INDIANAPOLIS -- IndyCar has put Helio Castroneves on probation through June because he violated the series' social media policy.
Castroneves was penalized Tuesday for a tweet sent from his official account after the Long Beach, Calif., race on April 13 that criticized race control for not penalizing drivers during the race. The tweet included an image of IndyCar's official logo with a ''thumbs down'' symbol photo-shopped in the center.
The tweet was deleted not long after it appeared, and Castroneves later posted that his sister had sent the missive from his account without his permission.
''I apologize and the steward were correct with the call made,'' Castroneves posted.
Castroneves was fined $30,000 in 2011 for calling the race director ''a circus clown'' on Twitter.
