The Brazilian – along with the likes of Tom Brady and LeBron James – offers more proof that the end only comes once we stop breathing and believing
“Dreeew!” howled the exultant man on my laptop from his Fort Lauderdale home, filling the screen with the toothy, dimpled grin that leaves all who see it smiling almost as brightly. Such is the infectious effervescence of Hélio Castroneves, and on the Monday afternoon we finally connect this Roberto Benigni of the track is feeling extra bubbly.
Just the day prior he’d scored a record-tying fourth victory at the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 after a 12-year dry spell that would make a nice career for just about any other driver. But even though Castroneves placed fourth in the 2017 championship and second twice in his previous seven Indy 500 starts, he wound up losing his longtime seat in Team Penske’s No 3 car. To explain it in terms a Lethal Weapon fan might appreciate: he was getting too old for this … sport.
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