“I’m not really sure that’s fair.” Denny Hamlin didn’t mince any words when it came to the OEP. And he isn’t alone. Although the Open Exemption Provisional ruling allowed drivers like Helio Castroneves into the Daytona 500, NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson got hung out to dry. Now, with the Daytona 500 just a few days away, Castroneves isn’t shying away from acknowledging the privilege of finally being able to race in NASCAR.
Undaunted by the steep learning curve, Castroneves looks at the opportunity with an open mind and an opportunistic attitude.
Helio Castroneves understands the need to pull up his socks for the Daytona 500
Speaking about the OEP change, Helio Castroneves said, “They know, you see. I’m not the one that writes the rule book, incidentally. I mean, I do know that technically these rules exist,” Castroneves revealed. “So when we take on this opportunity, we take on to go and compete, compete to compete.” Castroneves words are a short way of saying he’s put in a lot of work for the race, and in a way, it’s reflected in the results. He was 39th in the first round of qualifying for the race, performing better than full-time drivers like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chandler Smith. Before that, in practice, Castroneves turned up in the No. 91 Trackhouse car, blowing the rookies out of the water, coming into a 12th-place finish at the end of the session.
He’s even going above and beyond to ensure he is up to speed come race day. In order to do so, Castroneves signed up for the 200 mile ARCA race taking place on the track on Saturday. His biggest problem, however, is the lack of practice he has in a NASCAR car. “Indy 500 is the same in similarity rules. You’ve got to race for it. But you’ve got a week for you to get used to the car, understand and get into it. Here, I only have 50 minutes,” he pointed out.
For Castroneves, the largest challenge isn’t competition—rather, it’s the vastly different format and practice schedule compared to what he’s used to in IndyCar. Where the Indianapolis 500 provides a week of getting accustomed to the car and the track conditions for drivers, Daytona has no such indulgence. Castroneves will get merely 50 minutes to adjust before racing commences. If the OEP gives him a foot in the door, he isn’t afraid of taking it. “I never knew that the rules were in place, but if I need to take it, I won’t say no, I’ll take it.“
His strategy for the Daytona 500 is no different. He is venturing into uncharted territory, perhaps, but he’s doing so with the same aggressive passion that has driven him throughout his career. Revealing his game plan, he revealed, “I know it sounds interesting or different; however, it’s completely the opposite of what I’m used to. So, I have to adapt. … all these little details, even though it’s a race car, it’s very different. When you are in a big race like this, every little detail matters, so I am trying to study all these details.”
Considering his track record of several Indy 500 wins, it’s no surprise he has the dedication to perform. However, what adds to the pressure is the possibility of entering the history books. Castroneves could be in line to be the third driver behind A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti who have won both crown jewel events of American Motorsports. It certainly won’t be easy, especially after how qualifying went.
Let’s take a look at the field for the race.
Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. make it through to the race.
NASCAR has never been afraid to shake things up, always bringing in new rules to keep the sport competitive and exciting. From the Next-Gen Car to stage racing and even the unconventional Bristol Dirt Race, change has been prevalent. Now, there’s the Open Exemption Provisional (OEP), a provision that would welcome world-class talent from other forms of racing to compete in a limited number of NASCAR events. And for Helio Castroneves, this provision was his door to the Daytona 500.
Even with his storied motorsport history, Castroneves was unable to qualify, registering a lap of 50.069 seconds. NASCAR veterans Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. secured their positions with lap times of 49.783 seconds and 49.641 seconds respectively. Castroneves may not push his luck in qualifying, especially since he already has a guaranteed spot.
As for the rest of the grid, Chase Briscoe topped the charts, grabbing pole position in his first points race with Joe Gibbs Racing. He’s followed by former Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric. The rest of the top 10 is made up of the usual suspects: Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, and other drivers making the cut.
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