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- [00:00]
Interviewer
But you are 51 years old and you have a, you're going for five. I know, five times. Five times. You will be the greatest of the greatest spectacle. I mean, is there added pressure or are you playing with house money?
- [00:13]
Helio Castroneves
Now imagine to do something that nobody, it's like going to the Guinness Book, you know. You're going to do something that nobody in this planet ever did. And I'm not just going to be a number. I'm telling you, I'm going to be the number.
- [00:34]
Interviewer
Helio Castro Neves man, the legend. Wow.
- [00:37]
Helio Castroneves
Thank you for the introduction like that.
- [00:40]
Interviewer
Four time, four time Indianapolis 500 winner. Before we even get into the other stuff, I think when it comes to the Indy 500, that is a once in a lifetime championship. So many have, you know, it's I, they always talk about the Masters or you know, the impost. But I feel like this is the most prestigious championship in all of sports because of the amount of preparation and difficulty.
- [01:10]
Helio Castroneves
You're not wrong. I, I'll be honest with you. I understand there is other sports that there was only one event a year. But for us racer or when you. Let's, let's start like this with, with. It's going to be the 100, 110th event edition of the Indy 500. We're talking about over 100 years. When you have an event that it lasts that long, you probably, okay, realize this is very, very special. So if you combine the World cup, the Olympic Games, the master, you know, the super bowl, this is the Indy 500 for us. So it's. If you gotta pick one race to win in your career,
- [01:52]
Interviewer
this is it. Now you, you're in very selective company and you have an opportunity to do something that's never been done before. You know, you're a. For 2001-200220-09221, and then you got a good chat this year. Let me. And how did racing start for you? Like how long was the road between the 2001? Like, was it something as a child? Was it like, was it like from the time you were born, you just needed to be fast? I mean, because your average speed is like 190 miles an hour. I mean this is not, you know, like how does it, how does somebody
- [02:29]
Helio Castroneves
become that thing is you, you, you. You're trying to push to see how old I am. It's because I'm wearing a, I'm wearing a hat here. So then you're not going to see the brother.
- [02:39]
Interviewer
You're preaching to the choir.
- [02:40]
Helio Castroneves
Yeah, but Let me tell you. Well, this, this passion for racing started a long time ago when I was 12 years old. I, my dad used to have a race team, and I ended up going and watching, and one of his drivers gave me a go card. And from there on, I really enjoy. Because I'm from a small town in Brazil. I'm actually not from the capital city, Sao Paulo, which is the metropolis like New York, you know, and, and, and again, when you're going from that small town to the city, everything is wonderful. Right? Oh, man, this is amazing. I started making friends. So for me, racing wasn't only a sport. For me, racing was like a lesson of life. You know, was kind of like showing me the how to deal with mechanics really poor people, and then how to deal with rich people that they used to have all the, the equipment of the world. So you, like, you own the middle of all of this. So for me, racing, it was, it was teaching how to become, you know, a person. Of course, when I got my first trophy, I'm like, dang, this is great.
- [03:44]
Interviewer
Do you remember your first trip?
- [03:45]
Helio Castroneves
Fourth place. I actually ended up going to my hometown and my school. I was like, yay. And there was one son of a gun kid that looked at me and said, oh, fourth place. That's nothing.
- [03:59]
Interviewer
Yeah, that kid's in every school, just so you know.
- [04:02]
Helio Castroneves
But you know what? Thank you, that kid.
- [04:05]
Interviewer
Thank you, that kid, because he inspired
- [04:07]
Helio Castroneves
me because I went there and I won that race. Oh, boy. But I went back to that kid. I'm like, here we go, buddy. But. And then obviously the kid, I even know who it was. But the point is, I enjoy it. When I got my first win, oh, my God. I said, that's it. It was a feeling that nobody could tell you, explain you. It was just awesome. And from there on, just keep it going, keep it going, keep it going. I, I, I, I just decided to get my career. Told my mom, imagine I was 15 years old, my mom, I said, mom, I want to be a squad driver. I don't want to go to school anymore. She's like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, easy. Yeah, now you're going a little bit overhead here. But she support me, my family, support me, My dream, become a family dream. We all put everything in the game and yeah, now we made it.
- [04:54]
Interviewer
Was having your family a part of your process is that they kept you grounded.
- [04:59]
Helio Castroneves
Totally. It was a big deal to not only kept me grounded, but the, the toughest part, when you're going through anything in life, of course you go to the downtime. And that's where you need the, to charge the battery. But you need love from your family. You need that energy. I remember living here in the United States, I said, I don't want to race anymore. They're like, what should come back here, let me whip you. Or whatever. Thinking thoughts that you have, full of love when I come back, come back strong. And yeah, that was. There was.
