FORT WORTH, Texas -- Indy Racing League president and CEO Tony George walked up to Helio Castroneves shortly after the two-time Indianapolis 500 champion had fallen inches short of winning the Chevy 500 and IRL championship Sunday afternoon.

Castroneves finished second to rival Sam Hornish Jr. at Texas Motor Speedway by just .0096 seconds. It was the second-closest finish in Indy car history, with Castroneves coming up about nine inches short.

	Sam Hornish Jr., (4) beat Helio Castroneves (3) on Sunday by the second closest margin ever.

George, who is also the president and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, shook hands with Castroneves and said, "You're the man."

Although he just missed winning the IRL title in his first season on the circuit, Castroneves couldn't help but bubble over with the enthusiasm he still felt from the dramatic, wheel-to-wheel battle with Hornish.

"Man, what a series," said Castroneves, a star in CART before moving to the IRL with Marlboro Team Penske this season. "Tony, I give you credit for the formula and the series. This is the best racing I've ever been involved in during my life."

Those were strong words from the young Brazilian driver who will get a Formula One test drive with Toyota and Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend. Although getting a ride in Formula One has been a lifelong dream, few imagined that Castroneves would fall in love with the IRL.

After all, Castroneves was a member of CART, the bitter, archenemy of the IRL. He drove for Marlboro Team Penske, the most successful team in CART history that -- until this season -- was a staunch supporter of that series.

But when team owner Roger Penske made the bold but inevitable move to the IRL, his two drivers came from strict road racing backgrounds. Gil de Ferran was the two-time reigning CART champion and Castroneves had never won an oval track race until the 2001 Indianapolis 500.

Running around in circles seemed to be risky business for the drivers who had run just a handful of ovals in CART, which has most of its races on street circuits and road courses.

In the mid-1990s, when Castroneves was coming through the ranks, first in Indy Lights, then in CART with Bettenhausen Racing and Hogan Racing, the IRL was in its infancy and was the target of ridicule among the "CART-isians."

Even back then, the young Castroneves knew better than to look down his nose at the IRL. He realized that one day, he may be in the series.

At that time, the CART teams had the money, the sponsors, the lavish hospitality motor homes with the catered chefs. There was nothing fancy about the IRL in the early years. It certainly didn't have the glamour that would impress a young, aristocratic Brazilian who now resides in one of the most upscale areas of Miami.

Rather than fall victim to the arrogance that has led to CART's rapid downward slide, Castroneves always believed he was a man of the people.

"I'll be honest, very early in my career when I was racing go-karts in Brazil, I originally had no interest in going to America to race Indy cars. I wanted to go to Formula One," Castroneves said. "But when I came to America, my wishes were totally different. I wanted to race Indy cars.

"When the IRL started, a lot of people were saying this series wasn't any good. I was the only one saying, 'Don't ever say that because you might end up racing there.' With those words, I still remember. I never said anything because one day I knew I would probably be here and this year was that day."

When Penske made the decision to leave CART -- a series he helped found in 1978 -- both drivers were under contract but had an option.

"We told both drivers that if they didn't want to run in the IRL, they were free to go," Penske Racing president Tim Cindric said. "Both Helio and Gil realized the opportunity they had by racing for Marlboro Team Penske and both were team players when we made the move to the IRL."

Although both have hinted in the past that they miss the road racing aspects of CART, they are convinced that the IRL is the series that is on a continued growth spurt.

	“	Look at how many people were here today (86,000). I'm sure the word will get around to everyone and I couldn't be more excited about this series. I'm disappointed because the season didn't finish the way I wanted it to with a championship, but I'll get over it. ”
		— Castroneves

"We (Gil and I) were a little concerned that we were only running ovals," said Castroneves, "but I knew our organization was first-class and that is why I decided to stay with Roger.

"I knew it was the right choice as soon as we started running in the IRL and that is what is happening. I think what we have achieved here is due to phenomenal competition. This series has a future ahead of it.

"Look at how many people were here today (86,000). I'm sure the word will get around to everyone and I couldn't be more excited about this series. I'm disappointed because the season didn't finish the way I wanted it to with a championship, but I'll get over it."

Castroneves entered Sunday's race trailing Hornish by 12 points. That meant it was crucial for the Marlboro Team Penske driver to get the two bonus points for leading the most laps and win the race. Then he had to hope Hornish finished lower than second.

If the drivers finished tied in the standings, Hornish held the tiebreaker edge with four wins. If Castroneves had won Sunday's race, that would have been his third victory of the season.

Instead of settling for second and winning the title on a tiebreaker, Hornish went for broke and engaged Castroneves in a racing battle to remember.

If Hornish came to Texas as the epitome of an American cowboy ready to win a gunfight in the wild, wild West, Castroneves was the Brazilian caballero, looking to display his own version of riding off into the sunset.

"There was a point where you're upset with people getting a little out of hand," Castroneves said. "At the same time you're like, 'This is fantastic, this is really fun, wheel to wheel.' I enjoy it.

"Obviously, it was very close. I wasn't expecting much different. And it was fantastic."