Brazil's Helio Castroneves won the Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway Saturday, his fuel-conserving strategy paying off with the 24th IndyCar win of his career.

Castroneves completed the final 53 laps of the 1.5-mile oval on one tank of fuel, capitalizing when the leaders had to make late stops for fuel.

Pole-sitter Ed Carpenter was second, followed by England's Dan Wheldon, Brazilian Tony Kannan and Scotland's Dario Franchitti.

Series points leader Will Power of Australia led 82 laps but slipped to eighth. His late-race wobble after a pit stop allowed Franchitti to draw within 17 points with two races remaining in the season.

The victory was the first for Castroneves since he triumphed in Alabama in April.

The three-time Indy 500 winner was fined 60,000 dollars after a postrace outburst in Edmonton in July, where he was penalized for blocking late in the race.

Officials ordered Castroneves to the back after ruling. He stayed in front instead and crossed the finish line first, but it was New Zealand's Scott Dixon who got the victory.

Castroneves lost his cool, striking a security official. He and the same official embraced Saturday after Castroneves won - atoning for a Kentucky campaign two years ago when he ran out of fuel in sight of the finish.

Castroneves credited Team Penske president Tim Cindric for the race winning strategy. After pitting for fuel on lap 147 of 200, the Brazilian took Cindric's advice and ran slower than the leaders.