Helio Castroneves Indy 500 Outlook
Will Helio Castroneves find a way to join an elite club on Sunday and claim his fourth Indianapolis 500 victory? Here’s a breakdown of Castroneves’ chances.
The Indianapolis 500 is a 500-mile race that will be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race takes place today on Sunday at 11AM ET and will air live on ABC. According to oddsmakers, Helio Castroneves is listed with 9/1 odds to win Sunday’s race. Alexander Rossi is the current favorite with 8/1 odds while four other drivers have 10/1 odds.
Castroneves seeks fourth win
Only three drivers in Indy 500 history have won the race four times, which is tied for the most in its history. Rick Mears, Al Unser Sr. and A.J. Foyt are those three drivers. Castroneves can be the fourth if he wins on Sunday. He won this race in his first two appearances of 2001 and 2002 and got back to victory lane in 2009. He also has finished second three times, including last year. This year, Castroneves starts from a fairly manageable eighth spot.
Part-time driver
The 2018 season marks the first time since 2001 that Castroneves isn’t a full-time driver. He had finished in the top 5 in the series the last six years, but never claimed a championship in his lengthy IndyCar career. This season, the only race Castroneves has taken part in was the road course at Indy, where he placed sixth.
Indy 500 Outlook
Two drivers have won this race from the eighth position, the last coming in 1999 with Kenny Brack. I think being a part-time driver will actually help Castroneves. All he has had to think about is Indy. He hasn’t had to worry about a season championship or other tracks. On Sunday, he won’t make a decision based on points. It will be all or nothing for him at a track that has been very good to him. I think Castroneves is rightfully one of the favorites on Sunday and I would feel pretty good about him with 9/1 odds to win.