Justin Marks’ personal mom heard the rumor and texted her son, the proprietor of Trackhouse Racing, to search out out if Helio Castroneves shall be working the Daytona 500 for the NASCAR staff.
That may be the logical spot for the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner who has longed to present NASCAR a shot. Don Hawk, the first-year CEO of the Famous person Racing Expertise, advised Castroneves that if he gained one of many summer season all-star collection races, Hawk would assist Castroneves get a NASCAR begin.
Nicely, Castroneves gained the SRX opener Saturday night time, and Hawk has been burning up the cellphone strains since.
Trackhouse Racing final month introduced “Project91” to assist worldwide drivers enter NASCAR races. Retired System One driver Kimi Raikkonen is first up with a scheduled August begin on the highway course at Watkins Glen.
“My aspect job is representing Mr. Castroneves,” Hawk mentioned. “Telephone calls have been happening, the ball is rolling. We’re not able to say a complete lot publicly. However the ball is rolling. All of it is dependent upon how this factor rolls out, whether or not we’ll have a look at multiple race or non-compulsory races.
“The intention initially was he actually needed to run within the Daytona 500, it was a crown jewel. And so we’re actually going to attempt to make the Daytona 500 work.”
Due to the Trackhouse program, hypothesis immediately turned to Project91 because the touchdown spot for Castroneves. He has gained Indianapolis 4 occasions, the Rolex 24 at Daytona twice and an IMSA sports activities automobile championship, however might by no means persuade Roger Penske to present him a shot in NASCAR.
Marks advised The Related Press that he has not spoken to Hawk about Castroneves, however “my mother texted me and requested, ‘Are you speaking to Helio?'”
Castroneves does not know what offers Hawk may be working, however he is very critical about moving into subsequent yr’s Daytona 500. He shall be 47 years previous when “The Nice American Race” rolls round subsequent February and now drives for Meyer Shank Racing in IndyCar, a staff that doesn’t prohibit him from extracurricular racing.
“I drove for therefore a few years with Roger Penske and I used to be not capable of get a chance there. Now, I’ve a chance in my contract, so why not, why not strive one thing that I by no means did,” Castroneves mentioned. “So now I am making an attempt SRX, IMSA, IndyCar. It will likely be very pure to strive one thing that I’ve all the time [wanted to do], which was NASCAR.
“I do know it will likely be robust, however hey, who is aware of, in racing you by no means anticipate how issues may very well be shocking. Hopefully I will get into it with Don and be within the Daytona 500 for positive.”
A part of Tony Stewart’s hope in creating SRX final yr was that it could assist drivers discover different alternatives and it labored in its inaugural season. Ernie Francis Jr., a seven-time class champion within the Trans Am Sequence, caught Penske’s eye when he gained the SRX race in Indianapolis, and it led to a full-time experience this yr within the Indy Lights Sequence.
The wildest a part of Castroneves’ take care of Hawk is that he gained Saturday night time at 5 Flags Speedway in Florida, the place SRX had no thought Castroneves was racing. His participation over the six Saturday nights is constructed round his IndyCar schedule, and there was a misunderstanding over Castroneves’ participation within the opening race.
He was already on the airplane headed to Pensacola final Friday night time when it was found SRX didn’t know he was coming. SRX had obtainable vehicles — the premise of the collection is that every one the vehicles are equally ready for star drivers from a number of formulation of racing — and had one prepared for Castroneves when he arrived.
“It reveals you that the 16 vehicles we ready are actually what we are saying they’re, they’re equal vehicles. That automobile was not even going to be raced and it gained,” Hawk mentioned. “He began scratch on the sphere and he gained. There’s so many issues that went in the fitting route. We had 4 spare vehicles, any considered one of them you may simply put your seat insert in and we’re good to go.”
SRX races this Saturday night time stay on CBS at South Boston Speedway in Virginia. Peyton Sellers, who’s from Danville, Virginia, and is a six-time South Boston observe champion, is the weekly “ringer” entered within the discipline.
“I rank this chance proper on the high of issues I have been capable of do,” Sellers mentioned. “I had the chance in 2005 to run the Rolex 24 at Daytona. I’ve had the chance to race an Xfinity automobile at Indianapolis. I’ve had an opportunity to race Daytona, Talladega, loads of these tracks. To have the caliber of drivers we have, to have the caliber of vehicles we have in SRX is large. With the caliber of program SRX has put collectively, for me to be requested to be part of it’s a actually neat alternative.”