ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Helio Castroneves will not be in the IndyCar field when the season opens for the first time he joined the series. His Team Penske teammates have not forgotten the popular driver.
Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power all wore special "Helio" stickers across the top of their visors in Friday's practice sessions for the season-opening race through the streets of St. Petersburg on Sunday. Castroneves was moved out of Penske's IndyCar organization at the end of last season and now leads its new sports car program.
The three-time Indianapolis 500 winner who started in the series in 1998 will be back in an Indy car in May when he goes for a record-tying fourth victory at the showcase race.