- [05:32]
Interviewer
And they were honestly big time, you know, like, they never. One of the biggest problems with success, especially young athletes, is you are. You become. Everybody wants a piece of you, you know, and, and not always for your best interest. Typically, it's their interest and having those people around you, you know, and they want to, you know, they want you in the clubs and the bottle service and the girls and the this and that and all these people around you. But when you have your family there, they're like, you know, if your mom tells you your ass ain't going, you're not going to.
- [06:06]
Helio Castroneves
Even if you're a grown man. 500. I was like, you want 8,500 over there?
- [06:11]
Interviewer
Here.
- [06:12]
Helio Castroneves
You're my son. There is no question about that. I don't care. The Indy 500. You're gonna listen to me and do what I'm telling you what to do. And it's. Honestly, it was great. I, I'm always being a family person and I thank for them. I still, we're still very much close together. And in fact, this Indy 500, they going to be there, everyone. So I'm excited again.
- [06:36]
Interviewer
Now when you look at 2001 and you're closing on that championship now, we always talk about that amazing Race where you closed it right. You took that move on. On lap 199 in, in 2001. Was that going into that race, were you considering. Because sometimes as an athlete you have to be like when I played football, you know, every year you want to win the Super bowl, but there's also some realities. You're playing some teams that, you know, like, you know, if this one's going to be tough, you know, we just got to be over five. You know, you have realistic goals and expectations at the beginning of the season. When you're, when that season started in 2001, where was your focus at that point? Like, I, I'm close. I think I can bring it home. Or was it kind of a. So you going into every race, when
- [07:25]
Helio Castroneves
you're going, you're going for the win. You don't, don't, don't measure the size now. I never before my first win at Indy 500, I never won in an oval before. I won in different races, won in a oval before, never won a 500 mile before. So what I did back then, we didn't have Google, we didn't have a YouTube TV or YouTube. You don't have any. The Instagram, all of this to find out how can I search? How can I look for. And it would have been possible to watch, you know, over, I don't know, 100 years of, of racing.
- [08:00]
Interviewer
So you basically had to learn on the track.
- [08:02]
Helio Castroneves
So what I did, I start talking to the guys like Alan cesinior, Johnny Rutherford, A.J. foyt. I start asking them opinions and questions, you know, say how you do. So what was your point? That you turn into the wind in your ear? So it was kind of like those conversations. And the biggest one for me was actually Rick Mears, because he was in my team, being my spotter. And I remember we discussing that. He said, helio, you don't win the race in the first win. And again, you're young, you want to pass everybody. You want to be number one, you want to kill everybody, like in a good way in your competition. And he said to finish first, first you gotta finish. Those words for me was like it was a bible, you know. And I start the race and it's like, you need to be 50 laps to go. You need to be leading this race. And boy, 50 laps to go. I was leading the race. It was incredible. So all of this was really made it possible. Surrounded by a great team, surrounded by great people. And yeah, no, when I crossed the finish line, I, I, I was more ha. Honestly, I was more excited. Not the Indy 500, but because I won an oval and a 500 miles. So I was like, I, I got it finally.
- [09:20]
Interviewer
Yeah. Because I don't think people understand 500 miles. It's mental, the mental toughness that you have to endure. Because it's not like me just driving from, you know, across country. You're doing this at like Mach speed. I mean, it's not like you could just pull over and like, I'm going to catch a nap time, fellas, like, the mental preparation.
- [09:44]
Helio Castroneves
What is that in, in oval, the things. Because you just mentioned the speed that we got. First of all, you look time, you're looking. You don't look like right in front of you when you're driving your streetcar. You're gonna turn here. You know, you look 300ft, 400ft ahead of you. Because the speed, the approach speed is so Fast that you gotta be pointing it out to those directions. By the way, if you move I. I'm talking about.
- [10:13]
Interviewer
It's not even. They call football a game of inches. Any of the game is. You guys are game of centimeters.
- [10:18]
Helio Castroneves
We probably like a foot. You know, because of the speed that we're going. Honestly, you could end up in. In a ball and. And back then the wall was actually concrete. It was really hard. Now it's. Well, it's still hard but. But they have a little, you know, flex with the. With some. Some what they call safety wall. The foams between. So anyway, there was a. It's much better than what used to be in the B in the past. So the concentration that you have to have for two and a half to three hours. Man, you get out of there, you're like, I just want to go sleep. I just got sleep. Because it's so, so mental. It's not so much physical. So mental because of those reasons. By the way, normal race, you do two to three pit stops. Indy 500, you do to three, five to six pit stops. So it's kind of like double. If you're going to race in a marathon, it's like racing 5K. And now you're going to race a full, you know, marathon. So that's how the difference gotta be. You gotta take it easy. Sometimes things doesn't go your way and then things turns around. So you gotta be there because it's important for. For the result.
