KANAAN: THE CROWD IN SÃO PAULO WAS GREAT

Kanaan, driver of the No. 11 ITAIPAVA | GEICO | MOUSER ELECTRONICS – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone, qualified 12th, but started 11th.  The 37-year-old Brazilian, who pitted a couple of laps earlier than his teammates during the first stint was essentially on the same strategy and in line for a top-10 finish, however a late race incident dropped him to 13th.

“Unfortunately, our strategy didn’t work out the way we wanted because of the number of yellow flags,” Kanaan said.  “That is racing.  If everything had played out the way we envisioned and we had not got caught up in that pile-up we would have been in the top-five.  It’s a shame, but it is always fun to race in front of the Brazilian fans.  Iwant to thank them and my sponsors for supporting me.  From here we go to Indy, which is the most important race of the season and we looking for a good result in a race I have been close to winning, but never have.”

Kanaan made his sixth U. S. based series start in Brazil.  In two previous races in São Paulo, Kanaan has a best finish of 10th in 2010 (raced three times on the oval in Rio in CART with a best finish of fifth in 1999).  After opening the season with a run of bad luck in the first two events, Kanaan broke out with a spectacular fourth place finish two weeks ago in Long Beach.  A perennial championship contender (has finished in the top-six in the final standings in all nine of his full IndyCar seasons), Kanaan earned 13 points today and currently sits 14th in the standings with 71 points

Next up for KVRT is the Indianapolis 500, May 27, at the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The racewill be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 12:00 p.m. (ET).