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Sunday, May 27
Penske perfect
By Dr. Jerry Punch
Special to ESPN.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- This was a fun race. The crowd couldn't have been more excited.
|  | | Roger Penske signals his 11th Indianapolis 500 win as a car owner, after Helio Castroneves took the checkered flag. |
Roger Penske said he left here six years ago with his tail between his legs. He came back, and because he is Penske perfect he had his guys focused and battling it out.
What more can you say about Helio Castroneves? For the second year in a row a rookie driver has come here and won the biggest race in the world. Then he gets up there and says, "This is what racing is all about: This massive crowd, these people." How much more importance can anyone put on the Indy 500 than someone like Helio Castroneves did?
There were great runs all day long. Michael Andretti came back to Indy and did well finishing third. He admitted after the race that he made a mistake in making his team make a change to the car. He said if he hadn't made the change he could have been better because the change made his car loose. He dodged a bullet with the damaged front wing -- which happened when he hit the back of Tony Stewart's car in pit lane traffic.
Chip Ganassi has to be pleased with his 4-5-6 finish. One of his drivers, Jimmy Vasser, lost fourth gear and then stalled in a pit stop which cost him time. Considering those two things, and being able to come home fourth and place Stewart and Bruno Junqueira fifth and sixth, respectively, has to make Chip very pleased.
I know Tony Stewart would have loved to win this thing, but his car developed a loose condition in the final laps, making it difficult to drive. So rather than take a chance and try to pass one or two spots and smack the wall and miss the Coca-Cola 600, he had to be smart. And he certainly did that. This race had it all.
The weather caused some problems early on. Everyone is equating this to 1992 when it was 52 degrees when they waved the green flag. Twenty of the 33 starters were involved in either a crash or had a blown engine. Most of it was considered to be related to cold tires and cold engine oil.
We commented before the race on our ABC telecast the crews were concerned about cool temperatures. It was 62 degrees at the beginning of this day. But still, early in the race, the temperature was not in the tires. Scott Sharp went into Turn One, the car began to wiggle and all of a sudden it was gone. It was as if he suddenly hit a patch of ice.
And then drivers kept doing it. Sharp is a great race car driver, but cold tires bit him. That problem bit more people until finally the temperature came up on the track and in the tires.
Dr. Jerry Punch mans the pits for ESPN's coverage of auto racing and frequently appears on RPM 2Night. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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Castroneves wins Indy 500Penske not so lucky in NASCAR raceSharp reflects on Indy crash | | | | 
Indy 500
Helio Castroneves takes the checkered flag at the 85th Indianapolis 500 (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Indy 500
Helio Castroneves and his crew head for the fence following their Indy victory (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Indy 500
The tradition continues as Helio Castroneves takes the celebratory sip of milk (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Name in lights
Indy champion Helio Castroneves speaks with Marlo Klain following the victory (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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1-2 finish
Roger Penske is excited about the outcome for Team Penske's return to Indy (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Runner-up
Gil de Ferran talks about the battle with teammate Helio Castroneves for the victory (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Pensked
Michael Andretti is disappointed about coming up short against Team Penske (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Four is not enough
Jimmy Vasser's chances at victory were compromised by car troubles (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Perfect medicine
Eliseo Salazar is satisfied with seventh place after a week of being ill (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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