory of the season, defeating Joe Amato at the NHRA Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Kirkersville, Ohio. Tony Pedregon held off Jerry Toliver for his first funny car victory of the season and Mark Pawuk ended a five-year winless streak with a pro stock victory against Ron Krisher. . . . The NASCAR Winston Cup Pocono 500 at Long Pond, Pa., was postponed by rain and fog and will be run today. . . . Robbie Brand of Barstow won the 50-lap American Race Trucks race on the track at Irwindale Speedway on Saturday night but lost it in the back as he refused to go through post-race inspection, giving the win to Jim Long of Fallbrook.