Tracy's team appealing Indy 500 finish

INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul Tracy's team will appeal his second-place finish in the Indianapolis 500.

Tracy passed Helio Castroneves during the race's next-to-last lap, but race officials ruled the pass came after caution lights came on following a two-car crash.

"I guess in a way that I was hoping that someone could show me that we did finish second, and I could go away and let it be," team owner Barry Green said Monday. "To argue through protest and appeals is not my team's style. But it's because we feel so sure that Paul Tracy won the Indianapolis 500, we have today lodged our appeal."

The IRL said it had received the appeal but set no deadline for a decision.

Tracy passed Castroneves a split second after the crash, but the dispute was about the precise moment the caution went into effect. Tracy said he was ahead when he first learned of the yellow; Castroneves said he let up on the throttle when he saw yellow, which allowed Tracy to pass.

Indy Racing League rules say that positions are frozen as soon as a yellow flag or lights are displayed on the track.

"Paul Tracy has the right to race until the yellow light comes on and the only accurate information anyone has is video of Paul passing (Castroneves) before the light comes on," Green said.

The IRL turned down the official protest from Green on May 27 after a two-hour hearing. Monday was the deadline for Green to file an appeal of the final standings.

Tracy, who drives full-time for Green in the rival CART series, won Sunday's Miller Light 250 at the Milwaukee Mile, the first race since the Indy was run on May 26.

The win was Castroneves' second consecutive Indy 500 victory for car owner Roger Penske, who switch his team from CART to the IRL this season.