When you’ve ticked off achievements like four Indy 500 wins, three Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona victories, and over 30 major open-wheel triumphs, you’ve done more than most drivers dare to dream. Your career becomes the stuff of legend, the kind of thing etched into motorsport folklore.
But Hélio Castroneves isn’t done. No, not by a long shot. The man who dances across race cars and actual dance floors has one more target in his sights—the Daytona 500. Yes, that Daytona 500. And he’s teaming up with Trackhouse Racing to make it happen, sliding into their PROJECT91 entry for the 2025 race on February 16.
Oh, and the car? It’s a Wendy’s-liveried No. 91 Chevrolet because, of course, it is. Nothing says American racing royalty quite like burgers and speed. Castroneves is aiming to join Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt in the absurdly elite club of drivers who’ve won both the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing,” said Castroneves, clearly still pinching himself. “This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down. I wish the race were tomorrow!”
The mastermind behind all this? Trackhouse owner Justin Marks. His PROJECT91 program, launched in 2022, is basically a golden ticket for international racing icons to test their mettle in NASCAR. And who better to take the wheel than Castroneves, joining the likes of Daniel Suárez, Ross Chastain, and Shane van Gisbergen in the Trackhouse Racing lineup?
Castroneves’ NASCAR debut will be the fifth outing for PROJECT91. Previous drivers include 2007 F1 champ Kimi Räikkönen and the Kiwi superstar van Gisbergen, who memorably won his Cup debut at the Chicago Street Course in 2023. That kind of talent and pedigree means no one’s expecting Hélio to just make up the numbers.
“I know how much of a challenge this is going to be,” said Castroneves, with his signature mix of optimism and realism. “But I also know the type of people and team Trackhouse Racing will bring to the effort. I can’t wait to get started.”
The team will be led by Darian Grubb, a Cup-winning crew chief with Tony Stewart in 2011. If anyone can guide Spider-Man to success, it’s this guy.
“Hélio is one of the greatest drivers of all time and exactly the type of driver we want to bring to NASCAR,” said Marks, summing up the entire endeavor with almost Jeremy Clarkson levels of conviction. “It also exposes our sport to a global audience and shows them just how great NASCAR is.”
Castroneves’ resume already reads like a motorsport fantasy: four Indy 500s (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), three straight Rolex 24 wins (2021–2023), and a 2020 IMSA championship. He’s even dabbled in tin-tops with Supercars and Brazilian stock cars, plus the International Race of Champions (IROC).
But it’s not just his driving that’s made him a household name. Hélio danced his way to victory on Dancing with the Stars, climbed fences to celebrate wins (earning the nickname “Spider-Man”), and even charmed audiences on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Now, the question is: can he climb the fence at Daytona in February? Knowing Hélio, he’ll find a way.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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