Helio Castroneves/AP Photo

Helio Castroneves climbed the fence at Belle Isle again -- 14 years after his signature victory celebration was born following his first Indy car win in 2000 in Detroit.

Castroneves' climb on June 1 was in honor of his 29th Indy car victory after winning Dual 2 of the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans by 1.6836 seconds over teammate Will Power.

Castroneves, who started third in the 70-lap race in the No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske car, completed a sweep for engine supplier Chevrolet and Team Penske in the first of three Verizon IndyCar Series doubleheader weekends this season. His victory tied Rick Mears for 11th on the all-time list.

"Indy 500. It just clicked something. It just made us hungry and here I am in Victory Circle where I won my first race. It's great energy again. I wanted it so bad," said Castroneves, who a week earlier came just short of joining Mears, A.J. Foyt and Al Unser as the only four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500.  "More than anything, I want this championship."

Castroneves, the fifth different winner in seven races this season, moved to second place in the standings. He is 19 points behind Power. Ryan Hunter-Reay, who amassed 126 points in winning the Indianapolis 500, dropped to third with a disappointing pair of races that carried full points.

Power, who held off Graham Rahal's No. 15 National Guard Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing car by .3308 of a second to win the opening race on the 2.36-mile, 13-turn street course, was runner-up for his fifth top-five finish in the seven races.

Charlie Kimball advanced 17 positions to place third for his best finish of the season and Scott Dixon drove from last on the starting grid to fourth. James Hinchcliffe finished fifth.

POST-RACE QUOTES:

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet): "We came out with the Hitachi car. Spot on. I mean yesterday it was a frustration, obviously. Great that (Team Penske) won but a frustration for our side because we knew what car we had and we demonstrated it today. I want to thank Hitachi obviously, Shell, Pennzoil. It was great. Also AAA, SKF, Verizon. Especially Chevy, man. This is the land of Chevy and we made it. Two! That was great. I'm so happy for Team Penske."

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet): "Because of Roger (Penske), I definitely wasn't going to race him hard. Unless (Helio Castroneves) made a mistake, I wasn't going to go for a move unless I was close. A great day for Chevy, Roger (Penske) at his home track and Chevy's backyard. Just fantastic."

CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 83 Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet):"I knew that I had no overtakes left and (James Hinchcliffe) had one overtake left going down the back straight and that was his last best opportunity, so I defended into the inside. When he got alongside me we went into the corner side-by-side. It's so hard because as much as the Firestones marbled today when you were offline. You really start sliding around. It caught Scott out and I was able to take advantage of that. So I knew if I could put (James Hinchcliffe) offline at the apex then I could get the drive out of the corner and hold onto the line. It was nice I was able to (hold up) Hinch (James Hinchcliffe) enough that Scott would be able to come through and for Chip Ganassi Racing to end up third and fourth."

MIKE CONWAY (No. 20 Fuzzy's Vodka/Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet):"Starting on the black tires was a good move today. I was able to get past several guys early. But, to be honest, Hinch (James Hinchcliffe) had power off the corners even with the red tires. And it took me some time to finally get under him in turn 3. I didn't want to use up all of my overtakes too early in the race. That amount of time trying to get by him cost us at the end of the race. The red tires were pretty good for me. They went off a little but I was pushing hard. The right-front tire was locking up and it was getting worse. So I decided to pit early for the fresh black tires or I was going to crash. It is tough to pass here and I made some good ones today. At the end, I was pushing every lap like a qualifying lap. And it was fun and we learned some more for the team. I was happy how the car was hooked up. We just didn't get the yellows to fall our way today. It was fun to push the car as hard as I did today. Just wish for a better result. Now it's on to Houston for me next." 

MIKHAIL ALESHIN (No. 7 SMP Racing Honda):  "I think my team did a great job today. We had a great three-pit stop strategy and the car was quite good. I had contact with (Juan Pablo) Montoya at the start of the race, but thankfully it wasn't substantial enough that we had to stop. My suspension was bent slightly after the contact, but I still had speed. I felt like I could really attack out there on the track. Starting 16^th and finishing seventh is a great result on a street circuit like this. It's been a few races since we've had a positive result, so we'll go home feeling happy tonight."

SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports Honda):"Today was much better than yesterday. We had a fast car. I'm a little bit disappointed, though, because I felt like we had a car that could have won today. And unfortunately the two-pit stop strategy didn't play in our favor. We lost a lot of time behind (Will) Power during the middle stint. We were faster, but I couldn't get by him. I didn't want to take any chances and crash again racing him. I think a lot of drivers would be happy finishing sixth, but we're racing to win when we have a fast car. Overall it wasn't a bad day for us, though. The team had a great recovery from our disappointing finish yesterday. I was happy to carry the bright orange Oculus Transport car to the end of the race today. Now I'm really looking forward to Texas next weekend."

TONY KANAAN (No. 10 Energizer Chevrolet): "We had a decent Energizer car but we really weren't in the mix today. We had a great result yesterday in the first of the doubleheader but today they race just didn't work out the way we wanted it to. On to Texas."

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 17 KV AFS Racing Chevrolet): "I am very disappointed with this early retirement. We had an amazing start and the changes the KV AFS Racing crew did overnight gave the car a very strong race pace. I made a mistake trying to get around (Mike) Conway. I just got a little bit too close to him, my air was chopped and I got too close to the wall.....it's my fault. I'm disappointed with myself as I don't make these types of mistakes, we have kept the car clean all season so this is unacceptable. Time to work towards Texas. We have a very strong car from now on, which makes me very positive. I am looking forward to starting to bring home the results and getting back into the fight for the championship."

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 27 United Fiber & Data Honda): "We were battling for third down the back straight, and (Charlie) Kimball made his car wide; that's all there was to it. I had to go to the outside. I had gone to the inside, but he didn't like that, so I went to the outside. He did a good job out-braking me, and I had to lift a bit on the exit there, and (Scott) Dixon got us. Fourth or fifth, it doesn't really matter - we're racing for podiums, we're racing for wins. I have to watch the race and see how it ended there. It was confusing race with all the different strategies and play, but again, the car was really fast. They United Fiber & Data guys were awesome in the pits. Considering how my past races in Detroit have gone, this is hell of a good weekend - two front-row starts and two top-six finishes. We'll take it."

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 25 Snapple Honda): "It was one of the longest races of my career; it was a handful. It was loose all day, and it went from terrible to disgusting when we had the (contact) penalty, which was my fault. We'll move on from this and hopefully have better luck with the Snapple Honda next weekend in Texas."

CARLOS MUNOZ (No. 34 Cinsay AndrettiTV.com HVM Honda): "For this race I was a little bit frustrated because I think we had more than eighth position; our strategy was not optimal, and we were losing positions in pit lane. I think we had enough to finish in the top four. Maybe we weren't in the fight for the win because the two first cars were really quick, but we gained good points. This race was really just about surviving, it is a shame. Today brought more experience for me, and I am feeling more comfortable and making less mistakes." 

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 DHL Honda): "It was a long weekend for the DHL crew. I'll try to erase this one from my memory and move on to Texas. What put us out was we lost pressure in the shift actuator, so we couldn't get out of first gear. We started with a puncture and we had to come in...then we were off strategy. We tried saving fuel, then we had to abandon that because it went green in the middle. Nothing we did worked this weekend. We will just move on from these two races and focus on the future."

Mike Conway/AP Photo

Mike Conway and Simon Pagenaud had difficult times Saturday in the running of the first of two IndyCar Series races on Belle Isle this weekend.
Winners of the 2013 races in Detroit, Conway finished 21st (next to last) and Pagenaud 22nd. Contact on the track shortened both drivers' day.
Conway completed 14 of the 70 laps, and Pagenaud finished four.
Pagenaud held on to fourth place in the driver standings.
Will Power finished first, Graham Rahal second and Tony Kanaan third.
Pole winner Helio Castroneves was fifth.

Will Power delivered Chevrolet’s first victory at The Raceway at Belle Isle behind the wheel of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Power capitalized on a restart with 10 laps to go to claim the lead, and he scored his second win of the Verizon IndyCar Series season.  Power is credited with leading three times for 21 laps on the way to Victory Lane for Race One of the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit.

He took the lead for the final time on lap 60, overtaking fellow Chevy driver Ryan Briscoe in turn eight. The win pulled him within three points of the overall lead in the Series point standings. This is Power’s 23^rd career IndyCar win.

Tony Kanaan, No. 10 Energizer Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, finished third to give the Chevrolet IndyCar V6 two drivers on the podium.

Simon Pagenaud set the bar high in the second 45-minute practice session for the Detroit Grand Prix with a lap of 1 minute, 17.6502 seconds on the 2.36-mile, 13-turn temporary street circuit.

