Old rivals will face off again at Detroit Grand Prix

Castroneves and Kanaan share a good laugh

Ever since they climbed into their first go-karts in Brazil, Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves have been rivals.

And that rivalry will take center stage again this weekend during the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix this weekend, which includes am IndyCar doubleheader Saturday and Sunday.

"We've raced together since we were 8 years old, so we've developed this rivalry between us that was quite intense over the years, and I have to say we've loved and hated each other forever," said Kanaan, who like Castroneves, has won the ultimate prize — the Indianapolis 500 (Kanaan has won once, in 2013; Castroneves has three titles, in 2001, 2002 and 2009).

"We both live in Florida and I think a couple of years ago, maybe three, he has a daughter and I have a son, and I said, ‘Can you imagine if my son dates your daughter … I don't want you as part of my family since I didn't like you for so long.' We started to laugh. We realize that the rivalry made us so much better."

Yes, it has.

Kanaan has 15 IndyCar victories, and won the series championship 10 years ago, the second of his eight years with Michael Andretti. He now drives for Chip Ganassi, whose drivers have won the series title five of the last six years.

Castroneves has won 22 IndyCar races for Roger Penske. He has yet to win the series title, finishing second last year.

"I am who I am because of that rivalry," said Castroneves, who won his first IndyCar race at Belle Isle in 2000, climbing the fence in celebration. He repeated the feat in 2001. "The competition has made me better and I think it has for him, too."

But while their rivalry has taken off on the IndyCar circuit, the two started off as teammates on the Indy Lights circuit in 1996, driving for Steve Horne.

"We shared a room together," Castroneves said. "We talked a lot, shared our dreams, telling each other, ‘Don't forget me when you're famous, I'll carry your helmet.' We didn't have much money, but we found a way to have fun.

"Tony's Dad passed away when he was so young and he was a guy who had to learn out on the street and even though I had my parents, it taught me a lot. God was looking after us and we're very happy we've had to carry our own helmets."

Kanaan, who won at Belle Isle in 2007, finished second in the Indy Lights in 1996, but won in 1997 by a 156-152 margin over — you guessed it — Castroneves.

And it was that rivalry that made Kanaan a champion and gave him a life-long friend.

"I'd wake up in the morning and had his picture on the refrigerator, saying, ‘I'm going to beat you,' " recalled Kanaan. "Everything I did, it was to beat him, and he felt the same way.

"It was an extremely healthy rivalry. Although we didn't understand that at age 12, didn't understand it at 20, we always kind of respected each other. It got us to where we are now." Detroit News