- [11:29]
Interviewer
Now you were you. One distinction you have is that you're the first driver to win his first two attempts. So you were one of the first back to back.
- [11:38]
Helio Castroneves
I know, right?
- [11:38]
Interviewer
Else champions out the gate. Now that has to be a tremendous. A lot of pressure because. And then it wasn't until 2009 or you. It wasn't until 2001. In a sense, what makes a career, right? It makes a career 2002. Now you're treading. This guy's special, right? And then there's. There's a little bit. There's seven years and then you capture it again in 2000.
- [12:01]
Helio Castroneves
Let me tell you, 2003, I was leading the entire race.
- [12:06]
Interviewer
Yes.
- [12:09]
Helio Castroneves
With my teammate. But anyway, that is the one I will never forget.
- [12:13]
Interviewer
That have been a fun dinner.
- [12:15]
Helio Castroneves
You know what the good news is? Unfortunately, he's not here anymore with us. Judy Ferrin. He passed long five years ago. But I tell you what he was. I learned a lot from him. And that's why the first year I finished first and finished second. So the third Year together he finished first, so it was actually cool to see him. But yeah, I was pissed.
- [12:38]
Interviewer
You guys are the original shaker.
- [12:39]
Helio Castroneves
Yeah, yeah. Absolutely right. Absolutely right. But it was great race for the team was incredible and but yeah, no, you know, when you have a gap like that, it's not because you lost focus or. No. There was other elements. The car change, there was some years that the engines a little bit better than the others. The track change, by the way, they did a resurface, I remember. And then you have to start all over again. The rules change. We used to stay there from May 1 to May 31 until the day of the race. Now we're going for the second week of the, of the month, stay for one week practice and that's it. So a lot of things to start. You know.
- [13:23]
Interviewer
Do you think it's better the old way or the new way?
- [13:26]
Helio Castroneves
I like the old way. Of course. However, cost wise, it was too much a month running those machines, race cars, it's just like those fine machines, just like an airplane, they run by hours, you know. And every time on the track it's Cha Ching money. Now I'm a partner of the MSR racing, the team that I race. And I know it's, it costs a lot of money.
- [13:52]
Interviewer
Now you did you have one of the most iconic celebrations of all time. And you know, and you said, and you, you know, you finished your mentally exhausted, you win the whole thing. What propelled you to climb the fence? And I think UFC owes you money because every time one of those guys win they what do they do? They climb the fence. And I'm like somewhere this should be 50 cents. How about 50 cents everyone who climbs the fence, you know, and you donate it to a charity. But I, I, that had to be an amazing amount of adrenaline and just joy.
- [14:30]
Helio Castroneves
Look, the reason that start that like I said before the Indy 500 in 2001, I was doing car.
- [14:37]
Interviewer
Yeah.
- [14:37]
Helio Castroneves
And, and I won my, I won three races that before Indy 500. So my first ever win in Indy car. I, I was so happy. I mean I, I want to get out of the car as the car moving. Obviously I didn't do it, but.
- [14:53]
Interviewer
Right.
- [14:54]
Helio Castroneves
I was like half of my body out of it punching the air, screaming I won fun. And I, I, I'm pretty sure I didn't listen on the driver's meeting where you gotta go and they told us to go to the victory circle. I end up stopping in the finish line because I was excited. I just missed the place to be. I was supposed to go to the victory circle. And what ended up doing it, I stopped in the wrong place. When I look, I didn't see anybody. I'm like, where is it? We won. So I realized I made a mistake. I looked to my left, I saw the crowd going crazy because they thought I stopped for them, but I didn't. I just made a mistake. So I said, you know what? I'm getting out of here. So I get out of here. When I don't know why, I still don't know why I climbed the fence, but I start climbing the fence, shake the fence. I can see the other, the other people, the other side looking at me. It's like, what the heck this guy doing? But, man, then I saw the entire crew coming, and then you start hugging anyway. So it was that crazy, chaotic celebration. When I went to the podium, the CEO of Card said, what did you do? I was like, I don't know. I'm just so happy. That was great. But, you know you're going to have a fine. I was like, what do you mean I'm going to have a fine? You're supposed to go to the victory circle. I was like, oh, my God. And I was like, I'm sorry, I didn't know.
- [16:10]
Interviewer
I, I just won the indie freaking 500, bro.
- [16:13]
Helio Castroneves
Like, oh, man, that was so funny. So it was, it was a great way of celebration, People right out, right out, out of the bat. They were actually coming out with the movie Spider Man. And one of the reports from ESPN said, hey, are you the Spider man or the racetrack? So I go like, look, I love it. I don't know if I can call my, myself a spider man, but, you know, after that many kids going with the costume of Spider man, it was super cool.
