Three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves answers a few questions about a career milestone May 9:
Helio, the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis will be your 300th start in Indy car racing. What goes through your mind when hearing that? And isn’t it a nice piece of symmetry that it happens at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
“I am amazed that I am coming up on my 300th start. There was a time when I was getting started that I just hoped to make it to 50 starts, then 100 starts. But I was fortunate to land at a place like Team Penske and that, probably more than anything else, has contributed to my longevity in the sport. It’s just very ironic that it will come at Indianapolis, a place that has meant so much to me and helped define my career. Although it will be on the road course it is still very special.”
Your first race was the Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead in March 1998, you crashed out in 24th after 97 laps. Tony Kanaan crashed out earlier and finished last in what was his first race, too. What do you remember about that?
“I remember that race now more for the fact that it was Greg Moore on the podium (in second) and just a few short years later I was in the seat of his race car, not knowing if it was the right thing to do or not. I remember how excited I felt for that first race because Tony and I had come up together, karting in Brazil and making it to open wheel racing in America. It was a special night – one that I wish had ended with a better result – and I’ll always cherish it.”
Your 100th start was the 2003 Indy 500, where you weren’t far from a third consecutive win. Has that one stuck with you?
“There are too many ‘almosts’ for me to count or determine which one sticks out the most. Last year really sticks out too. How can it not when you come up short by only .0600 seconds in the second-closest finish in Indy 500 history? In the 2003 race we were at least able to bring the trophy back to Team Penske with Gil de Ferran winning, myself second and Tony (Kanaan) third. It was pretty cool to have an all-Brazilian podium that day.”
We found this old press picture from 1999 in your second season. Thoughts?
“Man, who is that guy? I don’t even remember him. When I look at that picture I see a young driver that was very hungry to make it in America and in CART. Carl Hogan had given me a great opportunity and I wanted to make the most of it.”
One more picture, from your first “500” in 2001. Aside from winning, what do you remember about just being there for the first time and going through your first Month of May?
“Wow, these pictures are great. When you’re coming up on your 300th start it’s easy to forget what happened in the early part of your career. When I first got to Indianapolis I really didn’t have a good grasp on what this race means. I think that is the way it is for most drivers that didn’t grow up in America. After winning it in 2001 I really didn’t know what I had done. But after winning my second Indianapolis 500 a year later it all started sinking in for me.”
Castroneves by the numbers
1 – First victory was June 18, 2000, in the Tenneco Grand Prix of Detroit at Belle Isle Park in his seventh start for Team Penske and 46th overall
7 – Castroneves’ 300th start is seventh on the all-time Indy car list
26 – First pole earned – in the 1999 Miller Lite 225 at The Milwaukee Mile – came in his 26th start
29 – Indy car victories, which is tied with Rick Mears for 11th on the all-time list
37 – Second-place finishes, which is tied with Bobby Rahal for second on the all-time list
43 – Pole starts, which is fourth on the all-time list
83 – Top-three finishes, which is tied with Scott Dixon for eighth on the all-time list
121 – Top-five finishes, which is tied with Scott Dixon for sixth on the all-time list
261 – Career starts with Team Penske as of the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis