NASCAR: Helio Castroneves locked into Daytona 500 field with new provisional rule

Helio Castroneves is locked into the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series field via the new open exemption provisional rule, the sanctioning body confirmed Friday.

Castroneves will be in the Trackhouse Racing No. 91 Chevrolet entry for the Feb. 16 race in what is an open entry. But NASCAR’s new OEP rule allows for a guaranteed starting spot for “world-class drivers” in NASCAR Cup Series races. Castroneves, as a multi-time Indianapolis 500 champion and Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona winner, certainly applies as a world-class driver.

If Castroneves has to use the provisional, the No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet will be the 41st car in the 500 field. He’ll try to make the Daytona 500 field anyway through qualifying and duel races.

The new provisional rule is a part of the new charter agreement and was known to charter teams well ahead of time, NASCAR said, and Trackhouse met the 90-day approval requirement ahead of Friday’s announcement.

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Castroneves and the No. 91 Trackhouse Racing team won’t be eligible for points, prize money or the playoffs, but they will be eligible for the race win and entry into the All-Star Race.

The OEP only applies for Cup Series races with more than 40 entries for the normal maximum of a 40-car field.

Next month’s Daytona 500 entry list is expected to include open entries driven by Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Mike Wallace and others.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR: Helio Castroneves locked into Daytona 500 field with new provisional