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IndyCar: Helio Castroneves eyeing 20th Indy 500 bid with Team Penske in 2020

By Asher Fair

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 24: Helio Castoneves of Brazil, driver of the #3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet in action during Carb Day for the 103rd Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 24, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 24: Helio Castoneves of Brazil, driver of the #3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet in action during Carb Day for the 103rd Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 24, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /
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IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves is hopeful that he will be able to make his 20th start in the Indy 500 for Team Penske next May.

Three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves has driven in the Indy 500 in each of the last 19 IndyCar seasons, and he has only ever done so behind the wheel of a Team Penske car.

Next year, however, there are no guarantee that the 44-year-old Brazilian will be back behind the wheel of the #3 Chevrolet for what would be his 20th consecutive start in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” for 18-time Indy 500 champion team owner Roger Penske.

But Castroneves remains hopeful and optimistic that he will compete in the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 24, 2020.

Here is what Castroneves had to say about the matter, according to ESPN.

"“The good news is, the team won the Indy 500. Which helps tremendously to talk not only with sponsors, and with Roger. I did hear he’s talking about a fourth car. But who knows? I’m feeling confident that there could be another year, but let’s see.“I don’t think my contract allows a possibility of (racing Indy for another team) next year with (a Penske contract in) IMSA still. We’re not allowed to race against them. I can race in Brazil, or Europe — anything that they’re not competing in. Which is understandable.“I want to keep going, obviously. I love racing. To be honest, that’s what I know what to do best.”"

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Penske reportedly stated the following in a text to the Associated Press about Castroneves returning to the team for next year’s Indy 500.

"“At the moment I think he will be in our plans.”"

Castroneves spent 20 seasons competing in CART/IndyCar as a full-time driver, including the final 18 of these 20 seasons driving for Team Penske. He was released from the team following the 2017 IndyCar season to drive full-time for the team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, where he is still competing.

In 19 career Indy 500 starts, Castroneves’s average finishing position is 8.63. In addition to his three victories, which he recorded in 2001, 2002 and 2009, he has finished the race in second place three times, missing out on becoming a six-time Indy 500 champion by only a combined 0.5601 seconds.

A fourth Indy 500 victory would make Castroneves just the fourth driver in race history to earn four victories. Only A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears have ever done so. A 20th Indy 500 bid for Castroneves next year would mark his 11th attempt to become the race’s fourth four-time champion.

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Will Helio Castroneves be back behind the wheel of the #3 Team Penske Chevrolet for the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 next May, or did his Indy 500 career come to a close with his 18th place finish, his worst result in the 17 Indy 500 races he has actually finished, in the race last month?