Open exemption provisional rule allows for stars from other racing disciplines to petition NASCAR for entry, but race for no points or prize money.

Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves claimed one of the four open spots in the season-opening Daytona 500 as part of a slew of rule changes NASCAR announced Friday. Castroneves is guaranteed a spot in the field under a new provision that earmarks a starting position for what NASCAR called "world-class drivers" who enter a Cup Series race.

Starting in 2025, star drivers who haven't competed in NASCAR are eligible to automatically qualify for a Cup Series race.

With his illustrious racing career expanding, Hélio Castroneves made a bet. Should the four-time Indianapolis 500 champion win in his Superstar Racing Experience debut, then-SRX director Don Hawk told him he’d start making connections in NASCAR.

Helio Castroneves, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and one of the more popular drivers of his generation, will make his NASCAR debut in next month’s Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500, Trackhouse Racing announced Monday. Castroneves will drive a car fielded by Trackhouse Racing.

NASCAR confirmed Friday that Helio Castroneves will be locked into the 2025 Daytona 500 field via the new open exemption provisional rule.

Daytona 500 is bound to be a sizzling event. The post Helio Castroneves: Meet 4x Indy 500 Champ and Trackhouse Racing’s Daytona 500 Ringer appeared first on EssentiallySports.