Seen in Long Beach

UPDATE Less than 24 hours after finishing second to Danica Patrick in the IRL race at Motegi, Japan, Helio Castroneves was itching to be on the track.

"I feel I wish I belong there," Castroneves said, pointing to the Long Beach track. "I don't belong here (in the grandstands). The worst thing is being here and watching at a race you know you can be in."

Contractually, Castroneves had to race in Japan because he raced in the IRL last season. In his last appearance in Long Beach, in a Champ Car race seven years ago, he won. He took the Penske corporate jet from Japan to Southern California to watch the race.

"I'm here to support the series," he said. "I wanted to see my competitors and how they're going to do. They're going to collect a lot of points today. I can't wait to go back next year and go racing. Everybody would have liked to be here today. This year, we knew would be a challenge."

Helio Castroneves talks to Pro-Celebrity race winner and ESPN pit reporter Jamie Little at Long Beach Sunday

Gail Miller/AutoRacing1

04/20/08 Helio Castroneves and Roger Penske's key people as well as IRL founder Tony George and his key staff made the overnight trip from Motegi, Japan to Long Beach and were here in time for the start of the Long Beach GP.

We hear that Danica Patrick will also be here to meet the American press after her win in Motegi where little to no American media were present.

The grandstands are full and a huge crowd has come out for the final Champ Car race under bright sunny Southern California skies.