10/5/1975
Record updated 10-May-20
Onne of the top drivers in North American open-wheel racing, first in the Champcar series and then in the Indy Racing League
Hélio Alves de Castro Neves was born in São Paulo, Brazil, he races in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Prior that, he competed in the IndyCar Series. He showed potential but lacked reliability while with the Bettenhausen and Hogan teams however when joined Penske he became a regular front-runner.
He switched to the rival IRL for 2002.
He won the Indianapolis 500 in both 2001 and 2002, and finished second to teammate and countryman Gil de Ferran in 2003. Racing fans have given Castroneves the nickname "Spider-Man" because of his victory celebration, in which he climbs the track-side debris fence, a practice since adopted by NASCAR driver Tony Stewart in the 2005 Nextel Cup season.
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