PHOENIX, March 16 (UPI) -- Helio Castroneves knocked Sam Hornish Jr. off the pole in Saturday's Indy Racing League Bombardier ATV Copper World Indy 200 qualifications, adding fuel to an already intense competition.
Castroneves, a former CART driver and the defending Indianapolis 500 champion, admitted to being upset by comments Hornish supposedly made regarding last year's race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
According to Castroneves, Hornish said he "gave him the win in the Indianapolis 500" after an early spinout. Hornish contends that he said he "gave away the win at Indy."
In just his second race as a full-time IRL member, Castroneves believes Hornish is the man to beat for the championship. He took another early step toward the title by scoring his first pole, driving his Dallara/Chevrolet at 179.888 miles per hour.
That knocked Hornish out of the top spot. The defending champion had run off a lap at 179.735 mph, also in a Dallara/Chevrolet.
"Sam is doing the job and whatever people want to say is their opinion," Castroneves said. "But I'm the one with the Indy 500 winner's ring and the result is there. I see the team he is running with now, they have some fantastic people, but let's see what happens tomorrow. The championship isn't won in one race."
Castroneves started second to Hornish at Homestead-Miami Speedway two weeks ago. Hornish went on to dominate that race and Castroneves finished second. A rivalry between the defending IRL champion and the defending Indy 500 winner may be just what this series needs to spark some enthusiasm.
"I like it," Castroneves said. "I remember Juan Montoya, when he came to CART, we were having fun together battling wheel to wheel, it was great. Every season in every series, you have one guy who is the man to beat. Let's see what's going to happen."
Jeff Ward qualified third at 178.602 mph in a G Force/Chevrolet, followed by Brazil's Felipe Giaffone's 178.038 mph in a G Force/Chevrolet and Tomas Scheckter's 177.971 mph in a Dallara/Infiniti.
