WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) – Helio Castroneves had to work hard to win the pole for the inaugural Watkins Glen Indy Grand Prix last fall. Rain made it a lot easier the second time around.

Showers and a crowded schedule on track at Watkins Glen International forced the IRL to cancel qualifying Saturday for the Indy Grand Prix. That gave Castroneves the No. 1 starting slot for Sunday’s race because he posted the fastest lap in the first two rounds of practice.

“We proved that we’re really fast. It’s just a shame we couldn’t go a little bit more, but we’re satisfied,” said Castroneves, who had a fast lap Friday of 133.792 mph over the 3.4-mile, 11-turn road course. That was just off the track record of 133.806 mph he set last September in bumping Scott Dixon off the pole during a six-car shootout. “It’s always nice to keep going and show that you have even more speed,” Castroneves said. “But I’ll take it anytime it comes.”

Starting alongside Castroneves on the front row will be fellow Brazilian Tony Kanaan, and lurking in the second row will be Marco Andretti, who was third fastest of the 19 cars that will start the race.

It will be a new IndyCar experience for the 19-year-old rookie, who was joking with his father, Michael, and grandfather, Mario, in the pits after briefly practicing. “He’s learning how to race in the back because he started in the back a few times,” Kanaan said.

Castroneves was watching his mirrors during the six practice laps he ran in Saturday’s lone session because Andretti was right behind him much of the time. Andretti once briefly darted to the inside entering the first turn, the tires on the cars leaving a rooster tail of water spraying high into the air, then ducked back behind Castroneves entering the 90-degree curve.

“He tried to pass, but not here, buddy,” Castroneves said, smiling. “He lost his chance. That’s why, if you have an opportunity, don’t miss it.”

Tomas Scheckter, who will start 15th, posted the fastest practice lap at 122.855 mph Saturday and spent the most time on track, running 15 laps.

The forecast for Sunday called for showers all day with temperatures in the high 50s for the race, and that left teams in the dark about what to expect.

“Right now, we’re in a hold on the setup,” said Kanaan, who has three top-10 finishes in the first four races of the season and ranks fifth in points (119). “We’re going to make a decision tomorrow morning after the warmup, see what the weather is going to be for the race.”

If it’s wet, that should give veteran road racers such as Castroneves, Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and defending race winner Scott Dixon a bit of an edge.

“You’ve got to keep an eye on the weather, but I think we have a very good car no matter what happens,” Kanaan said. “I love to drive it in the rain. I’ve been racing in the rain since I was a little kid.The drivers have to drive the car, and you can make a difference. I like that. And I’m going to be aggressive. If I can take the lead, I will.”

Castroneves, who won on the street course at St. Petersburg in April, leads Penske Racing teammate Sam Hornish Jr. by 12 points in the standings (156-144). Although Hornish is fresh from his scintillating victory over Andretti in the Indy 500 a week ago, he is wary of his chances here in the rain.

“I haven’t had a lot of practice in the rain in an Indy car,” Hornish said after running two laps Saturday. “This is my fifth IndyCar race (on a road course) and this is probably Helio’s 55th. I still have a lot to learn.

“I’m just going to go out there and try to make it to the end of the race, even though it’s a totally different kind of track, totally different kind of conditions,” Hornish said. “Still, the main thing is to make it to the end of the race and give yourself an opportunity to win.”

AP-ES-06-03-06 1635EDT