Kanaan still talking about Sunday’s on-track incident

INDIANAPOLIS — Even when Indy Racing League driver Tony Kanaan isn’t winning races, he is still in the spotlight. The 2004 IRL champion continued his run toward the podium this past weekend at Watkins Glen, N.Y., but ran into a little problem along the way — Sam Hornish Jr. On Wednesday, Kanaan was still unhappy about the whole thing.

Hornish Jr. had bumped Kanaan early in the race while trying to make a pass, and the fiery Brazilian swerved around Hornish’s Penske Racing Honda on the cool-down lap after Scott Dixon took the checkered flag to end the 60-lap, 202-mile race. An altercation then broke out when the drivers exited their cars. Hornish’s father, Sam Sr., pushed Kanaan, then was knocked to the ground by members of Kanaan’s Andretti Green Racing crew.

As a result, the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series, on Tuesday announced penalties for the teams, drivers and non-uniformed hard card credential holders who were involved in an altercation on pit road immediately following the race.

Team Penske and Andretti Green Racing were fined $25,000 each for unsportsmanlike conduct on pit road as cars returned immediately after the checkered flag. Kanaan of Andretti Green Racing and Hornish of Team Penske were fined an unspecified amount for their actions.

In addition, the league announced that Anthony Fedele, who, according to Kanaan, is a friend of Michael Andretti, has had his league-issued hard card, which was granted through Andretti Green Racing, and credential request opportunities suspended indefinitely. Sam Hornish Sr. has been suspended from pit lane for one race. Also, the teams, drivers and Hornish Sr. have been placed on probation until Dec. 31.

Following the race, both drivers voiced their displeasure.

“He hit me,” said Kanaan, whose green-and-white No. 11 had black tire marks along the driver’s side. “I got out of the car to talk to him. He needs his dad to defend him, which I think is totally wrong. What happened on the track, we need to sort it out between me and him. I was not going to fight. That’s why dads should be in the grandstands.”

“It was unfortunate how it all played out, even after he got out of the car and I went to talk to him,” Hornish said. “His point of view and mine is a lot different about what happened. I don’t really see where it’s coming from. He didn’t give me any room, and that’s what happens sometimes.”

On Wednesday, Kanaan told members of the media a somewhat different tune. Offering his point of view and an apology, Kanaan said, “What happened there on my view was this: We had an incident at the track, which I would call a race incident. On the cool-down lap, I came alongside him and kind of drove close to his car and cut in front of him without hitting him. It was not in pit lane, it was during the racetrack if you look at the in-car camera of Marco (Andretti). Instead of me getting out of the car and talking to him in front of people, I thought that was going to be a better way to send a message to say, ‘Hey, I didn’t like what you did but we’re even now.’

“I did not hit his car; I cut in front of him. Was that right? I don’t think it was right. I think I have to apologize because, yes, I scared him. But it wasn’t like he said that I was in pit lane. We didn’t put anybody’s life at risk because it was way before the blend-in line in pit lane.”

Kanaan wasn’t surprised by the penalties handed down by the IRL, either.

“To be honest, if I hadn’t cut in front of him on the cool-down lap, I would say I was going to think it was unfair because I don’t think I did anything,” said Kanaan. “He said I blocked him when he was making a move, which, you look on TV my car didn’t even move. That’s not a good place to pass, but we all can make poor judgments sometimes. I’ve made many of them. He made one, which in my opinion it is, and that’s fine.

“But I think when you’re in an argument with somebody and then you threw the first punch, you always lose the reason of it. I think me cutting in front of him before we come into the pits gave Brian Barnhart (president, racing and operations division for the Indy Racing League) a reason to fine us equally. I give a lot of credit to the IRL people, including Brian, and that’s what he felt he needed to do. That’s the way it is. I mean, we’re going to have to agree and we’re both under probation, and we’re going to have to pay the fine that they told us to do, and then we’ve got to move on.”

Kanaan said he plans to seek out Hornish this weekend at the Firestone Indy 200 in Nashville, Tenn.

“I think I should go up to him and apologize for cutting him off, and that’s it. I mean, I have all the respect for Sam as a driver,” Kanaan said. “I really don’t care if he wants to be my friend or not because I have a bunch of friends. … As a driver to a driver, I have a lot of respect for him and I will apologize to him for the end lap, and we’ll move on. Whatever anybody else has to say to me they can come and say it and apologize. If he doesn’t want to apologize, it’s not going to change my life.”

With all of the excitement the last few days, Kanaan is looking forward to just getting back out on the track and racing.

“The only fight that I’m interested in right now is the fight for the championship,” Kanaan said. “I don’t think people want to fight me. I’m not saying I’m the strongest man out there, but I think I can handle myself pretty well. So I’m not looking for any fights apart from the championship.”

Saturday’s race is the final before the IRL invades the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio, July 20-22.