- [16:41]
Interviewer
And it's a great origin story because it was something to where it was just in the moment, and it has become just an iconic moment. And, and now children identify with it like it was. I, I, you should. The check you cut for the fine, you should have it framed in your office.
- [16:57]
Helio Castroneves
No, you actually went to pay. He ripped it.
- [16:59]
Interviewer
Yeah, as he should. Yeah, as he should.
- [17:01]
Helio Castroneves
From now on, you don't need it to pay any fine because you're good to go.
- [17:05]
Interviewer
So now here's the. One of the things that I admire so much about you is that you're not afraid of a new challenge and you're not afraid to step out of it. You just love to race. You love the cars, the sport, from the ground, from the, from the tire to the, to the rearview Mirror, like, every aspect of it. And you took a chance and you started trying something different. How much of a difference was it between flying a jet and flying a fast car? Because that's. I mean, that's. There's really no similarities, if and at all. But you didn't care.
- [17:39]
Helio Castroneves
You're telling me right now. It just gave me, like, that knot in my stomach when I did that. I tell you what, I run out of bags.
- [17:49]
Interviewer
You went from a Cadillac. And again, with all due respect, but you went from a. I love it. A Rolls Royce to a pickup truck, basically, as far as cars go, man.
- [18:00]
Helio Castroneves
I tell you. Yeah, no, those. Those flying jets was actually funny. It was just, you know, my mom said you got to try everything in a good way, right? Even if you. If you don't like it, don't. Don't do it anymore. That's done over. Move on. If you like it, at least you experience something that you never thought is going to be happy. So that's probably why I try so many things, even start soccer cars today. Two years ago, I did the Daytona five under. Amazing experience.
- [18:29]
Interviewer
Amazing.
- [18:30]
Helio Castroneves
I mean, I wish. Look, I wish I would have tried early, but my boss, Roger Penske, never allowed me to do that. I was like, why? This was so incredible. You know, it's the luck of a draw, obviously, because you just go with the flow and. But I had so much fun, and now I'm racing stock cars in Brazil. You know, I'm just keeping going.
- [18:50]
Interviewer
Well, also, you. Whether you want to or not, you open the doors for a lot of young people in this time where everyone's in front of the. The tablet and all that stuff. And this is something that, if you're. If you're inspired by it, you're going to be. You got to be out racing. You got to be under the hood. You got to learn how to build the. You got to embrace. Which then leads to just so many other things. And that. And that love. You have this zest. You know what I mean? It's contagious. And when you see, hey, the Daytona 500, I didn't just go in there and win the whole damn thing. You know what I'm saying? It was completely different, but you didn't come away going, hey, this. I wouldn't do it. You're like, this was one of the greatest experiences. Like, I think the biggest message with you, what makes you given, like, a lot of arguments, you're the goat. Is this. That you have this youthful exuberance, and it's contagious. And like, do you ever. I mean, I'm like, yeah, yeah, me too.
- [19:53]
Helio Castroneves
I'm going to be 51. So I'm saying that. Remember the movie 13 going 30.
- [19:58]
Interviewer
So I'm going to 51 going, listen, I just turned 53. I'm in the same waters. I have that youthful experience. And then as soon as I go walk in the weight room, then I'm reminded, hey, hey, hey, hey. As soon as I got a stretch. But you are 51 years old and you have a. You're going for five. I know, five times. Five times. You're in tremendous shape. You know, mentally you're there, you're happy. Like for you, what is going into this? Your confidence level seems high. You have vat of experience now. Has there been a lot of changes from 20, 21?
- [20:37]
Helio Castroneves
Nope.
- [20:38]
Interviewer
In terms of the track and stuff?
- [20:39]
Helio Castroneves
Well, the track is the same. They have a very small change on, on the aerodynamic of the car. They did add a hybrid, which I did last year. That was my first year trying the hybrid in, in a car. So Honda and Chevy, they added. They want to, to develop a better car. But just so you guys know, when you add another element to a car that is. Wasn't designed for that, it becomes heavier. So it's about £120 that you add into the car. So now it changed the system, it changed the feeling of a car, the, the balance of a car. So you get. But last year I already raced it. We started from the back, finishing the top 10. Again, we had a little small mistakes that we shouldn't. We would have finished but better, but it's okay. Well, it was, it was the same group that we had from last year. And now I don't know. My car went to the wind tunnel. The end of the season, the preparation of msr, what they're doing has been incredible. So the cliffs machine is. Looks spotless. I don't want to say too much because we have the. I wanted my components.
