Bob Pockrass
FOX NASCAR Insider
Four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 as part of Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 program.
Castroneves was close to putting together a Daytona 500 program in recent years and now will get the chance to make NASCAR’s biggest event at age 49.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing,” Castroneves said in a news release. ”This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down.”
The Project 91 program is designed to bring drivers with international following to NASCAR. Shane van Gisbergen won his Cup debut in 2023 on the Chicago street course and the three-time Australian Supercars champion is now set to embark on his Cup rookie season after a full Xfinity campaign.
“Helio is one of the greatest drivers of all time and exactly the type of driver we want to bring to NASCAR,” Trackhouse founder and co-owner Justin Marks said. “I think race fans around the world will be excited to see Helio 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.”
Qualifying for the Daytona 500 won’t be easy, and at the moment the exact format is not totally clear because the number of chartered teams in the race is still in limbo pending decisions in the U.S. Court of Appeals on the 23XI/Front Row Motorsports lawsuit versus NASCAR.
Based on current injunctions that require NASCAR to allow 23XI and FRM to field their three cars apiece as chartered teams, there will be 36 chartered teams and four open spots available, as has been the scenario in recent years. But if NASCAR prevails on its appeals — and currently no timeline has been set for a decision in appeals court — that number possibly could change to somewhere between 30-34 chartered teams.
It is expected that at least eight, and likely nine or 10, open cars will enter the race for the current four spots open in the field of 40 for the Daytona 500 (all chartered teams are guaranteed spots).
Castroneves, Mike Wallace (MBM Motorsports), JJ Yeley (NY Racing) and owner/driver BJ McLeod have confirmed their intent to enter the race. Jimmie Johnson (Legacy Motor Club), Martin Truex Jr. (likely with Tricon) and Anthony Alfredo (Beard Motorsports) are expected to enter. Rick Ware Racing also is likely to enter an open car and those who plan on competing for open spots are expecting one or two more entries.
If NASCAR continues with the same format as in past seasons, the open cars will be split evenly in the two qualifying races based on single-car qualifying, with the top-finishing open car in each qualifying race making the Daytona 500. The last two Daytona 500 spots among the open cars would go to the two fastest cars from single-car qualifying.
The simplest way the format could change if there are more spots available to open cars is to have additional open cars qualify based on their finish in the qualifying races.
“I know how much of a challenge this is going to be, but I also know the type of people and team Trackhouse Racing will bring to the effort,” Castroneves said. “I can’t wait to get to the Trackhouse race shop in North Carolina to meet everyone and prepare for Daytona. There is so much I must learn and I’m ready to get started.”
Former Cup champion crew chief Darian Grubb will crew chief the entry with Wendy’s as the sponsor.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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