The latest driver to drive the Project 91 Trackhouse Racing car is IndyCar and “Dancing with the Stars” champion Helio Castroneves.
The four time Indianapolis 500 winner will join the growing list of drivers looking to race in the Daytona 500.
Daytona International Speedway is no stranger to Castroneves who has won the Rolex 24 Hours endurance race three times. However, if he makes the Daytona 500, it will be his first time driving a non-open wheel stock car.
The Sao Paulo, Brazil native spoke on the possibility of racing in the Daytona 500 saying, “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. This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down. I am so thankful to Wendy’s for allowing me to wear their uniform and drive their car, (Trackhouse owner) Justin Marks and everyone that made this happen. I wish the race were tomorrow.”
Castroneves has also raced in the Repco Australian Supercars Championship and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series. He has also run 16 races in the old IROC – International Race of Champions – where all of the cars are prepared the same; similar to Tony Stewart’s short lived SRX Series.
Trackhouse Racing co-owner Justin Marks spoke on Castroneves saying, “Helio is one of the greatest drivers of all time and exactly the type of driver we want to bring to NASCAR. I think race fans around the world will be excited to see Helio in NASCAR’s most prestigious race. It also exposes our sport to a global audience and allows them to see just how great of a series we have in NASCAR.”
Previously Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen and Australian SuperCars Champion Shane van Gisbergen drove the Project 91 car. Van Gisbergen later moved to the United States and became a full time NASCAR driver for Trackhouse Racing.
In other Daytona 500 news, 65 year old Mike Wallace is looking to make a comeback and race in the Daytona 500 this year; racing for MBM Motorsports – Motorsports Business Management – number 66 car.
During his NASCAR career, Wallace made over 800 starts across all three racing series with multiple Daytona Speedway wins.
Speaking on the possible return to Daytona Wallace said, “I am very excited to be teamed up with Carl Long and the complete MBM Motorsports team, along with Doug Yates’ support, for a return trip to the Daytona 500 after being away for a few years. I just can’t wait to work with Carl again in the first laps of practice at the World Center of Speed, Daytona International Speedway. I say it that way out of the enormous honor and respect I have for Daytona, along with all the pride and prestige it brings to myself and my team as a winner here. Fortunately, I did win the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona, so my name is etched in the history books, along with my Xfinity Series and ARCA wins at the Speedway.”
He added, “2024 was a devastating year for me with the loss of Carla, my wife of 44 years, who passed away in January from a battle with cancer. 2025 brings fresh excitement, starting with this Daytona 500 announcement. They say you have to be in it to win it, and we are rolling into Daytona with the chance to both be a part of and then race to win the Daytona 500!”