- [21:42]
Interviewer
Yep. You got a little bit of time and you're in training. Just like a fight, you don't want
- [21:47]
Helio Castroneves
to give away the secrets. Right now I want to be like, no, no worries. You guys do what you need to do. And when the time is right, we're gonna show what we have.
- [21:56]
Interviewer
Now when you capture this, you will be.
- [22:02]
Helio Castroneves
You're my man.
- [22:03]
Interviewer
I always, hey, you talk it, you see it. No one says hey, yeah. When you were there. Well, you know, and you gotta at. You gotta think about you're gonna have to climb another fence. And 52 might be a little 50, one might be a little harder, but it's okay.
- [22:22]
Helio Castroneves
I'll have people to help me.
- [22:25]
Interviewer
What will that mean to you to be again. You already have the first ever to win back to back in the first two races.
- [22:32]
Helio Castroneves
Right.
- [22:32]
Interviewer
And now you would be in a class all of yourself in one of
- [22:36]
Helio Castroneves
the
- [22:38]
Interviewer
greatest quartet of guys anywhere. You know, A.J. foyt, Aler, Rick Mears. I mean there is. You will be the greatest of the greatest spectacle. I mean, is there added pressure or are you playing with house money?
- [22:54]
Helio Castroneves
To this day, when you mention those names, for me, they are the goddess, the gods of racing. Okay. Those for me, those guys you just mentioned. I can't believe I am already in their. In their select group. I feel wow. I pinch myself as like, is this for real? However. However we can just thinking about that. We have to thinking more. Yeah. I have more dreams, I have more goals. I'm an ambitious person and I will do anything, anything to make sure that I can capture and I know I can because I'm working very hard and I'm going to use my experience for that. Now imagine to do something that nobody. It's like going to the beginnings book, you know, you're going to do something that nobody in this planet ever did.
- [23:45]
Interviewer
What an opportunity or universe. You know, we might have neighbors out there.
- [23:50]
Helio Castroneves
I believe it. So, yeah, imagine how incredible opportunity to be in this position for the grandstand fans to see something that nobody ever did. So there was so many incredible energy that it can make this happen. That that's why I'm going for it. And. And I'm not just going to. To be a number. I'm telling you, I'm going to be the number. And. And they know I. That's what I love about because the competitors after the last one, they're like, you know what? This guy, you can never count him out somehow. And it's okay. It's good that they have to think a little bit of that. They have to have their, you know.
- [24:28]
Interviewer
Yeah, you're living rent free in their
- [24:30]
Helio Castroneves
mind and it's important. So. So I'm really excited. I'll be going actually next to this weekend, two days now to Indianapolis. Stay there for the whole entire time. And I'm ready, brother. I'm ready.
- [24:45]
Interviewer
Now let me ask you this because a lot of people don't understand this. Your training and diet are very important and being in shape to withstand that. So take us through what a training regimen and what your diet is like typically, because a lot of people don't understand that they're. The car is perfect but the body has to be. Has to. It's a. It's a symbiotic relationship.
- [25:08]
Helio Castroneves
I normally doing exact. Well I'm not training as hard that I used to be when I was 25, 30 because my body if I get injured I'm got it doesn't recoup
- [25:18]
Interviewer
as fast recover is.
- [25:20]
Helio Castroneves
So I got to be a little more. I have to train smarter so I don't pick a lot of weights. By the way a race car driver they cannot be too muscular. They cannot have.
- [25:29]
Interviewer
Just like boxing.
- [25:30]
Helio Castroneves
Exactly because the weight means you lose time on the race car. You have to. You have to be lean but fit. So what I do a lot of CrossFit training but again not heavyweight, just more repetition. I have a trainer for over 25 years so he knows my body. He understand what I need to do the diet, you know what I like to do? I like to. I used to be more like the breakfast guy but now I try to do some fasting. Fasting in the morning so about 10, 12 hours and. And then I obviously whey protein creatine today. All of these areas that you people in the past had different judgments but now I think it's. It's good for your body. I don't eat red meat. It's been 30 years that I haven't been eating. I don't eat red meat but I take amino acids other type of areas that.
- [26:25]
Interviewer
Now is it. Do you have vegetarian or do you like fish? Chicken, cold water, fish. Yeah. Okay. Okay just right.
- [26:31]
Helio Castroneves
But yeah so I love dessert. Don't get me wrong. So some. Someone always have a little bit of dessert. I drink just occasionally of course now I enjoy a little bit life not like it used to be but if you keep those systems the same every day, every day, every day your body get into this rhythm and you just keep it going. I tell you what man, I wake up in the morning I was like okay, let's go. You know you can't. You gotta have. You gotta keep it pushing because if you start looking to the sky and the sky is a little bit dark, you're like ah. Today gonna bring you down. I you gotta go. So plus racing is something so much fun. I have a great group of people you gotta surround yourself with great group of people that you not only cheering for you but gonna help you to get there as well.
