Competition.(auto racing results)

George sticks with Helio

* Well, Helio Castroneves' 2002 Indianapolis 500 win is finally official, at least in the eyes of Indy Racing League president Tony George. He ruled the Team Penske driver, by all the evidence in Team Green's appeal, was in front of Paul Tracy in the third turn when the caution lights came on during lap 199 of the May 26 race.

But that didn't even matter, George said. The decision to put Castroneves ahead of Tracy in the running order was a judgment call by chief steward Brian Barnhart, meaning it was not disputable from the get-go.

``The reason for the rule is simple,'' George said. ``I have spent a great amount of time in race control in every one of the 64 Indy Racing League events. [Officials] must determine the order of the cars on the racetrack upon the commencement of a yellow caution period during any race, and that can only be done by visual observation and by viewing television monitors in race control. They do not have the benefit of instant replay or telemetry data.

``A call must be made quickly for the purposes of driver safety.''

In an 11-page report, George said Team Green did not have the right to appeal, that any yellow light causes the action to cease, that Castroneves was four to six feet ahead at the time of the caution, that TV replays show the yellow flag displayed at the pit road entrance before Tracy passed Castroneves and that the decision is final and binding.

``This proceeding has highlighted the quality and the integrity of the work done by Brian Barnhart and his staff,'' George said.