Driver Helio Castroneves crashes in practice round

Helio Castroneves had just climbed out of a cracked-up car, but it was hard to tell by looking at him.

"It isn't very often that it happens," said Castroneves, standing in front of a dozen or more crew members working to switch out his damaged car for a back-up. "We feel very lucky."

All shined up and smiling, the "Dancing With the Stars" champion was telling a group of sponsors and their families about how the steering wheels in Indy cars work, when someone asked him about the morning practice crash.

Castroneves was doing a seven-lap practice when, behind him, Tony Kanaan lost his brakes.

"From what we understand," said Penske team manager John Erickson, "Tony pushed it to the floor and there was nothing there. He was looking for any way to stop."

Kanaan flew up the right side of Castroneves' car, and over the tires. Castroneves' car slowed to a stop just short of the tires at the turn onto Pratt Street. Neither driver was injured.

"It was too much damage to fix before a race," said Erickson. "We went to the back-up car."

Hundreds of spectators crowded around the damaged car in the paddock area underneath the Convention Center to watch the team install a new engine in the back-up car and switch over the elements of the first car that were needed.

"It will take about 90 minutes," said Erickson.

Castroneves would not get a chance to drive the course in the back-up car before the race.

"It's not ideal," Erickson said. "But it will be fine."

Nearby, Castroneves smiled and posed for pictures.