- [27:19]
Interviewer
And also be brutally honest when it needs to be honest. Like hey that's not working you know because the worst thing for you, especially when every move in that car is the difference between, I mean, it was a great, it was, when I was a kid, it was like this, the, the, the sweetness of Vickney or the agony of defeat and they always show, I think it was Michael Andretti making that turn in the crash. But it is a game of inches with you guys and preparation is everything. When you, if you were talking to young guys today who wanted to get into the game that were, you know, you mentioned go karts and I think that's kind of a cool place to start. You see them, you know, they got to build, they put their own little team together. They, it's almost like a, a garage band. They kind of.
- [28:08]
Helio Castroneves
I like that. Yeah, yeah. No go car at least gives you a little sense if you have knowledge. Because as you mentioned about the tablets today, simulators, everyone is racing a simulator. Racing, great. But if something goes bad, you crash in a simulator, you just press reset, go back again and that's it. You didn't feel an impact. So go cards. Good. Because sometimes things happens, you know, real life, you know, you hit someone or somebody hits you or now you start seeing from the beginning, is this what you want or not. Once you pass that phase, you have a little bit of knowledge. You sounds like you, you like it. Because anything in life, not only embracing, but anything in life you have get a passion to what you do. So if you're really interested to spend times in, you know, hours there with everyone and working your go cart, you know, making friends and, and all of this, wake up very early to go to the races. All of this is going to teach you a process to go to the next phase. Bigger cars. Now you're going to be okay. And the problem in racing, it's not like basketball, soccer or, or football, you know, it's expensive, it's very expensive. So a go kart or, or racing, you're talking about three, $400,000 a year, you know, so it's, it's tough. So you gotta have partners, you gotta have sponsors, you got a family. So it's all of this mixed together to keep it going. So if you're a young kid, if you're one kid, put this in mind because your dream is going to become your family dream. So you got to be serious. No parties, no drinking. You gotta dedicate. And believe it or not, with all of that, if you're really serious about it, your chance will show up.
- [29:57]
Interviewer
And I think that's, that's across the board. My son Plays baseball. My daughter other swims and plays and then my other daughter jumps horses. So I understand. I, I, yeah, yeah, yeah. Even the race car guy's like, whoa, bro. Yeah, yeah. That's why whenever she wins my celebrations, my wife's always like, why are you cheering so loud? Because this is my money, you know, like, this is my dreams, you know, and I'm jumping with her. But, you know, but it's, I always tell my kids, it's the, the effort if I. Your first one in, last one to leave. Sacrifice. You know, you're not just gonna hop on the horse. You gotta wash the horse clean. You need to understand it his anatomy. You need to be able. And the same thing with a car. I drive cars. Okay, but can you change a flat? Can you fix the engine? If you hear a sound while you're driving, can you communicate it to your pit? You know, like there's, you need to understand things from the ground level. So, you know, and I think that's an amazing message. Now listen, you clearly you're focused on this stuff, but you have so much personality and charisma. Do you? And I don't because you're, you're 50 is the new 25. Okay. So yeah. So no, no time, no retirement.
- [31:13]
Helio Castroneves
I agree with you.
- [31:15]
Interviewer
Yeah. No, no, come now. You did Dancing with the Stars, right? And you did. Well, you did. I felt. But I, you have you thought about life outside the cockpit in terms of like doing, doing some stuff with sports radio and TV shows and expert stuff coming on ESPN and some of the other fena stuff because I mean, you just, you have such an, an exciting charisma. You know, like you just, you bring it. Is that something that you think about or is it just. I'm just, I'm a racer right now and I'll worry about the other stuff when it happens.
- [31:54]
Helio Castroneves
You know, it's interesting you asking that. In fact, Fox just asked me to do something for them at one of the races. I'm like, you know what? Yeah, maybe, maybe now it's time to do it. Before, no, before I was like, I want to race. I want to race and race, I don't care. It's going to take me out of my focus. But now I think you crossing that bridge. As I mentioned, I became co. Owning a team in IndyCar, which is great. Really. I, I'm seeing a side that inside the race car, you don't see it. Right.
- [32:27]
Interviewer
So now I'm, now you can't complain about the owner.
- [32:31]
Helio Castroneves
I still complain about my partner. Don't worry. Yeah, yeah, but you're right. So you start looking to in the, with different eyes. You start, I somehow the roads start open up and, and I'm like, wow. I never, never think thought about that. So yes, I'm, I'm hoping for something different. Maybe that's my beginning. When I did Dancing with the Star was amazing. I had such a great experience down there. I never thought I would be winning a race dancing competition. Then my friend, I retire like period.
