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Helio Castroneves
Helio  Castroneves
Team Penske
3 Chevrolet Brazil Road To Indy Graduate
UAK18 Road-Street
Helio Castroneves
rank
29
Career stats
Indy Car History
Championships: 0
Indy 500 Wins: 3
Borg Warner Trophy Borg Warner Trophy Borg Warner Trophy
Total Poles
50
Race Wins
30
Birthday
May 10, 1975
Hometown
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Residence
Fort Lauderdale, FL
ON TRACK
  • Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2001, 2002, 2009).
  • Tied for 11th all time in Indy cars with 29 race wins.
  • Fourth all time in Indy car pole positions with 47.
  • Known as Spider-Man for his celebratory fence climbs after winning a race. The tradition began in 2000 at Belle Isle following his first Indy car win.

OFF TRACK

  • “Dancing With the Stars” Season 5 champion in 2007. The “Mirror Ball” trophy is displayed in his home alongside his racing trophies.
  • Named People magazine’s “Sexiest Race Car Driver,” has appeared on “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Good Morning America,” “Today,” “Ellen” and “Celebrity Wife Swap.” Served as a correspondent for “Entertainment Tonight.”
  • Works out six days a week during the offseason with a regimen including swimming, running and weightlifting.
  • Fluent in Portuguese, English and Spanish

CAREER STATS

YEAR SERIES STARTS WINS POLES TOP 5 TOP 10 LAPS LED RAF
2018 NTT IndyCar Series 2 0 0 0 1 0 1
2017 NTT IndyCar Series 17 1 3 9 16 442 16
2016 NTT IndyCar Series 16 0 2 8 10 143 15
2015 NTT IndyCar Series 16 0 4 6 9 198 13
2014 NTT IndyCar Series 18 1 3 7 10 282 17
2013 NTT IndyCar Series 19 1 1 6 16 239 19
2012 NTT IndyCar Series 15 2 1 5 12 265 15
2011 NTT IndyCar Series 17 0 0 3 7 34 16
2010 NTT IndyCar Series 17 3 2 9 15 244 15
2009 NTT IndyCar Series 16 2 1 7 10 187 12
2008 NTT IndyCar Series 17 2 3 15 15 561 17
2007 NTT IndyCar Series 17 1 7 6 11 480 12
2006 NTT IndyCar Series 14 4 5 9 12 450 12
2005 NTT IndyCar Series 17 1 2 8 11 230 12
2004 NTT IndyCar Series 16 1 5 6 13 505 16
2003 NTT IndyCar Series 16 2 3 9 11 424 13
2002 NTT IndyCar Series 15 2 1 12 14 351 15
2001 NTT IndyCar Series 2 1 0 1 1 56 1
2001 CART 20 3 3 6 10 411 17
2000 CART 20 3 3 6 11 372 12
1999 CART 20 0 1 2 6 126 7
1998 CART 19 0 0 1 5 37 9
Total 346 30 50 141 226 6037 282

RAF = Running at Finish

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First Start
March 15, 1998 (Homestead)
First Win
June 8, 2000 (Detroit Belle Isle)
First Pole
June 6, 1999 (Milwaukee)

