Castroneves, 47, ran a partial schedule within the six-race Famous person Racing Expertise (SRX) Sequence this summer season on brief ovals, and sequence CEO Don Hawk had advised him if he gained a race, he’d discover him a journey within the Daytona 500.
The Brazilian promptly gained the subsequent race at Pensacola, although he wasn’t initially scheduled to participate in it.
Hawk later clarified that the “intention initially was he actually wished to run the Daytona 500 and if not, a ‘crown jewel’ [race]. So, we’re actually going to attempt to make the Daytona 500 work.”
With 76 days till the Daytona 500, Castroneves stays at midnight if he’ll get his hoped-for shot at ‘The Nice American Race’.
“I’m engaged on it,” he advised Autosport. “I do know these days there was rumours, even my staff proprietor Mike [Shank] has been asking me what’s occurring? Don Hawk, we had a guess, and I’m positive he’s in all probability stirring the pot to try to make it occur.
“Hopefully within the subsequent two weeks we are going to hear one thing, however as of proper now, I’ve referred to as folks that I hear have an interest however no person is getting again to me. So I assume I’ll await the best time for them to name!
“It’s a race I’d like to do for a number of causes: I like racing and I’ve by no means had the prospect to drive a Cup automobile. I do know Daytona is a special beast [from SRX] and also you want drafting companions that can assist you out. However I study fast! The race is a number of laps, so I’d have 200 laps to study all of it. Hopefully we are able to make one thing occur.
Helio Castroneves, SRX Sequence Pensacola
Photograph by: SRX
“I’ve executed SRX, I’ve executed IROC, and I perceive it’s a special beast, and I admire the opponents in NASCAR have a number of expertise, however on the finish of the day a race automobile is a race automobile and a race observe is a race observe. We’ve simply acquired to place ourselves there and make it occur.
“Mario [Andretti] has gained it, AJ [Foyt] too – why not one other Indy 500 champion to get an opportunity?”
When requested if he’d be all for racing for Trackhouse’s Undertaking 91 – which is aimed toward thrusting abroad drivers into inventory automobile racing’s premier class – Castroneves stated he’d wish to comply with within the footsteps of Kimi Raikkonen, who raced its automobile at Watkins Glen final 12 months.
“They’ve a great automobile, a quick automobile,” stated Castroneves of Trackhouse. “I do know we’d have a number of issues we’d have to realize, like having to qualify on time or race your manner in if you happen to’re not a daily, however we’ve acquired to do it the best manner – that’s why we’re attempting to search for a great staff.”
shares
feedback
