ARCA: Hélio Castroneves to Drive Pinnacle Racing Group No. 82 at Daytona

To prepare for his attempt in the 2025 Daytona 500, Helio Castroneves will compete in the ARCA Daytona 200, driving the No. 82 for Pinnacle Racing Group.

Helio Castroneves will run the ARCA Menards Series event at Daytona International Speedway, in preparation for his attempt in the 2025 Daytona 500. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Pinnacle Racing Group (PRG) will field an ARCA Menards Series entry for four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Hélio Castroneves in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, the team confirmed on Wednesday.

Castroneves will be piloting the No. 82 Chevrolet SS, a second entry for the race-winning organization, as the 49-year-old prepares for his first-ever attempt at the Daytona 500, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing.

“I am looking forward to ARCA racing,” said Castroneves who will be in Daytona on Thursday at the ARCA test. “I think getting as much seat time as possible will help in our preparation for the Daytona 500, plus I have watched ARCA races in the past on television and they look like a lot of fun.”

The Sao Paolo, Brazil-native has four prior starts on the 2.5-mile superspeedway, all while competing in the International Race of Champions (IROC), collecting a best finish of sixth-place in the 2004 iteration of the event.

For Castroneves, the opportunity to compete in the draft at Daytona International Speedway, comes as a result of a strong relationship between Trackhouse Racing and Pinnacle Racing Group, which was forged at the beginning of last season.

In 2024, Pinnacle Racing Group fielded an entry in the ARCA Menards Series season-opener for Trackhouse Racing development driver Shane Van Gisbergen, in order for the Auckland, New Zealand-native to get approval to run in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Additionally, the team also fielded a full-time entry in the ARCA Menards Series East for up-and-coming driver Connor Zilisch, who as part of Trackhouse's stacked development roster earned five wins across the ARCA platform and finished second in East Series points.

The 2025 ARCA Menards Series campaign will begin with the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 15. Coverage of the event will be at Noon ET on FOX.