Helio Castroneves stamped his place in motor sports activities historical past as the most effective drivers in historical past. In 2021, when he gained “The Biggest Spectacle in Racing” for the fourth time.
Now, the legendary racer will try to tackle one other iconic race: the 2025 Daytona 500.
Castroneves, 49, will make his debut at Daytona Worldwide Speedway starting Feb. 12 when he takes his first laps in Daytona 500 follow, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing. The staff fields full-time Cup Collection rides for Ross Chastain (No. 1 Chevrolet), Shane van Gisbergen (No. 88 Chevrolet) and Daniel Suarez (No. 99 Chevrolet).
Castroneves has been a staple in North American open-wheel racing for greater than 25 years. Whereas he’s , Castroneves has earned 25 profession wins within the NTT IndyCar Collection and 6 wins within the former Champ Automotive Collection, competing yearly since 1998. In all, the Brazil native has 94 podium finishes throughout each sequence.
However for all his success, Castroneves had by no means tried his hand at NASCAR, although he does have some expertise racing inventory vehicles. Castroneves made 16 IROC begins from 2002-05, with a greatest end of second at the place else, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And whereas IndyCar doesn’t race at Daytona, Castroneves is sort of conversant in the enduring speedway. He has gained the Rolex 24 at Daytona sports activities automotive race thrice, most just lately in 2023.
NASCAR CUP SERIES 2025 SCHEDULE:
Trackhouse has been making an attempt to lure Castroneves to the Daytona 500 for just a few years as . The objective of the mission, created by Trackhouse proprietor Justin Marks, has been to draw extremely achieved drivers from different types of motor sports activities to compete in a top-level NASCAR race. Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 Method One world champion, was the mission’s first driver, making his debut in 2022 at Watkins Glen Worldwide.
Castroneves now will lastly get his Daytona 500 shot, only a few months shy of his fiftieth birthday.