Team Penske | Drivers | Helio Castroneves

Birth Date: May, 10, 1975
Height: 5' 8"
Birth Place: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Weight: 147 lbs.
Residence: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Twitter: @h3lio
Facebook: @h3lio
Instagram: @heliocastroneves
Car: Acura Team Penske ARX-05 DPi
Race Engineer: Raul Prados

Biography

In his 21st season racing for Team Penske, Helio Castroneves continues to be not only one of the most popular drivers competing in racing, but also one of the most accomplished racers in team history. For just the fourth time since joining Team Penske in 2000, Castroneves did not experience a winning season in 2019 as he and teammate Ricky Taylor did not find their way to victory lane during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign. However, the Brazilian fan favorite certainly still showed the ability to summon speed from the No. 7 Acura ARX-05 DPi and both he and Taylor will be primed to return to their winning ways in 2020, when Castroneves enters his third decade with the team.

Castroneves and the No. 7 Acura team enjoyed a solid 2019 IMSA season on the strength of five podium finishes and three pole positions. The duo of Castroneves and Taylor finished outside the top five only once and led a total of 146 laps en route to a third-place finish in the series standings while also helping Acura win the Manufacturer Championship in the DPi class.

A three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Castroneves again spent the month of May on the hallowed grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway rejoining Team Penske’s IndyCar Series team in search of his record-tying fourth victory in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He will make another run at history in 2020 as he chases the immortality that comes with admittance to the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner’s club, as he looks to join his mentor and Team Penske Hall of Fame driver, Rick Mears.

Biography

While Castroneves ranks as the elder statesman in the Team Penske stable of drivers, he still possesses the drive, speed and skill necessary to win at the highest levels of motorsports. Over the course of his legendary career, Castroneves has earned 32 victories, 57 pole positions, 100 podium finishes and 6,549 laps led in INDYCAR and Sports Car competition.

After establishing himself as a rising star in the IndyCar Series in the late 1990s, Castroneves joined Team Penske in 2000 and he has been winning races and creating new fans of the sport ever since. He became the first driver ever to win in his first two Indianapolis 500 starts when claimed victory in 2001 and 2002. He recorded an amazing 11 consecutive seasons with a win between 2000-2010, finishing top five in the championship standings in 14 of 17 seasons, including four times as series runner-up. He became well known for his signature celebration of climbing the fence at the track following his race victories to celebrate with fans, as he earned the nickname “Spider-Man.”

Castroneves saw his popularity soar to new heights when he won the Mirror Ball trophy as the season five champion of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars in 2007. He captured the hearts of fans with his accomplishments and dynamic personality away from the track and he continues to be one of racing’s greatest ambassadors.

In 2018, Castroneves transitioned from IndyCar racing to Team Penske’s new IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship program. Teaming up with Taylor, a young but experienced sports car champion, in the No. 7 Acura ARX-05 Prototype, Castroneves had a solid first full season racing in IMSA. He and Taylor drove to victory in the Acura Sports Car Challenge at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2018 for Acura Team Penske’s first-ever series win. It also marked the 17th season in Castroneves’ illustrious career in which he won at least one race. Castroneves and Taylor finished the 2018 season with one win, two podium finishes and one pole position.

The veteran driver has been crucial in building a solid foundation for the future at Acura Team Penske as the organization returned to where it began – as a sports car team back in 1966.

As he continues to set the standard of excellence as the longest-tenured driver for North America’s most successful racing organization, Castroneves looks to add to his legacy and compete for the IMSA title in 2020.

Castroneves resides in South Florida with his fiancée Adriana and their daughter Mikaella.

