Helio Castroneves takes another swing at history while sidestepping the belief that time is running out on his bid for a fifth Indianapolis 500 title.
Castroneves, 51, will start in the Indy 500 for the 26th time on Sunday afternoon, looking to dispel the notion that Father Time is ticking when the 110th edition of the race is held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears are the other four-time winners at the famed Brickyard. Unser is the oldest winner at 47 years, 360 days.
During a media session this week, 45-year-old Ed Carpenter, making his 23rd Indy 500 start, asked Castroneves, “Do you ever think we’ve been doing this half our life?”
Castroneves shot back: “No. Thank you for letting me know. I wasn’t thinking that way.” Then he laughed.
The Indy 500 champion in 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2021 has no interest in letting his relatively advanced age creep into his mind.
“I don’t. Not at all. I wouldn’t be coming here if I feel that, I tell you that,” Castroneves said. “We are so involved and so into it, we love so much not only the sport but this place.
“I feel that I have opportunity not only to go out there and teach those kids how it’s done, (but) that’s why I’ll keep coming back.”
The popular Brazilian will start in the fifth row — 14th overall — as he tries to chase down history.
Defending champion Alex Palou of Spain is the polesitter after a four-lap qualifying speed of 232.148 mph.
Palou led for just 14 laps while taking the checkered flag last year. He won under caution after Nolan Siegel crashed in Turn 2 of the 200th and final lap.
He said there’s no feeling of relaxation after the jubilation of having milk poured on him in Victory Lane.
“We always have that pressure to win. That’s why they pay us, they pay us to win,” Palou said. “Not to win once and that’s it. They pay us to do it continuously.
“Yeah, I know I’m hungrier than ever just because I know what comes with it, once you win the Indy 500 and what it means. I don’t feel more or less pressure. Not because I won once, it’s not like now I need another one. It’s more the opposite, it’s more like I want to go back-to-back.”
Josef Newgarden enjoyed the back-to-back feeling by winning in 2023 and 2024 before finishing 22nd last year.
He was 23rd in qualifying, which places him way back in the eighth row. The last driver to win the race from that type of pole position was Johnny Rutherford (No. 25 in 1974).
“It’ll be different,” Newgarden said. “I just hang out at Turn 4 while they get to Turn 1. I think that’s a wise thing to do. You can’t do that sitting where we’re at, 23rd. We’re right in the middle of everything. So you have to go. We’ve got to be racing and be heads-up.”
Alexander Rossi and Mexico’s Pato O’Ward will be in backup cars after their practice crash on Monday. Rossi underwent minor surgeries on his left hand and right ankle that were necessary for him to be able to race.
Rossi, the 2016 Indy winner, gets around on crutches when outside of his car and will have the right foot stabilized during the race.
“There will be a brace of sorts that’s still kind of being finalized,” Rossi said on Friday. “There’s a lot of different things to consider, from a size standpoint, you got to preserve the function of being able to do that on the pedals, and you have to ensure it’s providing stability (and is) fire-resistant.”
O’Ward consistently has challenged to reach Victory Lane. He finished second in 2022 and 2024, third in 2025 and fourth in 2021.
“We’re so lucky that we are here and get to do this,” O’Ward said. “We are kind of risking our lives, but this is straight-up badass.”
Katherine Legge, starting 26th, seeks to become the first woman to achieve the Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 double. The plan is to take a helicopter from the track to Indianapolis International Airport and fly to Charlotte to compete in the NASCAR race. The Coca-Cola 600 is slated to start just six hours after the Indy 500 begins.
However, the National Weather Service says there’s a 77% chance of rain at the time Indy drivers are supposed to start their engines.
“It’s preparation or sleep, so there’s got to be a compromise in there somewhere,” said Legge, while acknowledging a rain delay in Indianapolis would be the worst-case scenario.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Helio Castrovenes aspires to turn back clock at Indy 500
Reporting by Field Level Media / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
