When it comes to auto racing, Castroneves has racked up 18 wins, 70 top-five finishes, and $13 million in career earnings. And the driver himself is pretty shrewd. Today, he’s shooting for a third Indy victory.
“I’m 33. Three is my lucky number and my car number. As long as I have the fire inside me, I’ll be racing. I’m burning, I’m hot. And “I’m full of fun.”
“I’m ready to go,” Castroneves said at Indianapolis Motor Speedway earlier this month. “Every time I pass Gasoline Alley, I’m like, ‘Man, this is a great, great place.’ As everyone knows me—I’m just having fun.”
Castroneves seems eternally happy, and why not?
He’s already a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and one of the favorites to win Sunday’s 92nd running of the race. He drives for Team Penske, the most admired and accomplished team in the IndyCar Series garage. Life has been good for the dashing Brazilian, who came to America in 1996 and raced in CART’s Indy Lights series with Tasman Motorsports.
Castroneves, will start fourth, on the inside of the second row, in this year’s 500. He wanted the pole, which he won last year and in 2003, but he isn’t worried that Scott Dixon claimed it.
“It doesn’t really matter where you start in the race,” Castroneves said. “You don’t win it on the first lap.”
“Thinking about going for a third win is just, also (amazing), to put myself in a very exclusive spot. It’s just an honor and a blast to be where I am right now.”
Does he think about retiring someday?
“I definitely want to be involved in racing,” said Castroneves. “I’d love to be another Roger Penske [the owner of his racing team], maybe to be a partner to Roger, but certainly not to compete with him.”
And what about Helio’s new dancing career?
“Dancing is exciting,” he said. “It’s fascinating. But it’s also six, eight, 10 hours a day. I never worked that hard in my life. The show is over now, and my dancing career is at rest.”
Forever?
“No, I’m sure I’ll have to dance once again. At my wedding.”
| 
|