Pagenaud, who earned his first Verizon IndyCar Series victory in Race 2 of the 2013 doubleheader on Belle Isle, was less than two-tenths of a second off the circuit record in its current configuration set by Mike Conway in Race 2 last June.

Conway, who won Race 1 and was the Verizon P1 Award winner for Race 2, was .0647 of a second behind Pagenaud in the No. 20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka car for Ed Carpenter Racing.

"I think it's becoming an interesting track in terms of racing, not just qualifying, but there's some good places for passing -- Turn 3, Turn 7," said Pagenaud, a Frenchman who won May 10 at the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis in the No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports car. "It's breathtaking after being two weeks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. You really get your hands full. It's certainly hard work. You just push yourself as hard as you can and try to do a good lap."

Helio Castroneves, driver of the No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet IndyCar V6, was the third fastest in combined practice sessions Friday for the Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle.  Castroneves is third in IndyCar Series points.  Simon Pagenaud paced the practice session in the No. 77 Honda. (Photo by Phillip Abbott/LAT for Chevy Racing)

Mike Conway, driver of the  No. 20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka / Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet IndyCar V6, was the second fastest in combined practice sessions for the Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle. Conway was a race winner in Detroit last year.

 (Photo by Phillip Abbott/LAT for Chevy Racing)

Simon Pagenaud celebrates 2013 win in Detroit Grand Prix.

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports returns to the site of its first Verizon IndyCar Series victory this weekend for the Detroit Grand Prix, and the team hopes to defend a win on Belle Isle with drivers Simon Pagenaud and Mikhail Aleshin.

Pagenaud’s victory in Race 2 at the 2013 Dual in Detroit was the first  IndyCar Series win of the Frenchman's career. But it wasn't his first taste of success on the 13-turn, 2.36-mile temporary street course. Each of the three times Pagenaud has competed at Belle Isle, he has found the podium. In 2008 he placed third in the American Le Mans Series race with de Ferran Motorsports, in 2012 he placed third as a Verizon IndyCar Series rookie with SPM, and he found victory circle in 2013 with SPM.   

"I'm happy to be back in Detroit because it's a place where I enjoy driving," Pagenaud said. "It suits me very well, and I've had good results there my whole career, whether it be in sports car or IndyCar."

Pagenaud and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports also won the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10, which was the most recent Verizon IndyCar Series race on a road course.

"We're going to Detroit with a very aggressive approach, which is to try and win the race again," he said. "There's no reason why we shouldn't be competitive. I like the fact that the Belle Isle track is narrow and that the tarmac changes. It's a track where you really have to attack. There's a lot of grip on the course after we run a few laps, and you really have to commit to the corners to succeed there."

Pagenaud's No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone car will feature a bright orange livery to promote its primary sponsor for the race weekend, Oculus Transport. Pagenaud is also excited to race near the U.S. headquarters of Magneti Marelli in Auburn Hills,  one of the team's associate sponsors.

"Magneti Marelli makes high-tech electronics for cars, among other things, and they are very involved with our team and with Honda," Pagenaud said. "I'm excited to represent them so near to their home base. It's a company I've grown up knowing about because they have a factory very close to my hometown in France."

Detroit Grand Prix notes:

The Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit will be the sixth and seventh Verizon IndyCar Series races conducted at The Raceway at Belle Isle Park. Previous Detroit winners entered include Helio Castroneves (2000-01), Tony Kanaan (2007), Justin Wilson (2008), Scott Dixon (2012), Mike Conway (2013, Race #1) and Simon Pagenaud (2013, Race #2).

The Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit are the 16th and 17th Indy car races at The Raceway at Belle Isle and the 19th and 20th Indy car races held in Detroit. A 2.5-mile street circuit in Detroit hosted CART from 1989-1991.

The driver who has gone on to win the championship has won at Detroit three times. Alex Zanardi won on Belle Isle in 1998, Bobby Rahal won at Belle Isle in 1992 and Emerson Fittipaldi won in downtown Detroit in 1989.

