Helio Castroneves sees future of IndyCar in Iowa Speedway race weekend
NEWTON — Helio Castroneves became an international star in 2007 when he was an instant hit on "Dancing with the Stars."
Castroneves is so proud of that accomplishment that he proudly displays the "Mirror Ball" trophy in his home, right alongside his four Indianapolis 500 trophies.
One of the trophies Castroneves is most proud of is the one he received in 2017 for winning the IndyCar race at Iowa Speedway. He led 217 of the 300 laps on his way to Victory Lane.
Castroneves is hoping to capture lightning in a bottle again when he makes his first appearance at Iowa Speedway since 2017 for the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend.
The NTT IndyCar Series HyVeeDeals.com 250 is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday. The NTT IndyCar Series Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday.
Castroneves is looking forward to the doubleheader, with 100 points at stake over two days.
"It's going to be great to be back in Iowa and be part of this big show. It's going to be a lot of fun," said Castroneves, a veteran driver from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in his 25th year of racing Indy cars. "There are a lot of big points at stake. I am really looking forward to the weekend. Our Sirius XM Honda has always been very, very strong."
Castroneves has earned 31 victories and 47 pole positions in his IndyCar career. He currently is 17th in the NTT IndyCar Series championship point standings with 173 points.
This will be the 11th trip to Iowa Speedway for Castroneves. He has eight top-10 finishes and two podium results. He finished second in 2010 along with his victory in 2017. He has led 644 of the 2,941 laps he has run at the 7/8-mile oval.
With Saturday's high temperature expected to be 100 degrees, the excessive heat will take its toll on drivers and their cars.
"There is no question it is going to be tough," Castroneves said. "It's part of the event, and everyone will have to deal with the same conditions. This is where the hard work in the gym is going to pay off.
"These cars are very sensitive to the weather, so we are going to have a plan in place to deal with that. It's not always the fastest car that wins, but the most consistent car. Whoever finds the best, most consistent setup is going to win."
As much as Castroneves is looking forward to the races, he also is anxious to see the concerts planned for Saturday and Sunday. Tim McGraw and Florida Georgia Line will be in concert Saturday, with Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton on tap for Sunday.
More: Everything you need to know about Hy-Vee's IndyCar Race Weekend at the Iowa Speedway
The Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend has become more than just two races. It is now an event, and 35,000 fans are expected to pass through the turnstiles at Iowa Speedway.
"This is huge. This is becoming a very big event," Castroneves said. "This is what we are doing right now, and I think this is the future of our sport. It's great to see this kind of commitment from everyone. This is a very, very cool deal to see this happening."
Matt Levins is a sports reporter for the USA TODAY Network in Burlington, Iowa, who has covered local sports for 31 years. Reach him at mlevins@thehawkeye.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Helio Castroneves discusses IndyCar doubleheader at Iowa Speedway