Castroneves Key Accomplishments

Three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (2001, 2002, 2009)
Four-time Indianapolis 500 pole winner
26 career IMSA starts with two wins, 11 podium finishes and seven pole positions
Scored the first win in Acura Team Penske history with Ricky Taylor at Mid-Ohio in 2018
Won the 2008 Petit Le Mans with Team Penske
Four-time runner up in the IndyCar Series driver standings
Winningest IndyCar Series driver in Team Penske history with 30 victories
Winner of at least one IndyCar Series race in 11-consecutive seasons from 2000-2010
Season five winner of Dancing With The Stars on ABC

Career Highlights

2019 - Finishes third in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship DPi standings. Working with co-driver Ricky Taylor, posts five podium finishes and nine top-five class results in 10 starts over the course of the season. No. 7 team captures pole positions at Long Beach, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Laguna Seca. Also races for the Team Penske IndyCar Series team during the month of May at the INDYCAR Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500.

2018 - Posts the first victory in Acura Team Penske history with co-driver Ricky Taylor in the Acura Sports Car Challenge at the Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course in May. Finishes his first full IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with one win, one pole position, two podium finishes and 367 laps led. Competes in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis 500 for Team Penske.

2017 - Returns to Victory Circle as he picks up his first Verizon IndyCar Series win since Detroit in 2014 with performance at Iowa Speedway. Narrowly misses winning his fourth Indianapolis 500 by .201 seconds as he finishes second to Takuma Sato. Records one win with three podium finishes and wins three Verizon P1 Pole Awards. Wins the pole on the streets of Long Beach for the third consecutive year and scores his second straight Verizon P1 Award at Phoenix before capturing his first career pole at the iconic Road America. Competes for the Verizon IndyCar Series championship until the final race at Sonoma Raceway, as Team Penske finishes the year 1-2-4-5 in the standings with Castroneves coming home fourth. After the season announces he will join the Acura Team Penske IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar program driving the Acura ARX-05 in 2018.

2016 - Completes another successful season that features four podium results, two Verizon P1 Pole Awards and a third-place finish in the championship. Starts the season strong finishing fourth in the season-opening race at St. Petersburg, Fla., before winning the Verizon P1 Award in INDYCAR's return to Phoenix. Wins the pole for the third race of the season in Long Beach where he posts his first podium of the season. Records podium results at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, the streets of Toronto and at historic Watkins Glen before finishing the season ranked third in the championship behind teammates Simon Pagenaud and Will Power.

Career Highlights

2015 - Wins four Verizon P1 Pole Awards, five podium finishes, and places fifth in the championship standings. In the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., Castroneves helps Team Penske to a 1-2-4-5 finish by bringing his Hitachi Chevrolet home fourth. He continues his quest to win his record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500-mile race. He gives that goal an admirable attempt this year, finishing seventh in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He follows that up three more podium finishes at Texas Motor Speedway, the streets of Toronto and The Milwaukee Mile to stay in contention for his first series title all the way down to the season finale at Sonoma Raceway.

2014 - Enjoyed another consistent, successful season behind the wheel of the No. 3 Hitachi/Shell-Pennzoil/AAA /Automobile Club of Southern California/Verizon Chevrolet. Picked up his third career win in the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans at Belle Isle Park. Finished second in the Verizon IndyCar Series final standings for the fourth time on the strength of one win, six podium finishes and three Verizon P1 Pole Awards. Narrowlymissed out on winning a record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 by .006 seconds. Moved into a tie with Rick Mears for 11th place on the all-time series wins list with 29. His 41 career pole positions have him ranked fourth, one spot ahead of Mears.

2013 - Produced perhaps his best season in his 14th year competing for Team Penske. Scored his fourth career victory at Texas Motor Speedway for his lone win of the season. Led all series drivers with 16 top-10 finishes in 19 races. Topped all drivers with an everage finishing position of 7.5. Led the IndyCar Series standings for all but five weeks of the season. Endured a tough doubleheader weekend at Houston where lost the series lead late in the season and wound up finishing as series runner-up to Scott Dixon.

2012 - Enjoyed a rejuvenated season for Team Penske as he scored two wins and pole position to finish fourth in the IndyCar Series standings. Won the season-opening race in St. Petersburg for his third career victory at the popular street circuit. Captured the pole position at Barber Motorsports Park. Won at the Edmonton Airport circuit as he led all 75 laps for satisfying, dominant victory.

