Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix-SUNDAY NOTEBOOK

            SONOMA, Calif.- Danica Patrick (Rahal
Letterman Racing) wasn't happy, but had a conciliatory tone after the
lap 20 accident that sidelined her, pole-winner Ryan Briscoe (Target
Chip Ganassi) and front-row starter Helio Castroneves (Marlboro Team
Penske). She was sixth at the time of the mishap through alternate fuel
strategy.

 

            "We went into Turn 6 and I gave some room to Helio," Patrick
said. "I thought he was going to go by. Then we went into Turn 7, Helio
was to the left of me, I broke in my normal spot, where I had every lap,
and right up inside came Briscoe. He was fast. Helio was fast. Ryan
could've been more patient."

 

            When told that Briscoe had apologized on TV, Patrick was
asked if she accepted it.

 

            "Yeah," she said. "Racing accidents happen all the time. I'm
glad he owned up to it."

 

            Castroneves also blamed Briscoe, like Patrick, a rookie.

 

            "It was a bad move on Ryan's part, you know," said
Castroneves. "He had a great car. He was fast. Both of us were fast.
Danica was trying. She noticed that we were really fast and she was
trying to give us a way. I don't know what the heck he was thinking. He
just decided to pass everybody in one corner and he ended up taking
everybody out."

 

            Briscoe apologized.

 

            "When I was going up the hill, I was on the inside going
into Turn 7 and whenever I got on the brakes, obviously they were
defending their positions and I just got on the brakes a bit late, it
looks like. Had to go on the dirt and once I got out there, there was no
stopping the car. I'm just really sorry, because we had a great car. It
was really fast. I'm just sorry for whoever else is out of the race."

 

****

 

            Tomas Enge (Panther Racing), the driver from the Czech
Republic, finished fifth in the Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix, the
best of his IndyCar(r) Series career. His previous best was sixth at
Pikes Peak last weekend.

 

            "I had two small touches with people I was overtaking," Enge
said. "We had a different fuel strategy. Unfortunately, we stopped once
more than some of the other guys. I think the car was just great. The
guys did a great job. Compared to where we started at the beginning of
the weekend on Friday, we improved a lot."

 

***

 

            Jeff Bucknum soldiered to 10th place in his first ride in
A.J. Foyt's legendary No. 14.

 

            "We had to stay clean and out of trouble," Bucknum said. "We
had a couple incidents, but they didn't hurt us too bad. I could see
guys dive-bombing and dust flying. Everyone was running qualifying laps
out there. That's what this series is all about and that's what makes it
fun."

 

***

 

            At times, the Target Chip Ganassi team of Briscoe, Scott
Dixon and newcomer Giorgio Pantano were all near the front. But in
addition to Briscoe going out in an accident, Dixon wound up seventh and
Pantano 14th at the end.

 

            "It was a tough race but we were much better than a
seventh-place finish," Dixon said. "The No. 9 Target Toyota was really
easy to drive and while we had some under steer on the first stint, we
made the adjustments and it was getting much better. It was just so hard
to pass here and the team prepared a much better car than it showed."