Helio Castroneves and Trackhouse Racing intend to utilize NASCAR‘s new Open Exemption Provisional to secure a starting spot in the 2025 Daytona 500, NASCAR confirmed Friday. Announced Friday among numerous competition updates ahead of the 2025 season,

Starting in 2025, star drivers who haven't competed in NASCAR are eligible to automatically qualify for a Cup Series race.

With his illustrious racing career expanding, Hélio Castroneves made a bet. Should the four-time Indianapolis 500 champion win in his Superstar Racing Experience debut, then-SRX director Don Hawk told him he’d start making connections in NASCAR.

Helio Castroneves, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and one of the more popular drivers of his generation, will make his NASCAR debut in next month’s Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500, Trackhouse Racing announced Monday. Castroneves will drive a car fielded by Trackhouse Racing.

Four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castronves will make his NASCAR debut at age 49 when he attempts to race the 2025 Daytona 500.

Though the Daytona 500 will be his first NASCAR Cup Series start, Castroneves has experience in stock cars and closed-wheel racing, including 16 starts in the International Race of Champions (IROC) and appearances in the Supercars Championship and Brazil’s Stock Car Pro Series.

NASCAR confirmed Friday that Helio Castroneves will be locked into the 2025 Daytona 500 field via the new open exemption provisional rule.