IndyCar Great Helio Castroneves Says He'd Be Willing To Take Another Crack At The Daytona
This year, IndyCar legend Helio Castroneves — one of just four drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times — made his NASCAR Cup Series race debut in the Daytona 500.
Castroneves entered the race in the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing and joined the field — somewhat controversially, even though Trackhouse simply followed the rules and filled out the proper paperwork — as the 41st entry, thanks to a new rule that allows drivers of exceptional pedigree from outside of NASCAR a way into races.
After starting 41st, Castroneves made it up to 29th, before having to exit the race after 70 laps due to an accident.
Ahead of the NTT IndyCar Series season opener in St. Petersburg, Castroneves — who is a minority partner with IndyCar team Meyer Shank Racing — talked about his experience racing at Daytona.
"It's been a roller coaster," Castroneves said. "I can't thank enough, Trackhouse Project 91, of course, for making that opportunity happen; and NASCAR, of course.
"It was great, it was absolutely great," he continued. "A lot of fun, and I've said before, it feels like unfinished business."
Castroneves said that while running in the Great American Race was a great experience, he feels like he can do better the next time.
Which, of course, will there be a next time provided the right opportunity comes up?
"Absolutely, absolutely," he said. "It would be fantastic to try for sure."
But like he said next, the focus now is on IndyCar with Meyer Shank Racing and their No. 60 Honda driven by Felix Rosenqvist and the No. 66 Honda driven by former Chip Ganassi Marcus Armstrong.
Both drivers really impressed on Saturday afternoon in qualifying with MSR being the only team to get two cars in the Fast 6, and ultimately locked out the second row of the grid with Rosenqvist in P3 and Armstrong in P4.
Rosenqvist went on to finish the race with a solid P7, while Armstrong retired early with a suspension issue after clipping a wall.