Four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Hélio Castroneves entered Daytona Speedweek eager to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the Daytona 500, but his night took an unexpected turn during the Thursday, Feb. 13 Duel qualifying race.
Driving Trackhouse Racing’s No. 91 Wendy’s Chevrolet, Castroneves was running seventh after starting 20th when a multi-car crash on the backstretch near Turn 3 ended his night prematurely. The incident was triggered when Chandler Smith got turned into the outside wall, setting off a chaotic chain reaction. Castroneves’ car was collected in the melee, bouncing up and down the bank before hitting the wall a second time.
Hélio Castroneves’ Daytona 500 Debut Alive Despite Duels Crash
Despite the crash, Castroneves’ Daytona 500 dreams remain alive, as he will start last in the 41-car field thanks to a new NASCAR provisional rule that grants an automatic starting spot to a world-class driver who is not a full-time competitor in the series.
Trouble for Hélio Castroneves in Duel No. 1 at Daytona. pic.twitter.com/Uw9IuLDzkC
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) February 14, 2025
The transition from IndyCar to stock cars has been a major adjustment for Castroneves, who admitted that he was still getting a feel for drafting, braking techniques, and overall race strategy.
“Basically, I was really taking it easy on the high side,” Castroneves said after the crash. “I was trying to understand the art of drafting.”
Despite his early exit, he showed promise throughout the race, steadily moving through the field and avoiding an earlier incident.
“I escaped the first accident because when you’re running on top, everything goes high, right?” Castroneves explained. “Unfortunately, in the second one, I don’t know who it was that hit me really hard, and it broke the [right front] toe link.”
While the wreck may have been frustrating, Castroneves said he learned a lot about fuel strategy, traffic management, and other small details that TV viewers might not notice.
A Steep Learning Curve but Hope for the Future
The early setbacks didn’t discourage Castroneves. He remains optimistic about his future in NASCAR, focusing on the lessons learned and his growth as a stock car driver.
“I’ve been watching a lot of in-car footage, studying pit stops, and learning how to manage the car during a draft,” he said. He is also adapting to NASCAR’s high-speed strategy — a skill set different from his IndyCar experience.
With a strong focus on learning and improvement, Castroneves knows his journey won’t be easy. “I’m excited to keep progressing,” he said. “Every lap teaches me something new, and I’m ready to take on Sunday’s challenge.”
