Helio Castroneves
Helio  Castroneves
Team Penske
3 Chevrolet Brazil Road To Indy Graduate
UAK18 Superspeedway
Helio Castroneves
rank
0
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

IN HIS OWN WORDS

“Racing is the air that I breathe. I love what I do. I might have an interest in something else, but this is what I love to do.”

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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@h3lio
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Twitter
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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

  • 2016
    • Finished third in Verizon 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 Verizon 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 Verizon 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
    • Finished second in point standings for Team Penske.
    • Recorded victory at Texas along with five other top-five and 15 other top-10 finishes.
    • Earned pole at Iowa and started from pole at Houston 2 based on entrant points.
    • Led seven race for total of 239 laps.
    • Was running at the finish in all 19 races.
  • 2012
    • Finished fourth in IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske.
    • Recorded wins at St. Petersburg and Edmonton.
    • Posted 12 top-10 finishes overall, most of any driver.
    • Earned pole start at Barber.
  • 2011
    • Finished 11th in IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske.
    • Recorded best start and finish of second at Edmonton.
    • Posted top-10 finishes in four consecutive mid-season oval races.
  • 2010
    • Finished fourth in IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske.
    • Recorded three victories (Barber, Kentucky, Motegi) and nine top-five finishes overall.
    • Win at Barber extended series record to 10 seasons in a row with victory.
    • Only driver to finish in top 10 in first six races of season.
    • Became series career laps leader (3,488) en route to victory at Motegi.
  • 2009
    • Finished fourth in IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske despite missing season opener.
    • Recorded two victories, including the ninth driver to win the Indianapolis 500 three or more times.
    • Won at least one race for ninth consecutive season and won race from pole for eighth consecutive season.
    • Recorded first DNF (Richmond) since Belle Isle in 2007.
  • 2008
    • Finished second in IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske.
    • Won at Infineon and Chicagoland, where he set series record for driver to start from farthests back (28th) to win.
    • Recorded series-record eight runner-up finishes, and finished in the top five in 15 races.
    • Extended series-record streak of consecutive seasons with a pole start to seven at Nashville. Won three poles overall, including career 25th at Mid-Ohio.
    • Set series record for consecutive seasons with a victory (eight) at Infineon Raceway.
  • 2007
    • Finished sixth in IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske with victory at St. Petersburg.
    • Recorded six top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes.
    • Won pole for the Indianapolis 500.
    • Set IndyCar Series record with seven poles (St. Petersburg, Motegi, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio and Belle Isle).
  • 2006
    • Finished third in IndyCar Series 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 IndyCar Series standings for Team Penske with victory at Richmond International Raceway.
    • Recorded eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.
    • Led eight races for 230 laps.
    • Earned pole positions at Pikes Peak and Watkins Glen
  • 2004
    • Earned five MBNA Pole Awards (Richmond, Nazareth, Chicagoland, California, Texas2) and tied Billy Boat's 1998 record of four consecutive pole victories.
    • Finished fourth in IndyCar Series standings with a victory at Texas2. Scored six top-five finishes and 13 top-10 finishes.
  • 2003
    • Finished third in IndyCar Series standings with race victories 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, California) and 11 top-10 finishes.
    • Captured MBNA Pole for Indianapolis 500, becoming the first back-to-back "500" winner to win the pole for his attempt to win three in a row. Finished second in the race, making his results of first, first, second in his first three starts at Indianapolis the best of any driver in "500" history.
  • 2002
    • Won second consecutive Indianapolis 500 in Marlboro Team Penske entry, becoming the fifth driver to win consecutive races at Indianapolis 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 econd in point standings in first full season of IndyCar Series competition, scoring wins at Indianapolis and Phoenix. Won MBNA Pole at Phoenix. Scored seven top-three finishes, 12 top-five finishes and 14 top-10 finishes.
  • 2001
    • Won Indianapolis 500 by 1.7373 seconds over Marlboro Team Penske teammate Gil de Ferran. Led final 52 laps after starting 11th.
    • Delivered 11th Indianapolis 500 victory to team owner Roger Penske.
    • Finished career-best fourth in CART standings with Marlboro Team Penske, winning from the pole at Long Beach and Detroit. Also won race at Mid-Ohio and pole at Motegi.
    • Started 17th, finished 18th at Phoenix in only other IndyCar Series start.
  • 2000
    • Claimed first career CART victory came at Detroit Belle Isle.
    • Earned three victories (Detroit, Mid-Ohio, Laguna Seca), three poles and finished seventh in CART point standings in first year with Marlboro Team Penske.
  • 1999
    • Earned first career pole at Milwaukee.
    • Finished 15th in CART point standings in first season with Hogan Racing.
  • 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

  • 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 197 race wins, 15 Indy car national championships and 256 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 16 Indy 500 wins for Penske – more than any other team – including four by Rick Mears and three from Helio Castroneves.

The team enters 2018 with a three-car lineup featuring reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden, 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series champion Simon Pagenaud, 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion Will Power with Castroneves joining the team for races at Indianapolis.

Team Website teampenske.com