Castroneves will attempt NASCAR debut in 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 four-time Indianapolis 500 winner trackhouse racing and its Project 91 program for the 67th running of ‘The Great American Race’ at Daytona International Speedway.

However, this will not be his first race on the Daytona Oval, as the 49-year-old Brazilian previously competed in a few IROC races at the 2.5-mile superspeedway between 2002 and 2005.

Castroneves won’t be the first Indy 500 winner to compete in this event, but it hasn’t happened since Juan Pablo Montoya last competed in 2013. Two previous Indy 500 winners have also won the Daytona 500 – Mario Andretti (1967) and AJ Foyt (1972).

The Project91 is a special part-time car used by Trackhouse as an All-Star entry in select events from 2022. It has made appearances with both Kimi Räikkönen and Shane van Gisbergen, including a win at the 2023 Chicago Street Course race with the latter. However, the car did not make any starts during the 2024 season.

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 past Cup champions martin truex jrAnd jimmy johnson,

36 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. Mike Wallace is among those confirmed to run in this year’s Daytona 500. JJ Yaley 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.