Latest Indy 500 Honors Bring Helio Castroneves to Tears

Rock star Sammy Hagar “Can’t Drive 55,” but four-time Indianapolis 500 champ Helio Castroneves is ready to do one better, to go all out and put the pedal to the metal, no holds barred.

The defending Indy 500 winner was celebrated Thursday with a unique honor, as Indianapolis Motor Speedway renamed a street inside the massive complex as “Castroneves Drive.” The Brazilian native even teared up at the surprise honor and unveiling.

The street intersects with Hulman Blvd., which honors the Hulman family, which previously owned IMS before Roger Penske purchased it in 2019.

In typical Castroneves style, he told those in attendance he does not want a speed limit for cars driving on “my street” – although the local Speedway, Indiana and Indianapolis police might think otherwise.

Helio’s image is not only on each individual race ticket that is sold, per IMS tradition, a new tradition was also born Thursday when it was revealed that his image will be displayed on the cover of the official race program. It marks the first time ANY defending winner of the 500 has ever been featured on the cover of the following year’s program.

Castroneves hopes to become the first driver in Indy 500 history to win the Greatest Spectacle In Racing for a fifth time.

Follow Autoweek contributor Jerry Bonkowski on Twitter @JerryBonkowski