by CHRIS ESTRADA, Special to FOXSports.com

Updated: May 19, 2008, 2:34 AM EST 1 comment

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His attraction began as a child in Brazil when his father took him to a local zoo. Eventually, young Tony wanted to have a monkey as a pet. However, he was forced to find a different way to get one.

"When I was younger, my dream was to have a monkey — a real one — but I couldn't get it," Kanaan said. "What I did, I got a tattoo. At least I can carry on the monkey for the rest of my life."

Over the six-year span of his IRL career, Kanaan's shown some muscle just like his favorite animal.

Since he first raced in the IndyCar Series in 2003, the Brazilian has been one of the series' top drivers. In 2004, he ran roughshod over the competition and won the title, becoming the first driver in big-league American racing to complete every possible lap (3,305) in competition. He has finished in the top five of the standings in four of his five IRL campaigns. In addition to his 12 wins in that span, he has also rung up 58 top-five finishes in 85 starts, running up front about 70 percent of the time.

Unlike the monkey on his bicep, however, there is another one that has taken residence on the back of Andretti Green Racing's team leader. It's not a tattoo, but as the month of May rolls on, it makes its presence known.

Despite his multiple successes in open-wheel racing and beyond, he's still missing one line on his stellar resume: Indianapolis 500 champion.

Kanaan has always been stout at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In his first try at Indy in 2002 as a CART interloper for Mo Nunn Racing, he led 23 laps before crashing out on Lap 89.

When he joined AGR and the IRL, the results quickly got better at Indianapolis: third in 2003, a runner-up finish in 2004, an eighth in 2005 and a fifth in 2006.

Last year's race saw his best chance for Brickyard glory. Kanaan was a contender from the drop of the green flag, taking the lead from polesitter Helio Castroneves on Lap 1. He stayed toward the front and when the race went under a three-hour red flag for rain, he was in the lead. But on the Lap 156 restart he ran into the back of Jaques Lazier and blew a tire, forcing him into the pits.

After leading 83 laps on the day, he wound up 12th as the rain finally ended the race just 10 laps later, giving the win to then-teammate Dario Franchitti.

Even after last year's calamity, Kanaan is refraining from setting himself on a mission for redemption. In fact, he hasn't so much thought about his prospects this month as he has about the big picture: the IndyCar Series championship.

"It's kind of a place that you create a lot of expectations, which I try not to do because you can leave that place pretty disappointed," Kanaan said after his runner-up performance in Kansas last month. "So it's one race, yes, it is a big race. But I think in the big picture, we still have a chance to go.

"If I have a car to win, it would definitely mean a lot to me. And that's something that I wanted to do. But it's not the end of the world if I don't."

As far as the picture goes, it's looking pretty good heading into Indy.

After seeing a chance for victory at Homestead end by contact with E.J. Viso in the final 10 laps, he's rebounded with finishes of third, fifth and second. As a result, he stands fourth in the points, just 15 markers behind championship leader Helio Castroneves.

Even with the positive start to the 2008 campaign, Kanaan and his teammates are focused on the Brickyard. Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick are legitimate contenders this month while Hideki Mutoh has been one of the top rookies early on.

In order for TK to win his first 500, he has plenty of competitors to overcome from both his own team and from perennial contenders Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske. In addition to that bunch, he's also counting on at least one of the new IndyCar drivers to make an impact on race day.

"Indy's an open road, so for sure, I think everybody's going to have a chance to do really well there," the Brazilian said. "...I don't see why (the newcomers can't) come back there and be as strong. They're very good race car drivers. I mean, Indy's a whole different game. So I'm pretty sure there are a lot of those guys (that are) going to be up to speed pretty fast."

Kanaan will also have to put an uninspiring Pole Day behind him. After being pegged as a contender for the top spot during the first week of practice, he and the rest of the Andretti Green armada fell short as Ganassi's man Scott Dixon won the honor. Kanaan will start on the outside of Row 2.

Throughout the month, however, he's exhibited a relatively relaxed attitude and it came through again following Saturday's pole runs.

"Five years ago, I came here and just wanted to be the fastest guy," Kanaan said. "Then you race, and you realize that really doesn't matter if you are not the fastest guy on the last lap on Sunday, May 25. I kind of learned. It is a big deal for me today, because I want to be inside the top 11. But if you ask me, 'Do I want the pole?' Yes, I do. Is it going to be a big deal if we don't get it? Not really.

"I try to look at the big picture. Honestly, if you give me a sniff, I will go for it, but it's not my main priority."

He also has a bigger priority off the track, too. An argument can be made that his attitude has come partly from the birth of his newborn son, Leonardo. He and wife Daniele welcomed him into the world last fall and as one would expect, fatherhood has made him dwell on things.

"It definitely has changed my life," Kanaan said in March. "I think it's something that I wanted it for a very long time, and with his arrival, (it's) definitely made me rethink about a lot of things that I wanted to do for my life and for him. It was the best feeling I ever had, joy in every day and every moment."

But when he straps into his No. 11 machine, Kanaan is only thinking about the job at hand.

"It's a joy, but once I'm in the race car, I don't think about anybody else besides myself and my team and winning a race," he said. "So I don't think it's probably a very selfish way of thinking, but that's the only way you can still have the mindset to go win races."

He'll probably have that mindset all May long at the Speedway. If he can go all the way to the Borg-Warner Trophy, his career will be immortalized and he'll be rid of the monkey on his back for good.

Should he fail to win on May 25 though, he probably won't fret too much. There are some things more important in life than proverbial primates.

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