Everything is on the line for the four title contenders in the PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300 presented by Mr. Clean on Sept. 10 at Chicagoland Speedway.

The season finale on the 1.5-mile tri-oval is reminiscent of the 2002 championship chase, when Sam Hornish Jr. entered the Sept. 15 race at Texas Motor Speedway with a 12-point lead over Helio Castroneves. Hornish, seeking his second consecutive series title with Panther Racing, denied Castroneves of his first by beating the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion by 0.0096 of a second in the third-closest finish in series history.

Castroneves hasn’t forgotten, and wants to be the one to hand the IRL Cup to Roger Penske for the first time. Castroneves leads his Marlboro Team Penske teammate by a solitary point entering the 200-lap race on a track where Hornish has won twice. Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Dan Wheldon (19 points behind) and Scott Dixon (21 points) also are in the title mix. It will be the third time in the past five years that the championship is decided in the final race.

“In 2002, I had to win the race, and Sam had to finish third for me to clinch the championship,” said Castroneves, who continues to drive the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske car. “Since I’ve been in this circumstance before, I know what to do. I know what doesn’t work, so I just won’t do that again. It’s different this time. It’s going to be a race you can’t predict. You just have to run strong so you can achieve the goals. Hopefully, we’ll have a great ending.”

Both Castroneves and Hornish have four victories, a runner-up finish and a third-place finish this year, so the fourth tiebreaker would be needed if they are deadlocked in points. Castroneves doesn’t plan to follow Hornish’s No. 6 Honda-powered Dallara across the finish line.

“It’s every man for himself,” Castroneves said. “The odds probably help Sam because he’s more familiar with the ovals. We are going to try everything we can to finish and clinch this championship.”

Hornish and Wheldon have not finished lower than fourth on 1.5-mile ovals this season. A poker player, Hornish is all in to win.

“It’s unbelievable how close this championship race has been, and it’s probably been the toughest,” said Hornish, who has 18 victories and led 61 races in 98 career starts. “I know I have to finish ahead of Helio at Chicago, and I hope we both make the finish and it comes down to the two of us on the last corner of the last lap.”

If that happens, Penske Racing president Tim Cindric hopes the drivers apply Rule 1 in the teammate handbook: Don’t take each other out.

“The best we can do is just try and give the drivers a reminder of the big picture as they get the red mist in front of them, decide on Lap 20 they think it’s Lap 200,” said Cindric, who calls the race for Castroneves. “But that’s really the best thing that we can do is just try and coach them to the end.”

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