Helio Castroneves’ Baby Borgs will have some company in the trophy case of his Coral Gables, Fla., home with the addition of the “Dancing with the Stars” mirror ball championship trophy.
The two-time Indianapolis 500 champion and his professional dance partner Julianne Hough prevailed in a “dance-off” with Spice Girl Melanie Brown and her pro partner to determine the winner. Both were allowed to select their favorite dance (Castroneves the Quickstep and Brown the Mambo). Both received perfect 30 scores from the three-judge panel.
What put Castroneves into Victory Circle, where there wasn’t a fence to climb but a half-gallon plastic jug of milk waiting, was the vote from the 21 million-plus viewers of the ABC show. In the finale, voting totals from the Nov. 26 performances were combined with the judge’s total score from both nights to determine the winner. Earlier in the evening, Marie Osmond was eliminated based on voting total/scores from the previous night.
“I was so worried but Julianne kept telling me everything would be fine,” Castroneves said a few minutes after the stage lights were dimmed. “When our names were announced, I had to look at Julianne to make sure I heard it correctly. Honestly, that feeling when they called our name was totally different than winning a race. Obviously, Indianapolis is my biggest win, but this is great. (The dancing trophy) will go right between (the Baby Borg trophies) because this has mirrors and can reflect them.”
Castroneves and Hough had little time to celebrate their win.
Shortly after the show’s wrap party had begun, the pair were on a flight to New York, where their victory tour kicked off with Nov. 28 appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Castroneves and his professional dance partner also were guests on “The View” and taped a segment on “The Rachel Ray Show.” Numerous radio and print interviews were intertwined during travel around Manhattan. The couple will be ride on a float Nov. 29 at the Magic Kingdom for the taping of Disney’s Christmas Parade.
The past 12 weeks – and especially the victory tour – has been a whirlwind for the two-time Indianapolis 500 champion. But, after a few days without 10 hours of rehearsal, he’ll be able to put up his blistered feet.
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