Cadillac came strong with three entries, two from Chip Ganassi Racing and a third from Whelen Engineering.īut the entire buildup to the launch turned into nervous hand-wringing over durability concerns, as all nine GTP teams worried that the new technology and supply chain issues would prevent the cars from completing a 24-hour race. Porsche lured Roger Penske back to sports car racing with two cars, and BMW persuaded Bobby Rahal to move his program up to IMSA's top class. The fans came for a showdown between some of the top carmakers in the world.Īcura put forth a pair of entries with Shank and Wayne Taylor, who partnered only last month with Michael Andretti. As such, the top GTP class doubled its manufacturers from two at last year's Rolex to four this season, and Daytona International Speedway officials said the crowd for the Saturday-to-Sunday race this year was the largest in the event's 61 years. The move has been a massive draw to automakers eager to compete in motorsports with technology that relates to their road cars. The twice-round-the-clock endurance race this year marked the launch of a new hybrid era of racing, and the change in technology for IMSA's top GTP class makes it the only motorsports series in North America to race with hybrid engines. We're in the Tom Blomqvist business for a long time."ĭespite being the reigning champions, MSR and Acura were a bit of an unknown ahead of Daytona. "He truly believes he's the fastest guy out there. The 29-year-old British driver has earned a starring role with Honda Performance Development. "Then had to take it to another level to secure the win." "What a car we built we had a duty to take it to the finish," Blomqvist said. MSR is now a two-car Ind圜ar program with Castroneves and Pagenaud and has a bona fide budding star in Blomqvist, who was rewarded with an Ind圜ar test by the team after last year's championship season. It is very hard, and when you get it, you celebrate."Ĭastroneves has been a huge part of building Meyer Shank Racing, which since helping Castroneves win a record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 in 2021 has added consecutive Rolex titles and the IMSA championship. You lose more than you win," Castroneves said. Team owner Michael Shank said during Pagenaud's final drive in the car, "Simon is driving the stint of his life."Ĭastroneves acknowledged that he got emotional at becoming the first driver to win three consecutive Rolex 24s. "I love climbing the fence with Helio," said Pagenaud, who won for the second consecutive year and is a teammate of Castroneves' in Ind圜ar. The Brazilian driver then led his teammates, who included Simon Pagenaud and MSR newcomer Colin Braun, in his signature "Spider-Man" celebratory climbing of the fence. Castroneves, who turns 48 in May, was overcome with emotion after Tom Blomqvist closed out the victory. Acura dominated the debut of hybrid engines in North American sports car racing with a 1-2 finish Sunday at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, where Helio Castroneves and the automaker won the prestigious endurance race for a third consecutive year.Ĭastroneves won the Rolex in 2021 in an Acura with Wayne Taylor Racing and has won with Meyer Shank Racing the past two seasons. Helio Castroneves first driver to win three Rolex 24s in rowĭAYTONA BEACH, Fla. He is also one of the greatest Ind圜ar drivers.You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser Castroneves, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Bill Vukovich, and Al Unser are the only five drivers in this world that won back-to-back races in Indy 500. During his tenure in Indy 500, he won four pole positions and was the first driver who has achieved this after Scott Brayton in 1996. He also holds second place in 2003, 2014, and 2017 at Indy. This helped him to be named among the few drivers that won at the Indianapolis 500 three times. Awards & AchievementsĬastroneves was the Indianapolis 500 winner in 2001, 2002, and 2009. His last win was in 2001 Miller Lite 200. Castroneves won the 93rd Indianapolis 500, which made him Indy’s 9th three-time winner on 24th May 2009. He even gave him the nickname of “Spider-man” because of his climbing talent. He had a special talent to climb the trackside debris fence, and his fans loved him for this. But, the partnership didn’t last long, and Castroneves left Penske Racing Team in 2002 and switched to IRL, Penske’s rival team. He later became a part of the Penske Racing Team in 2000. He caught the media’s eye when he raced for Tasman Racing Team, which was owned by Steve Horne. He accepted the offer, and he won the third position in the British Formula 3 Championship in 1995. He initially did kart- racing and was later approached by the Paul Stewart Racing team.
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