- [33:03]
Interviewer
I was like, please, oh yeah, there'll be no return.
- [33:06]
Helio Castroneves
They called me last year, I was like, I'm in Brazil, I can't go. Thank God.
- [33:11]
Interviewer
You could have been the first person to have back to back race championships and then the first person to have back to back dance championship. I'm just, I'm just saying. What about five time indie champ? Five time Dancing with the Stars champ? I mean this is great. Maybe they'll put a ceremonial fence at the end, you know, when the judges drop the victory. You can, you know, I just, I wish, I don't even want to wish you luck. I wish you success because I will be tuning in. I'm, I'm excited and I gotta, I gotta, I got a foot in the race now because I, I'm, I got some of the chip now. I always voted for Andretti.
- [33:53]
Helio Castroneves
They're great when I was great, but now there's no Andretti there.
- [33:57]
Interviewer
Yeah, no, I know. And, and so I think cars are just, it's an American pastime, everybody. Every, especially with young men and stuff, the need for speed and respecting speed and just trying to understand. I, I remember if I driving in my truck, if I hit 100, I'll even be like, whoa, this is, you know, I can't imagine that, you know, you go from driving 230 miles an hour to. Well, you kind of did that on the, on the ballroom dancing, you know. But again, planning, preparation, footwork, nutrition. Who would have thought dancing and car racing go hand in hand.
- [34:39]
Helio Castroneves
I had a great partner. Julian Hoff was incredible and we had a great team work. She used great analogies, like a lot of racing, you know, abilities. I used to tell her, look, when I'm learning a dance, I try to learning a racetrack. You know, I'm going to corner by corner, then we sit down, analyze to go back again and then set up the right high, the springs then go back again. So can we do something like this? It's like great, let me help you out. So it was really good partnership and, but again the show was awesome too. I still. Awesome. I love. That's actually my favorite show when I see it. There was so much going behind the scenes and I learned so much about the costume, the film face expression that, you know, it was super, super cool. But yeah, no, that was a, A, a great experience. It was very hard. I, I was in my prime fitness, to be honest. It was because we were practicing every day more than what I do normally here and, but it was, it was great. So Dancing with Star was great. I, I did a lot of things obviously over my career. Still just the beginning. Like you said, you know, 50 is just the new 25. I, I know next 20 years I'm gonna, I'm gonna. Bobby, hey.
- [35:59]
Interviewer
Just keep coming. And again, excited. Can't wait for the race. I'm sure you are. American people are solidly behind you. It's going to be a great event, a historic event and hopefully the next time we'll have you come back afterwards and we can talk about five times. Five times.
- [36:15]
Helio Castroneves
We're gonna make it happen.
- [36:17]
Interviewer
Champion. Oh, now, before I let you go, since I made fun of his infrastructure in the beginning, Harry and my B team, he's a fan. He liked to ask you a couple quick questions. He's. I guess he's going to come in puffed up, show everybody how jacked he is. But he's actually on the. He's. He's closer to 25 than we are. So let's see if he can keep up that level of energy.
- [36:37]
Helio Castroneves
Right. Let me see.
- [36:39]
Interviewer
But hey man, best of luck. And, and I look forward to watching. Thank you.
- [36:50]
Harry
Helio. Am I, am I really skinny?
- [36:53]
Helio Castroneves
Are you normal? What are you? 171? 75.
- [36:57]
Harry
I'm like, I'm like 200. I'm like 200.
- [37:00]
Helio Castroneves
So I'm skinny then.
- [37:02]
Harry
Look at that.
- [37:03]
Helio Castroneves
Yeah.
- [37:04]
Harry
I take creatine. I have jerky at my.
- [37:07]
Helio Castroneves
There we go.
- [37:08]
Harry
My co workers, when I crack that bag open, they hate me. They're like, smells like trash. But I have this jerky bar and Jack sits next to me and I'll crack it open and wave it in his face. He hates it.
- [37:19]
Helio Castroneves
Great man. Great interview over there. Yeah.
- [37:22]
Harry
Tyrus is the man. Even when he makes fun of me and my stature. So you are arguably in one of the most dangerous sports. I wanted to ask you, how do you evaluate risk?
- [37:34]
Helio Castroneves
Well, great question. Normally I tell people when you start running or driving like us on a street, right? You're trying to hit 120 miles an hour. 130. That's a necessary risk.
- [37:50]
Interviewer
Why?