2011 -

Finished 11th in the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship. Earns three top-five finishes, including two second place finishes at Edmonton and Infineon, pushing his impressive career total to 100. His career 4,468 laps led lead all current drivers. Saw his record streak of winning a race and a pole in 11 consecutive seasons come to an end.

2010 - Finished fourth in the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship, won the inaugural Grand Prix of Alabama, won at Kentucky and won in Japan after starting from the pole and leading the most laps. He also won his fourth Indianapolis 500 pole and his fifth Indy Pit Stop Competition. He continued his record streak of winning with the Team to 11 consecutive seasons and posted nine top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.

2009 - Finishes fourth in the IndyCar Series Championship point standings driving the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda, despite missing the season-opening race. Wins his third Indianapolis 500-mile race. Also wins his third Indy 500 pole and captures the team Pit Stop Competition. Wins the race at Texas and continues his record streak of winning with the Team to 10 consecutive seasons.Post seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.

2008 - Finishes second in the IndyCar Series points standings driving the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda. Wins in Sonoma and Chicago and extends his record of consecutive years with a win for the team (9). Scores three pole positions (Nashville, Mid-Ohio and Sonoma) and brings his career total to 33.

2007 - Finishes sixth in the IndyCar Series Championship point standings driving the No 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda. Wins from the pole at St. Petersburg and breaks team record for most consecutive seasons with a race victory (eight). Captures the Indianapolis 500 pole position for the second time in his career. Establishes new series season record with seven pole positions including efforts at St. Petersburg, Japan, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio and Detroit.

2006 - Finishes third in the IndyCar Series Championship point standings driving the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Honda. Wins at St. Petersburg, Japan, Texas and Michigan; continues record of winning at least one race a season since joining Marlboro Team Penske. Wins a series-high five pole positions at Watkins Glen, Richmond, Milwaukee, Michigan and Kentucky.

2005 - Finishes sixth in the IndyCar Series Championship driving the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Toyota. Wins at Richmond, days after sustaining a shoulder injury during a test there; continues record of winning at least one race a season since joining Marlboro Team Penske. Moves into second place on Penske Racing’s all-time Indy car win list behind Rick Mears. Wins pole positions at Pikes Peak and Watkins Glen.

2004 - Finishes fourth in the IndyCar Series Championship driving the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Toyota. Wins season finale at Texas, tying Al Unser Jr. and Danny Sullivan for second in all-time race wins for Penske Racing. Wins five poles, including the final four events, tying the IRL IndyCar Series record for consecutive poles set by Billy Boat in 1998. One of two drivers to finish every race running. Receives the Scott Brayton Award at the Indianapolis 500 for displaying the character that best exemplifies the racing spirit of the late Scott Brayton.

2003 - Finishes third in the IndyCar Series Championship driving the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Toyota Captures pole for the Indianapolis 500, finishes second to teammate Gil de Ferran in Penske’s second 1-2 finish at Indy in three years. Wins two races – St. Louis and Nazareth – and three poles.

2002 - Finishes second in the IndyCar Series Championship in first full season. Drives the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet. Wins the Indy 500, becoming the first driver to win it consecutively since Al Unser in 1970 and 1971 and just the fifth driver in history to do so. At 27, he is the youngest driver to win twice at Indy and the only driver to win in his first two attempts. Wins two races (Indy and Phoenix) and one pole (Phoenix).

2001 - Finishes a career best fourth in the CART Series driving the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Honda/Reynard. Wins the Indianapolis 500 as well as the Rookie of the Year, becoming the eighth rookie to win in his debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Wins three races and three poles. Becomes the second driver in CART history to lead every lap in two races during the same season (Long Beach and Detroit); Michael Andretti did it 1992.

2000 - Joins Marlboro Team Penske and finishes seventh in CART Series driving the No. 3 Marlboro Team Penske Honda/Reynard. Wins three races, including his first CART victory in Detroit, and three poles. First in laps led on road/temporary street circuits with 245.