Spiderman to Climb IRL Fences for Years to Come

Chalk one up for the good guys. It has been quite a chore lately to keep open-wheel stars in IndyCar, but the IRL managed to keep its prized possession.

Helio Castroneves, the face of IndyCar, will be climbing fences throughout the Midwest for years to come.

Rumors of a potential move to NASCAR were squashed on Friday when word broke from the Penske stable that Helio would sign a multi-year extension to remain in the IRL. The details of the contract are unknown, but I would assume Helio will be locked up for the next three or four years.

Helio’s supposed desire to drive in NASCAR arose in May but had been placed on the back burner ever since. Perhaps the struggles of Sam Hornish, Jr., Dario Franchitti, and Juan Montoya convinced Helio that IndyCar is a pretty good gig after all.

Helio – the ‘01 & ‘02 Indy 500 champion – would have been a free agent following the 2008 season. IndyCar fans can now kick their feet up and enjoy Helio without the fear of him bolting anytime soon.

Penske’s re-signing of Helio is the biggest re-acquisition in IRL history. Hopefully the signing will slam shut the floodgates of IndyCar stars bolting for redneck country.

IndyCar improves their product and fan base on a weekly basis, but the loss of Helio to NASCAR would have been catastrophic. The thought of NASCAR having as many Indy 500 winners as the IRL is nauseating. Helio’s move would have given NASCAR Helio, Montoya and Hornish, Jr. The IRL would have been left with Rice, Wheldon, and Dixon.

Helio has a golden opportunity to become one of the greatest open-wheel stars in history. At age 33, he has tremendous odds of becoming the fourth four-time Indy 500 winner. Rick Mears accomplished the same feat at age 39.

Hopefully Helio can convince soon-to-be IndyCar free agents Dan Wheldon, Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan to stick around and help restore IndyCar pride and tradition.

IndyCar needs Helio. The loss of other open-wheel drivers to a rival series is disappointing, but Helio is too marketable to lose. Helio’s personality, charisma, and high-octane energy level are exactly what the IRL needs to generate a reputable legacy for man years to come.