Source: ESPN | Title: Helio climbs again with record-tying 4th Indy win
Helio Castroneves has joined the Indianapolis 500’s most exclusive group by becoming the fourth four-time winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” and then scaled the fence at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in front of the largest crowd since the start of the pandemic.
After moving over to Meyer Shank Racing for this year’s race following two decades with Team Penske, Castroneves passed Alex Palou with two laps to go then held off Palou for the win.
Castroneves joins A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears — his former mentor at Team Penske — on the four-time-winner list. Mears was the last driver to join the club in 1991.
After winning, Castroneves took his victory lap, stopped his car just past the start-line yard of bricks and did his trademark fence climb along with his crew before continuing the celebration on the frontstretch.
Castroneves previously won the Indy 500 in 2001, 2002 and 2009. This was the only IndyCar race on Castroneves’ schedule this season.
The Indy 500 was held in front of 135,000 spectators, about 40% of grandstand seating capacity, making it the largest sporting event in the world since the start of the pandemic. The delayed race last August was held without spectators for the first time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.