Helio Castroneves will attempt Daytona 500 with Trackhouse

Helio Castroneves He has never competed in a NASCAR race at any level, but he will aim to make his debut in the biggest race of them all. Will team up with the Brazilian racer and four-time Indy 500 champion trackhouse racing and their Project 91 program for the 67th running of ‘The Great American Race’ at Daytona International Speedway. However, this will not be his first race at the Daytona Oval, as the 49-year-old ran a few IROC races at the 2.5-mile superspeedway between 2002 and 2005.

Castroneves won’t be the first Indy 500 champion to attempt the event, but it hasn’t happened since Juan Pablo Montoya last raced in 2013. Only two former Indy 500 winners have ever won the Daytona 500 – Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt.

The Project91 is a special part-time car used by Trackhouse as an All-Star entry in select events from 2022. Kimi Raikkonen And shane van gisbergenIncluding a win at the 2023 Chicago Street Course Race with SVG. However, the car did not make any starts during the 2024 season. Castroneves will be sponsored in his Daytona 500 effort by Wendy’s, which first partnered with Trackhouse early last year. Experienced crew chief Darian Grubb will lead the effort from atop the pit box. Grubb won the 2006 Daytona 500 with Jimmie Johnson as crew chief for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports entry.

Castroneves said, “I never dreamed I would compete in a NASCAR race and certainly not in the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing.” “This is an opportunity that no one in their right mind can ever turn down. I am very grateful to Wendy for allowing me to wear her uniform and drive her car, (Trackhouse Owner) Justin Marks And everyone who made it possible. I wish the race was tomorrow!”

The Castroneves 500 will be one of several open entries where unnamed cars will participate in the event through duel races. The open field is set to be one of the largest in recent 500 history and is expected to include former Cup champions martin truex jrAnd jimmy johnson36 cars have been locked into the field via charter, but the final four spots in the 40-car grid will be filled by open entries. Also confirmed to run in this year’s Daytona 500 are Mike Wallace, JJ Yeley and BJ McLeod.

Castroneves will be part of a four-car effort for Trackhouse, representing four different countries in the season-opening event. Indy 500 champion will compete with teammates Ross Chastain, Daniel SuarezAnd Van Gisbergen.