4-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves spotted at Rolex24 ahead of Daytona 500 debut next month

Helio Castroneves is getting an early visit at the Daytona International Speedway ahead of his Daytona 500 debut. The Brazilian driver was spotted at this year's Rolex 24, a one-day-long endurance race where he has had multiple starts before.

Castroneves is a 49-year-old IndyCar driver who has won the Indy 500 four times. He is scheduled to debut in the NASCAR Cup Series at the upcoming Daytona 500 with Trackhouse Racing.

In an X (formerly Twitter) post, motorsports reporter Holly Cain spotted Castroneves taking a stroll down the pitlane.

"The fans love him.. ⁦4-time Indy 500 winner @h3lio⁩ here at ⁦@DAYTONA⁩ for ⁦@Rolex24Hours⁩ - he will be back in February to make his Daytona 500 driving debut w ⁦@TeamTrackhouse," Cain wrote.

As part of the Meyer Shank Racing IndyCar program, Castroneves is wearing an Acura-MSR jacket. Meyer Shank Racing was the same team that entered him in the Rolex 24 in 2022 and 2023. Both starts saw him win the American enduro race.

He also won in 2021 with Wayne Taylor Racing, making him a three-time Rolex 24 winner.

With his race-winning experience at Daytona, Helio Castroneves would feel familiar with racing in his NASCAR debut, although the track layouts are different. The Rolex 24 uses the road course layout, while the Daytona 500 runs on the 2.5-mile oval configuration.

The Brazilian will drive Trackhouse Racing's Project 91, a project car that aims to bring renowned international drivers to the NASCAR stage. The car is the No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro previously driven by Shane van Gisbergen and 2007 F1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Kimi Raikkonen driving the No. 91 car at COTA in 2023 - Source: Imagn

The IndyCar star will benefit from the stock car racing league's new rule, the Open Exemption Provisional (OEP). The OEP guarantees the driver's entry into Sunday's race. If he fails to qualify, he will start from 41st.

The Daytona 500 will commence the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. It will be held at the Daytona International Speedway on February 16.

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Trackhouse Racing team owner shared his thoughts on Helio Castroneves

Helio Castroneves may be a stranger to the Daytona 500 but Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks believes in the driver's racecraft. Marks claimed that the four-time Indy 500 winner is one of the greatest drivers of all time.

Speaking about entering Castroneves to the "Great American Race", Marks said:

"Hélio 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 Hélio 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."

Helio Castroneves is a four-time Indy 500 winner - Source: Getty

Castroneves will drive the No. 91 Chevy alongside full-time Trackhouse Racing drivers Daniel Suarez, Ross Chastain, and Shane van Gisbergen. SVG is the latest addition to the team following the acquisition of one charter from the now-discontinued Stewart-Haas Racing team.