Helio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves CART/Champ Car World Series Years active 1998-2001 Teams Bettenhausen Racing Hogan Racing Penske Racing Starts 79 Wins 6 Poles 7 Best finish 4th in 2001 Previous series 1993-1994 1995 1996-1997 Formula Three Sudamericana British Formula Three Championship Firestone Indy Lights Hélio Castroneves (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈɛlju ˈkastɾu ˈnɛvis]; born Hélio Castro Neves; May 10, 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver competing in the 2014 North American IndyCar Series. In IndyCar competition, Castroneves has 22 wins and 33 poles, and has never placed lower than sixth in the standings in a complete season of racing until 2011, where he placed eleventh. Prior to IndyCar, Castroneves competed in the CART championship with a highest championship points finish of fourth. Castroneves won the Indianapolis 500 in 2001, 2002 and 2009, making him one of only nine total drivers, and the only active driver, to have won at least three. He finished second to teammate and countryman Gil de Ferran in 2003. Castroneves has won four pole positions for the Indy 500, including back-to-back poles in 2009 and 2010 for the first time since Scott Brayton. He is also one of only five drivers, (Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Bill Vukovich, and Al Unser Sr. being the other four), and the only active driver to win the Indy 500 in back-to-back races.