Penske poised to end title drought

AUTOSPORT: We're in the finishing straight of the season, Helio you have a championship to play for, Will you're racing for the pride of wins, how does that affect the approach that you take into the remaining races?

Helio Castroneves: My approach is the same since the beginning of the season. If we have a good car, yes, we are going to push for the win. If we don't have a good car we just play safe.

It's been working. We have only four races to go so why change? Unless it's a huge opportunity, we're going to put ourselves in a place to score points and finish well. I'll do anything I can to keep going and hopefully with that comes along another win, so by the end of the season we don't need to be sweating too much.

Will Power: If I'm in a position to help the first priority is to make sure Helio can get the championship. Obviously I can be more aggressive with these other guys, and I won't make it hard for him to pass [me]. I'm not going to fight him for fourth place.

As a team we haven't won a championship in five years and he's got a good shot, so that's definitely the mentality.

HC: It's great because in the last race he went for it and took points away from our main competitors and despite what happened with the controversy he still did a hell of a job and hopefully we'll keep doing what we are doing right now.

Castroneves won his first Indy 500 in 2001 © LAT

AS: Helio, we did an interview with you a couple of years ago where you said winning another Indy 500 would mean more to you than winning the title. Are you changing your attitude on that right now?

HC: (laughs) Well the 500 has gone, so I'll always go for what's closer and right now that's the championship. Obviously we're so close to the championship, but I still feel that the Indy 500 is a huge accomplishment in any driver's career and especially in my situation, to match something that only three drivers were able to do, you are talking about part of history and that's very special.

AS: Will, it's another year that the championship has slipped you by. Is it more frustrating not being in the race at all like this year, or missing out at the final race as happened in the past?

WP: It's always good to be in the hunt. I've definitely learned a lot this year about myself actually. And the one good thing you can pick out of that is that not having to conserve a points lead or be conservative because of points, you learn how aggressive you can be.

I've definitely picked up on a lot of my weaknesses this year and I really believe that next year I'll come back as an overall stronger driver. At the same time I think the competition took a jump this year for sure and what looks like a bad season wasn't [through] a lack of pace, it was just a lot of unfortunate circumstances.

AS: We've had four first-time winners this year. Only three drivers have won more than once. Why has it become so close?

HC: You've touched on a perfect subject: competition. The rules are so restricted that we're not allowed to change much. So if you have a good beginning, there's only so far you can go and then the other guys start to catch you.

Dale Coyne's guest driver Mike Conway popped in and won in Detroit © LAT

Plus last year we had a lot of testing because it was a new car, this year we have limited tests. Not only that if you find something that nobody [else] found, it makes a huge difference. Teams are becoming much more competitive - even [Mike] Conway came for one or two races - and boom!

WP: As Helio's saying, you can't change much. So if you nail the set-up, as Conway did when he rocked up... That's what you've seen a couple of times this year, like Ganassi at Toronto.

HC: Especially the double-headers. You have even less time to improve the set-up - you're either in good shape or big trouble!

WP: If you roll up and you're off the pace, you're off the pace for the whole weekend.

AS: So do you consider Scott Dixon to be the main threat now or does Hunter-Reay still have a shot?

HC: I think even more guys - Marco [Andretti] still has a shot. I'm still worried about Dario [Franchitti]. There are still a lot of points in the game. Obviously the closest guy is Dixon, he's the guy you have one eye on. If I keep thinking about that, it's not going to go the way I want it [to]. We've just got to put ourselves in a position where we can go to the front and hopefully that will help us collect more points for the last races of the season.

AS: There are a couple of tests between now and the last three races of the season. Is it good that you have something to do rather than just think about the championship?

For the first time in years, Power is not a title contender - but he's now winning again © LAT

HC: Yeah! We don't have a road course test, but we do have an oval test which we can work on things for the last race of the season in Fontana. There's a test on the road course at Indy. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to watch it or not - it's not with us. It's great to be testing. It's bad that we have this great big month off...

WP: I think there was supposed to be a European race in there somewhere...

HC: That's right, Italy. But that's it. It probably allows the teams to work on the details and hopefully that'll be a benefit for Houston.

AS: Your season ends quite early. Are you planning to race anything else this year?

HC: (laughs)

WP: Certainly not a Brazilian stock car!

HC: You gonna drive an Australian V8?

WP: No, I don't think so, they don't have that race anymore.

HC: I don't know, but I'd like to do the Mil Milhas if the team will authorise me (laughs). It depends a lot on that. There are some fun events. [Juan Pablo] Montoya has a charity [karting] event.

WP: Are you going to do it?

HC: I think I will.

WP: If you do, I'll do it.