Since 1994, seven drivers have won the sixth race of the season and also won the championship. They are: Dario Franchitti (2011, Texas-1; 2010, Indianapolis), Sebastien Bourdais (2004, Toronto), Scott Dixon (2003, Pikes Peak), Cristiano da Matta (2002, Portland), Alex Zanardi (1998, Gateway), Jimmy Vasser (1996, Michigan) and Jacques Villeneuve (1995, Indianapolis). Eight drivers have won the seventh race of the season and also won the championship. They are: Dario Franchitti (2009, Iowa), Scott Dixon (2008, Texas and 2003, Richmond), Sebastien Bourdais (2005, Edmonton), Sam Hornish Jr. (2006, Richmond), Cristiano da Matta (2002, Chicago), Greg Ray (1999, Dover), Kenny Brack (1998, Charlotte) Tony Stewart (1997, Charlotte) and Al Unser Jr. (1994, Portland).

Helio Castroneves has competed in nine previous races at Detroit, most of any driver. Ten drivers entered have led laps at the track (Helio Castroneves 175, Juan Pablo Montoya 117, Mike Conway 78, Scott Dixon 78, Tony Kanaan 30, Ryan Hunter-Reay 20, Simon Pagenaud 18, Justin Wilson 18, Charlie Kimball 3 and Will Power 3.)

Three drivers - Mikhail Aleshin, Carlos Munoz and Jack Hawksworth - will be making their first start at Belle Isle in any series.

The Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit will be the fifth and sixth races on a road/street course in 2013. The first four races were won by Will Power (St. Petersburg), Mike Conway (Long Beach), Ryan Hunter-Reay (Barber) and Simon Pagenaud (Grand Prix of Indianapolis).

2014 CHEVROLET DETROIT BELLE ISLE GRAND PRIX FAST FACTS

WHAT: 

The Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix May 30 - June 1. The event will feature the cars of the Verizon IndyCar Series, the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the Pirelli World Challenge Series and the trucks of the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series. The weekend collectively is referred to as the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and it will be highlighted by the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans IndyCar doubleheader.

WHEN: 

Friday-Sunday – May 30-June 1, 2014

WHERE: 

The Raceway at Belle Isle Park street circuit

TRACK LENGTH: 

2.3 miles

BROADCAST COVERAGE: 

Saturday, May 31 – Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans Dual #1 

(Verizon IndyCar Series)

Live national television coverage: ABC (Time – 3:30 pm ET)

Live local television coverage: WXYZ, Channel 7

Live local radio coverage: WDFN (1130 AM) 

Live national radio coverage: IMS Radio Network and Sirius Satellite Radio 213/XM Satellite Radio Channel 209

Sunday, June 1 – Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans Dual #2 

(Verizon IndyCar Series) 

Live national television coverage: ABC (Time – 3:30 pm)

Live local television coverage: WXYZ, Channel 7

Live local radio coverage: WDFN (1130 AM)

Live national radio coverage: IMS Radio Network and Sirius Satellite Radio 213/XM Satellite Radio Channel 209

EVENT SCHEDULE: 

Below is the detailed weekend schedule (subject to change):

Friday, May 30 (Gates open 7:30 a.m.)

- Comerica Bank FREE Prix Day

- Access to the venue and the Fifth Third Bank Paddock is FREE of charge

8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series Practice/Qualifying - Race 1 

8:50 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. Pirelli World Challenge Practice (GT/GT-A/GTS) 

9:35 a.m. - 11:05 a.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Practice 1 (Prototype/GT Daytona) 

11:20 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Practice 1 

12:20 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. Pirelli World Challenge Practice 2 (GT/GT-A/GTS) 

1:35 p.m. - 3:05 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Practice 2 (Prototype/GT Daytona) 

2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Pirelli World Challenge Driver Autograph Session -Meijer Fan Zone 

3:20 p.m. - 4:05 p.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Practice 2 

4:35 p.m. - 5:05 p.m. SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series - Race 1 

5:05 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series post-race ceremonies 

5:25 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Qualifying (GT Daytona)

5:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Qualifying (Prototype)

Saturday, May 31 (Gates open 7:15 a.m.)

