Even Castroneves' hiring at Penske came in the wake of tragedy. He replaced Greg Moore at Penske after Moore was killed in the 1999 season-ending CART race. And along the way he's developed into one of racing's most passionate personalities. Earlier this month while testing his car at the treacherous 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his car repeatedly scraped the wall in Turn 1, leaving a large black tire mark. It's that kind of antic that has endeared him to race fans.
Auto racing is about more than crashing, rubbing fenders and plugging sponsors.
It's about skill, personal achievement and the great thrill of winning. It's been awhile since we got to applaud those things. Then he flashed the widest grin he's offered in six years. Shop for gear through our NWsource and REI Gear Shop .