By Kate Boomer
indy500.com
Thursday, October 6, 2005
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The calendar may have read Oct. 6, but Dan Wheldon, Helio Castroneves and Buddy Rice already were thinking about the month of May 2006 during a Firestone tire test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Wheldon, Rice and Castroneves, winners of four of the last five Indianapolis 500s, gained additional information in the test leading into the 90th Indianapolis 500, scheduled for May 28, 2006.
Wheldon paid tribute to the tradition and history of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" almost from the moment he climbed from his No. 26 Klein Tools/Jim Beam Dallara/Honda/Firestone in Victory Lane last May. That feeling hasn't subsided much, and 2005 IRL IndyCar® Series champion Wheldon already appreciates the magnitude of the 90th Indianapolis 500 even though the event is more than seven months away.
"There's no doubt in my mind that I absolutely want to win again," Wheldon said. "It would be good to win again, especially on a year like that (90th anniversary).
"Winning the '500,' as long as you win it, it doesn't matter. It's that big of a deal. Everybody that's won the '500' has been hugely talented, and for me, the race means so much. I would just love to win it again."
While Wheldon earned his first Indianapolis 500 victory last May, the test let 2001-02 winner Castroneves resolve a few difficulties he experienced in the race. Castroneves finished ninth in the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Toyota/Firestone in May.
"I'm already thinking about next year and this place, and what we can do to improve the car," Castroneves said. "Unfortunately this past May we had trouble, so we're trying to answer some questions that are very important, and hopefully next year we come back with a much stronger setup, and we can prove that we can win again."
A victory next May would be Castroneves' third at Indy, putting him in elite company. Only eight drivers have won the race three or more times in its long history.
Winning next May also would deliver a 14th Indy 500 victory to team owner Roger Penske, extending his event record. That number means the most to Castroneves.
"Every time I was thinking about the numbers, nothing happened," Castroneves said about his quest for a third Indy victory in 2003, 2004 and 2005. "2003 was special, turning 30 this year, it was the number three. Three, three, three, and nothing happened. As long as you do a good job like my team does, hopefully we can get the 14th that Roger is always wishing for."
Rice's Indy 500 ended before the race started last May. He suffered a back injury in an accident during practice and was not cleared to race. He was happy to return to speed at the historic 2.5-mile oval for the first time since the accident.
"It's good," 2004 Indy winner Rice said. "There's always stuff to be learned."
Firestone testing will continue Oct. 7 at the Speedway.
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2006 Indy 500 tickets: Fans are encouraged to submit their ticket orders for the 90th Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2006 to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as soon as possible. The most convenient, fastest method is online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com. Fans also can purchase tickets, camping or parking for the 90th Indianapolis 500 through the IMS ticket office at (800) 822-INDY.
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