By David Morgan, Associate Editor
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – From open wheel to sports cars, Helio Castroneves has experienced it all during his storied career and on Sunday, he’ll get to add another crown jewel to his resume when he makes his first NASCAR Cup Series start in the 67th running of the Daytona 500.
The four-time Indianapolis 500 champion and three-time Rolex 24 at Daytona champion has teamed up with Trackhouse Racing and its Project 91 entry to make his first laps in Cup competition at the World Center of Racing.
A wrinkle in Castroneves’ entry comes with the addition of the Open Exemption Provisional this season, which provides a spot in the starting grid for “world-class” drivers that would like to come over to NASCAR and make a start.
Trackhouse applied for and was granted the provisional for Castroneves, who in essence has a free pass into the field for Sunday, which has drawn the ire of some of the other “open” cars that will have to go through the normal qualification process to earn their place in the race.
Nonetheless, Castroneves is taking in the entire process leading up to Sunday, soaking in all of the knowledge he can before hurtling around the Daytona high banks surrounded by the other drivers just inches apart.
“It’s a big race. It’s an historic race, right? Just to be in it,” Castroneves said.
“I had the opportunity because when I used to work with Team Penske, when I drove for IROC, I had opportunity to see the race. I’m like, I wish I be there. Unfortunately RP never allow me to do it, which is okay. I understand wasn’t my time.
“I’m so glad that this opportunity right now, it’s just came through because this is huge. Probably is the right time for me, too. I’m more experienced driver, so I understand what I need to be.
“Yeah, this is huge.”
Castroneves added that the discussions between himself and Trackhouse owner Justin Marks have been ongoing for months and things finally aligned for 2025 to be the year for him to make a run at the Daytona 500.
“It wasn’t just six months ago, it was probably like a year and a half ago,” Castroneves said of the process of getting to Daytona. “We had an opportunity to come here with a team, Conor Daly ended up driving. We didn’t think it was going to be a good opportunity, so we decided not to do it.
“Because of the whole scenario that Don [Hawk] was working with Justin, finally came through the whole deal with Project 91 and Wendy’s. We just follow through.
“It was interesting. It wasn’t like that. I’m glad it did. The program, as you guys noticed, I’m not the only one doing this. It’s been very well-made, it takes a lot of, a lot of effort from a lot of people. I’m glad that everything fit perfect.
“To be in the biggest race, one of the biggest races of the world obviously, Indy 500 and Daytona 500 are the biggest. What an opportunity to be here and do that.”
With Castroneves already locked into the field for Sunday, one school of thought would be for him to just play it safe during the Duels on Thursday night and not risk his primary car when his finish in the Duels will not determine whether he makes it into the race or not.
However, Castroneves noted on Wednesday during Media Day that he plans on getting in the mix to figure out all of the intricacies of superspeedway racing in the Next Gen era to learn as much as he can before Sunday.
“I need practice. I need to run,” Castroneves said. “I don’t have any experience at all. [Wednesday] is my second time in the car, so…
“I think every moment that I’m actually jump in the car, I will learn something. And I need it. I’ll be honest with you, it’s a different beast. It’s an amazing car. It’s completely different rules.
“I think the competition also different around what I’m used to. Every time in the car, I’m going to learn. No matter what happen, I’ll be running.”
He also added that he has been doing as much homework as he can off-track to expand his knowledge base to aid him inside the car when it comes down to crunch time.
“I’ve been watching a lot of in-car cameras, a lot of the rules to understand the rules. I been in touch with the guys, as well, to make sure that we are on the same…
“The lingo is different. Face it, when you come out of the pits, in INDYCAR they say, Go, go, go. Here it’s, Dig, dig, dig. I know it sounds interesting or different. It’s completely the opposite that I’m used to. I have to adapt. Pit stops here, for example, you have to stop a little bit away from the wall because you have to have the jack guy have space for them to raise the car. INDYCAR you get close so the fuel gets as quick as possible.
“All these little details, even it’s a race car, it’s very different. To be in a big race like this, every detail matters. That’s why I’m trying to study all of these details to make sure that at least I’ll take out of the way and know what to do.
“Looking forward, for sure. Every time I said I’m in the car, I’m going to take the learning.”
Castroneves’ Provisional: Fair or Unfair?
With Castroneves already locked in, the path he has taken to get into the field has drawn the ire of some of his competitors, especially from those that have to race their way onto the starting grid as open cars.
Castroneves explained that he hasn’t heard much of the backlash on the rule, but did not deny that he would use the rule to his advantage if it came down to it when the checkered flag flies on the Duels on Thursday night and he is not among the fastest open cars.
“I said, Look, in the end of the day, I understand. I didn’t write the rules, by the way. I didn’t know actually these rules exist,” Castroneves said.
“When we accepted this opportunity, we accept to go and race, race to race. However, obviously if whatever happens in the Duel, whatever happens there, if I have to take it, I’ll take it.
“You’ve got to remember, Indy 500 is the same similarity rules: you have to race for it, but you have a week to adapt to the car, understanding, get into it. Here, I only have 50 minutes.
“At the end of the day I didn’t know the rules exist. If I have to take it, I won’t deny that I will take it.”
Martin Truex, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson, both former NASCAR champions, came into Speedweeks with a chance that they would not make it into the field as open cars. While both locked in on speed during single car qualifying on Wednesday night, they expressed their concerns with it during Media Day.
“I really don’t understand it,” said Truex. “I don’t see a reason why he should be in the race and Jimmie Johnson shouldn’t be you know. So, it’s a little weird to me but I don’t make the rules. I just come here and race.”
Johnson explained that he did not necessarily have a problem with the rule in general, but would like to see some changes made to it in the future to better define the scope of it.
“The part I have a problem with is why that provisional will take up one of the 40 spots,” Johnson said.
“It should be a 41st starting position. So, waive his points, waive the cash that can come with winning the race, start in the back of the field, or maybe let him have a spot in the field, but don’t let that take away from the other cars that are trying to qualify their way in.
“That would be the twist that I would like to, to see change in the future.”
One of the drivers most directly affected by it is BJ McLeod, who comes in as one of the open cars and will have to compete against Castroneves directly for one of the remaining spots on the grid.
“From a standpoint of looking, trying to make the race, my opinion, it would be like, okay, it kind of helped us, but I don’t like it,” McLeod said.
“I mean, bottom line, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. I don’t agree with that. I think this is the Cup Series. I think whoever you are, you should have to earn your way in. And realistically, if you’re not fast enough to get in the race, why would you even want to race?
“I don’t agree with it at all, but, you know, we’re allowed to say what we think and see what happens. So, it’s something that, my biggest thing was Jimmie don’t have it. Martin don’t have it. They both should have it, right? So, you know, it is what it is.
“Like a couple of ’em have said, we don’t make the rules, right? We just, you know, abide by ’em. And, I’m a huge fan of NASCAR, love everything they do, but I think in this particular situation, definitely not a fan of that.”
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