Helio Castroneves, 34, is among the sport’s most popular drivers. He has been successful in his car, with 16 wins and 69 top-five finishes in 120 career starts in the IndyCar Series. And his looks and personality, a better fit for Hollywood than the pit lane, have drawn attention off the track. He climbs racetrack fences after victories—some call him Spider-Man—and wears a 1,000-megawatt grin.
Yet there is still that elusive championship. It might come as a surprise to more casual race fans that Castroneves, who is set to compete in the SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, has not won an overall crown. While he said he does not need a title to validate his career, it is on his mind this season. He is fourth in the standings with 212 points, 29 behind Ryan Briscoe.
“It ain’t over yet,” Castroneves said in an interview. “We’re still working very hard. We’ve got to keep knocking this door. One day, this door is going to open. We’re pretty darn close.”
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But the championship? “Knowing him, he wants everything,” said Tony Kanaan, the 2004 champion, who grew up racing go-karts against Castroneves in Brazil. “He’s a very positive person, but knowing him, he wants it really bad.”
“There are quite a few drivers who haven’t won a championship who are great drivers,” Tim Cindric, the president of Penske Racing, said in a telephone interview. “Helio’s going to be a guy that’s going to be remembered—not for the championships, but for his personality and his success at Indianapolis.”
Still, there is time to make a run at this season’s championship.
Then he flashed his trademark grin and said, “For sure, I’m hoping good things will come.”
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