Castroneves’ crash leads to win by Kanaan

Another dose of Milwaukee Mile misfortune for Helio Castroneves gave Tony Kanaan an IndyCar Series victory Sunday.

Castroneves, who started from the pole at the suburban Milwaukee track and led several times in the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225, was cruising toward an easy win when the rear wing on his Team Penske Dallara collapsed, sending him spinning into the wall 25 laps from the finish.

That gave the lead to Kanaan, his fellow Brazilian and longtime friend, who stayed out front the rest of the way to record his second straight win at the track and the ninth of his IndyCar career.

“Helio has always had good starts here, but something always seems to happen to him,” Penske team President Tim Cindric said.

“There was no reason for that to happen. It was a big disappointment.”

Once he got the late lead, Kanaan drove away from the field. Andretti Green Racing teammate Dario Franchitti, coming off a victory last week in the Indianapolis 500, finished second, 2.57 seconds -- nearly a full straightaway -- behind Kanaan.

“Sometimes it’s not always the best car that wins the race,” said Kanaan, shrugging.

Dan Wheldon wound up third, followed by Scott Dixon, Vitor Meira, Scott Sharp, Ed Carpenter and Danica Patrick.

Patrick, the last driver on the lead lap and still trying for her first IndyCar victory, bumped wheels with Wheldon on Lap 88 as she tried to pass him and Franchitti for fourth place. She slid into the infield grass before saving the car and continuing, but was furious with Wheldon after the race.

The two had a brief, seemingly one-sided discussion in the pit area, with Patrick putting her arm around Wheldon as she talked with him and then giving him a half shove as the Englishman walked away.

*

The NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Dover International Speedway at Dover, Del., has been postponed until today because of rain.

Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start on the front row at the Monster Mile. Points leader Jeff Gordon starts sixth.

*

Brandon Bernstein took the top fuel points lead, winning the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals at Topeka, Kan., for his third victory in four events.

Bernstein beat J.R. Todd in the final at Heartland Park Topeka with a quarter-mile run of 4.582 seconds at 320.51 mph. Todd finished in 4.667 at 299.86.

Bernstein, 23 points behind “Hot Rod” Fuller at the start of the day, took a 56-point lead with the victory.

Fuller lost to Doug Kalitta in the first round.

Mike Ashley raced to his first funny car victory, and pro stock star Greg Anderson won for the fifth time in eight events this season.

Ashley beat Jim Head with a 4.896-second run at 310.70 mph.