- [37:50]
Helio Castroneves
Because you're not in a car prepare for that. You're in a place that anything can happen. You're not wearing the proper equipment. So those are big risk. Now when people look like you crazy race car driver going 240 miles an hour. Well, let's look the calculate risk. I'm wearing helmet. The car is prepared to go that speed. I mean a closed circuit. There was ambulances all over the place, you know, so that for me it's a calculated risk. So that's where you gotta go, oh, I'm gonna race go karts. Now do I need that risk or not? So all of that when you for me, when I gotta measure those scenarios to, to take risk. Now in business, for example, I like to go with people that already know those the, the system. For example, I have a dealership in, in Pennsylvania, New Holland. There was four brands. Toyota, Ford, Stellantis and Isuzu. I wouldn't go by myself because look, I drive the car, I don't sell the car, you know. So now what's the calculated risk? Go with someone that understand that you can trust and go like that. So those that are how evaluate the scenario to do the risk or not.
- [39:10]
Harry
And I guess too it's, you know, there's risk all around us all the time.
- [39:14]
Helio Castroneves
No.
- [39:14]
Harry
Then like, you know, like you can't let it prevent you from doing no
- [39:18]
Helio Castroneves
you can go out on the street and you're like, oh my God, lightning is going to strike, then it's outside of your control. What I can do is my control, but outside of your control. Then it's a destiny. Nothing you can do about it.
- [39:33]
Harry
Yeah. And we live in New York City
- [39:34]
Helio Castroneves
so you could, you know, anything can happen, you know. But again if you're going to stay home, you're never going to meet someone or find some place or who knows what's going to happen. So you got to go out there and enjoy life.
- [39:49]
Harry
Awesome. So one question that we had for you. When you rent a car and you're traveling and it's like a boring like Toyota Camry, are you, are you just thinking, oh, this is this.
- [40:01]
Helio Castroneves
And I tried to, I tried to look a car with less miles, which is these days is very difficult and but yeah, you want to look good in a car right? Wherever you go. Yes. When you get those, those beat ups you're like, ah, they smell good at least. But nothing you can do about it. They don't have it. I don't have it.
- [40:20]
Harry
You're pushing, you're pushing?
- [40:23]
Helio Castroneves
Yeah, sometimes I want to check it. Well, I don't push that much because I don't want to be in the middle of the world.
- [40:30]
Harry
Have you, have you gotten pulled over?
- [40:31]
Helio Castroneves
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
- [40:34]
Harry
And is the, Is the police officer like.
- [40:36]
Helio Castroneves
Oh, I. No, no, no, no, no. I, I, I once I pull up. Well, many times I pull over, especially when I was young. But now, after I have a kid, she's now 16 years old, but I have to behave myself. But I remember once that, that I was on the three digits, and the guy's like, oh, look, you can't do this. And I have to write a tickets. Like, all right, bring it down. The ticket. But yes. So knock on wood. Now, I'm, I'm being a good boy.
- [41:05]
Harry
You and Tyrus were talking the UFC a little bit. I trained, I trained jiu jitsu, and there's a lot of Brazilian guys I train with. Can you give me, like, a funny catchphrase or something that's like, that's like super, like, only people from Brazil.
- [41:18]
Helio Castroneves
Yes. So when you make a move, a winner or something like that, you go like, They're gonna be like, what the heck?
- [41:41]
Harry
They're gonna be like, oh, my gosh, Harry. Wait, what is it?
- [41:44]
Helio Castroneves
Oh, wait.
- [41:45]
Harry
Actually, is it better if I know what it means?
- [41:46]
Helio Castroneves
No, it's like, there is a very. In Brazil, what they call sugar cane, so cannot means sugar cane. Okay. And, and obviously, it's a very sweet. And what they do when they ripped it, they do juice, and they're very sweet. But, but if you suck it, you know, it's, it's the same way, but not filter. It's just an expression that, like, you sucker, you know, loot. You know what I mean? So you kind of like, shoot like, yeah, you sucker. You loser. You got screw. So something like that is a bit funny.
- [42:26]
Harry
It'll be hard to pull that out because they're all way better than me. But when I get, When I get
- [42:30]
Helio Castroneves
one, you gotta want. That's what I'm saying.
- [42:32]
Harry
I'll get one. I'll get one, and then I'll. And then I'll say that. And then I'll never train with them ever again.
- [42:37]
Helio Castroneves
No, no, no. They're gonna look like.
- [42:39]
Interviewer
They'll be like.
- [42:40]
Helio Castroneves
Because in a good way. It's not a, it's not a bad word. It's just, it's just like sucker, you know?
- [42:50]
Harry
It's not like poha.
- [42:52]
Helio Castroneves
No is a normal word. It's like they, Especially from real. It's, it's every sentence there is, Poha. So that's what I'm saying. But. But that one. It will be funny.
- [43:05]
Harry
Helio, this is absolutely awesome. Best of luck. We're gonna drop this right before it, so. It's a pleasure having you on Planet Tyrus. Thanks so much.
- [43:14]
Helio Castroneves
Thank you for having me.