7:10 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. Pirelli World Challenge Qualifying - Race I (GT/GT-A/GTS) 

8:00 a.m. - 8:20 a.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Warm-Up (Prototype/GT Daytona) 

8:35 a.m. - 9:35 a.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifying - Dual I 

9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Drivers Autograph Session - Meijer Fan Zone 

10:05 a.m. - 11:05 a.m. Cadillac V-Series Challenge presented by the Metro Detroit Cadillac Dealers – Race 1

11:05 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. Pirelli World Challenge Post-race ceremonies 

12:00 noon - 12:10 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Formation Laps/IMSA Hot Lap Experience 

12:10 p.m. - 1:55 p.m. Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by the Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers 

1:55 p.m. -2:15 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Post-Race Ceremonies 

2:10 p.m. - 2:25 p.m. SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series Moto 

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Verizon IndyCar Series pre-race

3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans - Dual I (70 laps) 

5:45 p.m. (estimated) Verizon IndyCar Series post-race ceremonies 

6:15 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Concert: Lifehouse on the MotorCity Casino Hotel Entertainment Stage

Sunday, June 1 (Gates open 7:30 a.m.)

7:35 a.m. - 7:55 a.m. SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series Qualifying - Race 2 

8:15 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. Pirelli World Challenge Warm-Up - Race 2 (GT/GT-A/GTS) 

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifying - Dual II 

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Cadillac V-Series Challenge presented by Metro Detroit Cadillac Dealers – Race 2

12:00 noon - 12:20 p.m. Pirelli World Challenge post-race ceremonies 

12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Drivers Autograph Session (Verizon IndyCar Series Fan Village) 

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Concert: Shaggy (with Rayvon) on the MotorCity Casino Hotel Entertainment Stage

1:55 p.m. - 2:25 p.m. SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series - Race 2 

2:25 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series post-race ceremonies 

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Pre-race 

3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans - Dual II (70 laps) 

5:45 p.m. (estimated) Verizon IndyCar Series post-race ceremonies

TICKETS: 

Tickets are on sale for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. To view information on ticket plans and to purchase tickets, please visit www.DetroitGP.com. Tickets may also be purchased by calling 866-464-PRIX (7749) or visit the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix office in the GM Renaissance Center, 300 Renaissance Center Drive, Suite 2311, Detroit, Mich.

Here are storylines for the weekend IndyCar Series races in Detroit:
Verizon IndyCar Series prepares for Detroit doubleheader
The Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit will mark the first of three doubleheaders on the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule. Drivers will contest a pair of  70-lap races Saturday and Sunday on the 2.36-mile temporary street circuit, posing a unique challenge for drivers and teams. Will someone sweep the races and be crowned king of the streets in Detroit?
Hunter-Reay looks to continue surge at Detroit
Ryan Hunter-Reay scored the biggest win of his career when he won the 98th Indianapolis 500 on May 25. Hunter-Reay, who finished second in the first of two races on Belle Isle in 2013, took the lead in the championship standings and looks to maintain his momentum. Can he continue his climb towards a second championship with at least one win in Detroit?
Helio returns to site of his first fence climb
Helio Castroneves returns to Belle Isle, hoping to climb the fence at the circuit where he won his first Indy car race in 2000. Castroneves has two victories and two poles at Belle Isle for team owner Roger Penske's team. Can he win again at the Captain's home track?
Watch for Wilson
Justin Wilson is familiar with victory lane at Belle Isle, having won the race in 2008. Wilson returns to the circuit with a team also familiar with victory lane in the Motor City, Dale Coyne Racing. Can Wilson, who won the team's first race in 2009 at Watkins Glen, bring the team back to victory lane at Belle Isle?
Second-generation stars hope to add to family legacy
The latest generation from two of open-wheel racing's most familiar families comes to Belle Isle in hopes of adding to the family legacy. Marco Andretti - the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti and son of two-time Detroit winner Michael Andretti - comes to Detroit in search of his first win of the season. Another son hoping to return his father's team to Victory Lane is Graham Rahal. The son of inaugural Belle Isle winner Bobby Rahal hopes to turn around a slow start to the season with strong races on Belle Isle.
Detroit native look for win as team owner
Verizon IndyCar Series team owner Roger Penske calls Detroit home and brings a strong chance to win the home race for engine manufacturer Chevrolet. Penske played an active role in bringing back the race to Detroit, and his Team Penske has Will Power, former Belle Isle race winner Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya.
Generation Next
James Hinchcliffe, Simon Pagenaud and Charlie Kimball all scored their first win in 2013, finished top 10 in the championship standings and established themselves as the next stars of the sport. Will 2014 be the year a new, young star becomes a champion?
Conway aims for second victory
Mike Conway was a surprise winner at Long Beach, inheriting the lead with three laps remaining and returning Ed Carpenter Racing to the winner's circle. Now, the Englishman looks for another milestone - helping the team win its first entrant championship. Can Conway win again at Belle Isle and help the team stay near the top of the standings?
Follow the Frenchman
Simon Pagenaud claimed his first Indy car win on the streets of Belle Isle in 2013. Now he hopes a strong performance in Detroit can springboard him to the Verizon IndyCar Series title. Can Pagenaud, who won the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10, maintain his top form on street circuits and gain ground in the title race?

