Tracy plays it cool after crack-up

ADRIEN VECZAN/THE TORONTO STAR

Paul Tracy returns to the pits after an accident the Honda Indy Toronto on Sunday July 12, 2009.

With the someone in the crowd chanting "Kick his (butt), Paul," it was sportsmanship that won the day.

Scarborough's Paul Tracy – who'd given himself an incredible, albeit unlikely, chance at winning for the third time in Toronto – simply shook hands with Brazil's Helio Castroneves in the pits after the two collided and took each other out of the race.

"We were racing hard," Tracy said of Castroneves. "He didn't want to let me by. He didn't block. He left me the room to get in there, we got intertwined and we seemed to not be able to get off each other. I'm not saying he squeezed me, I didn't squeeze him. It was just one of those things."

Dario Franchitti and Tracy were both chasing down Castroneves, the leader who was going slow trying to conserve fuel. Franchitti got by – taking the lead he never gave up – but Tracy couldn't. Wheels touched, Castroneves lost control and slammed into Tracy, ending the day for both.

Castroneves was booed by the crowd by the pits. But Tracy sought him out to shake hands.

"I really thought I gave enough room," said Castroneves. "It's a shame. We were doing a good race."

Kevin McGran

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