Helio Castroneves Could Drive A NASCAR Chevy In 2023 Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 is commonly regarded as NASCAR’s most prestigious event, often drawing competitors from other racing series in to compete in the iconic race. Four-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves may be one of the next open-wheel drivers to tackle Daytona International Speedway for the 2023 Daytona 500, and if he does, it could very well be behind the wheel of a NASCAR Chevy.

According to a recent report by Sportsnaut, Castroneves has expressed interested in running at Daytona with several NASCAR Chevy teams. There is a possibility that he could join forces with Trackhouse Racing, which is owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull. However, Trackhouse currently fields two full-time Cup Series entries, including the No. 1 Camaro ZL1 of Ross Chastain and the No. 99 Camaro of Daniel Suárez. However, at this time, fielding a third race car may not be a viable option for Trackhouse, even for a one-off race. 

That being said, Castroneves could also find a ride with The Money Team Racing (TMT), which is owned by former professional boxer, Floyd Mayweather Jr. For the 2022 Daytona 500, TMT fielded the No. 50 Camaro for Kaz Grala. Conor Daly took control of the No. 50 for select events throughout the rest of the season. Should Castroneves work out a deal with TMT, he would likely drive the No. 50 NASCAR Chevy for the 2023 Daytona 500.

If he does manage to pull together a NASCAR Chevy race car for the ‘500, the race would mark Castroneves’ first stint behind the wheel of a stock car at the Cup Series level. And if he happens to win at the 2.5-mile oval track, he would join A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti as a winner of America’s two most famous races, the Indy 500 and Daytona 500. Other IndyCar drivers who have competed in the event include Tony Stewart, AJ Allmendinger and Johnny Rutherford. Jimmie Johnson, who has assumed an ownership role with Petty GMS Racing after retiring from IndyCar, will also make his NASCAR return at the race.

The season-opening Daytona 500 will take place on February 19^th, 2023.

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