Helio Castroneves Wins Indy 500, 4th Brickyard Title Ties Record

INDIANAPOLIS — Helio Castroneves won the 2021 Indianapolis 500 IncyCar race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. The win is Castroneves' fourth Indy 500 championship, tying an all-time Indianapolis 500 record

Castroneves had already won the Indy 500 in 2000, 2001 and 2009. His win on Sunday was his first Indy 500 title in more than a decade.

He joins A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears as the only drivers to win the famous Sunday before Memorial Day race four time.

Alex Paou finished second, and Simon Pagenaud third, in Sunday's race.

At 46 and one of the oldest drivers in the field, Castroneves sprinted along the front stretch of the speedway for a victory lap without a car. He pumped his arms in the air and waved to the ecstatic crowd, his explosion of emotional energy stopped every few feet by a flood of rivals who rushed onto the track to congratulate Castroneves.

Castroneves also climbed the fence around the racetrack to celebrate his win.

They say you always remember your first kiss, but we don’t think @h3lio won’t forget his second, third, or fourth.#ThisIsMay | #Indy500 pic.twitter.com/xdXiB40rvx
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) May" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/IMS/status... 30, 2021

Castroneves became the fourth-oldest winner in Indianapolis 500 history, behind Al Unser (47, 1987), Bobby Unser (47, 1981) and Emerson Fittipaldi (46, 1993).

Fans were allowed back at the 2021 Indianapolis 500 after the 2020 race was held in August, and without spectators, due to the coronavirus pandemic. About 135,000 people were in attendance, according to The Associated Press.

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The Associated Press contributed reporting.