More than 1,200 volunteers are needed to help put on the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix May 30-June 1, event spokesman Merrill Cain said. Go to www.DetroitGP.com and click on the VOLUNTEER tab to learn more and sign up to be a Detroit Grand Prix Association volunteer.

In order to join the DGPA and volunteer, individuals must pay a $15 registration fee.  DGPA members have access to benefits including credentials for all three days of the Grand Prix, a volunteer uniform, a DGPA membership patch, a lapel pin, free off-island parking during race weekend, access to pre- and post-event parties and lunch provided all three days.  Volunteers are required to work a minimum of 25 hours during race weekend, with shifts set up depending on the volunteer area.

This year’s event will include concerts, BMX demonstrations, Monster Truck rides, displays featuring Detroit’s top sports teams and more. On the track, the weekend will once again include two IndyCar Series races – the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans.  Along with the IndyCar races, the event will feature the new unified sports car series, the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, two Pirelli World Challenge Series races and for the first time in Detroit, the high-flying trucks of the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series.

Ryan Hunter-Reay saved his best lap for his last lap at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

The defending IZOD IndyCar Series champion showed no ill effects for a two-week layoff turning a lap of 1 minute 5.6358 seconds Wednesday on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course to lead the one-day  open test in advance of Sunday's Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

"It was a good day," Hunter-Reay, driver of the No. 1 DHL Chevrolet, said. "Made some major gains and we're pretty happy with the car. This track is similar to Barber and we've been quick on the big natural terrain road courses. I'm happy with the work that the Andretti Autosport boys have done over the last two weeks and I'm sure we'll find even more speed for Friday."

Simon Pagenaud turned the second-quickest lap of 1:05.7965 in the No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports Honda followed by Will Power (1:05.8206) of Team Penske, Sebastien Bourdais (1:05.9654) of Dragon Racing and series points leader Helio Castroneves (1:05.9710).

Scott Dixon, who has won the last three IndyCar Series races and is aiming for his third straight win at Mid-Ohio, was sixth at 1:06.1025. A little more than a second separated the top 16 drivers on the timesheet.

Free Prix Day is coming back to Belle Isle.

Fans can watch on-track activity free of charge Friday, May 31, as drivers and teams prepare  for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.

The day's schedule includes IZOD IndyCar Series practice and qualifying, plus practice and qualifying for the GRAND-AM Rolex Series and the Pirelli World Challenge Series.

Fans also can visit the paddock and garage areas.

Dwele, an R&B singer from Detroit, will give a concert starting at 5:45 p.m.

Free Prix Day will be sponsored by Comerica Bank.

Graham Rahal faces a 10-spot grid penalty for the Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle on Sunday.
Rahal, who drives the No. 38 car, had to change a blown engine during preparation for the Indianapolis 500 that was run May 27.
Rather than penalize the driver for the famed race at the Brickyard, IndyCar said penalties would carry over to the Detroit street-course race.
Rahal will be placed back 10 spots from wherever he qualifies Saturday, so 11th would be the best starting position he could have for the 90-lap race.
Rahal, who is 14th in driver points, is also on IndyCar probation because of an incident with fellow driver Marco Andretti during the race at Long Beach, Calif.
Rahal drives for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, the team that includes Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti.

One frequently advanced theory about IndyCar racing is that its popularity in the United States would increase if more American-born drivers were part of the series.
Tony Kanaan seemed to run the wheels off that notion at the Indianapolis 500.
The Brazilian driver was hands down the favorite of the fans in the grandstand Sunday for the race won by Scotland's Dario Franchitti.
Kanaan, 37, has won 14 IndyCar Series races, but he has not won the Indy 500, the circuit's most prestigious event.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway crowd was behind Kanaan when he charged to the front of Sunday's race and pulled for him during the closing laps.
Kanaan, who led seven laps, wound up finishing in third place, behind teammates Franchitti and Scott Dixon.
Kanaan (pictured) is ninth in driver points as the series heads this week to Detroit for a road-course race on Belle Isle.