NTT IndyCar Series

  • 2018
    • Made two NTT IndyCar Series starts for Team Penske, finishing sixth in the INDYCAR Grand Prix at Indianapolis.
    • Qualified eighth and finished 27th in the Indianapolis 500.
  • 2017
    • Earned pole positions at Long Beach, Phoenix and Road America. Pole at Road America was his 50th career pole.
    • Finished fourth in the NTT IndyCar Series for Team Penske with win at Iowa, his first since 2014.
    • Scored nine top-five and 16 top-10 finishes.
    • Led 10 races for 442 laps.
  • 2016
    • Finished third in NTT IndyCar Series point standings for Team Penske with best finish of second at Indianapolis GP and Toronto.
    • Won poles at Phoenix and Long Beach.
    • Led 143 laps in eight races and finished on the podium four times.
  • 2015
    • Finished fifth in NTT IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske with best finish of second at NOLA Motorsports Park, Long Beach and Milwaukee.
    • Won poles at Long Beach, Barber, Iowa and Pocono.
    • Led 198 laps in 11 races and finished on the podium five times
  • 2014
    • Finished second in NTT IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske, his 15th consecutive season with the team.
    • Won at Belle Isle 2 and recorded six podiums finishes.
    • Claimed pole three times and six podium finishes.
    • Led 10 races for total of 282 laps.
  • 2013
    • Earned six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes.
    • Finished second in point standings for Team Penske with win at Texas, his fourth victory at the 1.5-mile oval.
    • Won Heat Race 3 at Iowa to secure pole position.
  • 2012
    • Finished fourth in point standings for Team Penske with wins at St. Petersburg and Edmonton.
    • Earned pole position at Barber, his first since Motegi 2010.
    • Posted 12 top-10 finishes overall, most of any driver.
  • 2011
    • Finished 11th in IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske.
    • Posted three top-five finishes, including 100th career top-five finish.
    • Recorded runnerup finishes at Edmonton and Sonoma.
  • 2010
    • Finished fourth in point standings for second consecutive year driving for Team Penske.
    • Won pole for Indianapolis 500.
    • Collected at least one victory in 11th straight season, tying Indy car record.
    • Scored nine top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.
  • 2009
    • Finished fourth in points despite missing first race of season.
    • Scored his third victory in the Indianapolis 500 was his eighth victory starting from the pole position. Also won at Texas.
    • Started 21st at Kansas and advanced through the field to finish second.
  • 2008
    • Finished season with seven consecutive podium finishes in battle for championship, falling 17 points short.
    • Finished second in standings for Team Penske.
    • Collected record-setting eight second-place finishes, 15 top fives and 15 top 10s.
    • Recorded victories at Sonoma and Chicagoland.
    • Won at Chicagoland from 28th starting position.
    • Scored poles at Nashville, Mid-Ohio and Sonoma to extend career total to 26, including at least one in seven consecutive seasons.
    • Was only driver running at the finish of all 17 races.
  • 2007
    • Finished sixth in point standings for Team Penske with victory at St. Petersburg.
    • Recorded six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.
    • Won pole for the Indianapolis 500.
  • 2006
    • Finished third in NTT IndyCar Series point standings for Team Penske with four victories and five earned pole positions.
    • Won at St. Petersburg, Motegi, Texas and Michigan.
    • Recorded nine top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.
    • Won consecutive pole positions at Milwaukee, Michigan and Kentucky and earned pole positions at Watkins Glen and Richmond based on practice speed.
    • Started on pole at Motegi, when lineup was set by points.
  • 2005
    • Finished sixth in standings for Team Penske with victory at Richmond.
    • Recorded eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.
    • Led eight races for 230 laps.
    • Earned pole positions at Pikes Peak and Watkins Glen.
    • Established new long course track record at Watkins Glen.
  • 2004
    • Finished fourth in points driving for Team Penske with victory at Texas 2.
    • Scored six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.
    • Earned five pole positions (Richmond, Nazareth, Chicagoland, Auto Club and Texas 2).
  • 2003
    • Finished third in points driving for Team Penske and won races at Gateway and Nazareth.
    • Scored nine top-five finishes, tying him with three other drivers for most top fives.
    • Earned three pole positions (Indianapolis, Gateway, Auto Club) and 11 top-10 finishes.
    • Captured pole for 87th Indianapolis 500, becoming the first back-to-back “500” winner to win the pole for his attempt to win three straight. Finished second, making his results of first, first, second in his first three starts the best of any driver in Indy 500 history.
  • 2002
    • Won second consecutive Indianapolis 500 in Team Penske entry, becoming only the fifth driver to win consecutive times at Indy and the first to do so since Al Unser in 1970-71. First driver in Indianapolis 500 history to win race in each of his first two starts.
    • Finished second in first full season of NTT IndyCar Series competition, scoring wins at Indianapolis and Phoenix.
    • Won pole position at Phoenix.
    • Scored seven top-three finishes, 12 top-five finishes and 14 top-10 finishes, more than any other driver.
  • 2001
    • Led final 52 laps of race after starting 11th.
    • Won Indianapolis 500 by 1.7373 seconds over Team Penske teammate Gil de Ferran.
    • Finished career-best fourth in CART point standings with Team Penske, winning from the pole at Long Beach and Belle Isle.
    • Won race at Mid-Ohio and pole at Motegi.
  • 2000
    • Earned three victories, three poles and finished seventh in CART point standings in first year with Team Penske.
    • Won at Belle Isle, Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca.
    • Scored first career CART victory and first fence climb came after winning at Belle Isle.
  • 1999
    • Finished 15th in CART point standings in first season with Hogan Racing.
    • Earned first career pole at Milwaukee.
  • 1998
    • Finished second in CART Rookie of the Year standings driving for Bettenhausen Motorsports.
    • Led 37 laps, best among rookies.

Helio's Road To Indy

  • 2018
    • Finished seventh in the Prototype class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship with co-driver Ricky Taylor for Team Penske.
    • Won at Mid-Ohio.
  • 1997
    • Finished second in the Indy Lights championship by four points to teammate Tony Kanaan.
    • Earned Indy Lights victories at Long Beach, Savannah and Toronto.
    • Won four Indy Lights pole positions.
  • 1996
    • Finished seventh in first Indy Lights season driving for Tasman Motorsports.
    • Earned first career Indy Lights victory from the pole at Trois-Rivieres.
  • 1995
    • Finished third in British Formula 3 championship driving for Paul Stewart Racing, with victory at Donington Park.
  • 1994
    • Finished second in the Brazilian Formula 3 championship with four victories and four poles.
    • Raced in British Formula 3 series.
  • 1993
    • Finished second in South American Formula 3 championship with four wins and three poles.
  • 1992
    • Finished second in Brazilian Formula Vauxhall championship.
  • Early Career
    • Competed in kart racing, winning a Brazilian national title and racing in the World Cup Go-Kart championship in Europe.
Team Penske

Team Penske has been racing in the United States since 1966, scoring victories in every series in which it has competed. Team Penske is the most successful Indy car racing team in history with 203 race wins, 15 Indy car national championships and 264 pole positions.

Roger Penske was one of America’s most successful young road racers before he retired from driving in 1965 to focus on his business interests. His team fielded Corvettes in the 1966 endurance races at Daytona and Sebring before joining forces with driver Mark Donohue to race in the U.S. Road Racing Championship and Can-Am sports car series. Team Penske found success early with Donohue, winning consecutive USRRC championships and three SCCA Trans-Am championships.

Penske and Donohue moved into Indy car racing by competing in three USAC-sanctioned road races in 1968. In 1969, the team entered the Indianapolis 500 for the first time and Donohue finished seventh, earning Rookie of the Year honors. Three years later, Donohue earned the first of what has become 17 Indy 500 wins for Penske – more than any other team – including four by Rick Mears and three from Helio Castroneves.

The team enters 2019 with a three-car lineup featuring 2017 NTT IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden, 2016 NTT IndyCar Series champion Simon Pagenaud, 2014 NTT IndyCar Series champion and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power with Castroneves joining the team for races at Indianapolis.

 

Team Website teampenske.com