Several drivers from the IndyCar Series are participating in this weekend’s endurance classic, but Helio Castroneves is notably absent from the lineup.
After making his Daytona debut in 2018, the Brazilian shifted his focus to sports car racing and quickly established himself as a formidable presence.
During a brief break from IndyCar, he played a pivotal role in guiding Team Penske’s Acura program to a championship in 2020. However, it was his move to Wayne Taylor Racing in 2021 that secured him the prestigious Rolex for winning the twice-around-the-clock classic.
This victory occurred just four months before he clinched his record-tying fourth victory in the Indianapolis 500 as a one-off driver for Meyer Shank Racing.
Despite his return to full-time IndyCar competition in the previous two years, Castroneves continued to participate in select IMSA rounds, achieving victory both times at the 3.56-mile road course at Daytona.
Heading into 2024, Castroneves is taking on a partial ownership role at Meyer Shank Racing, which is not competing in IMSA this year. Simultaneously, he has scaled back his full-time commitment to strictly a one-off appearance as he pursues a record fifth Indy 500 win.
Meanwhile, Tom Blomqvist, Castroneves’ teammate in IMSA for the past two years, is embarking on a full-time rookie campaign in the IndyCar Series with Meyer Shank Racing. Additionally, Blomqvist will serve as a co-driver for sports car endurance rounds with Action Express Racing, including the Daytona event.
Despite having fewer opportunities behind the wheel, Castroneves remains as competitive as ever.
As a three-time defending winner at Daytona, the 48-year-old expressed disappointment at not having the chance to pursue a fourth victory that would have tied him with racing legends such as Pedro Rodríguez, Bob Wollek, Peter Gregg, and Rolf Stommelen. The most successful drivers in the event’s history, Hurley Haywood and Scott Pruett, hold five wins each.
Castroneves acknowledged his disappointment, stating, “I definitely would have liked to defend the race win and tried to go four in a row. But I’m glad that I have a lot on my plate as well, at the same time with MSR, even though MSR is not in the sports car program. We’re working hard to come back in the near future. But yeah, I wish everyone a great race and good luck for sure.”