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INDYCAR: “Get Ready for an All-Aussie Lineup at Penske,” says Miller
As SPEEDtv.com's Robin Miller broke yesterday, Helio is officially out at Penske. Who's replacing him? Be sure to read page 2, mate!
Robin Miller  |  Posted January 12, 2009   Indianapolis, IN


The Helio Castroneves vs. the Internal Revenue Service story figures to be the most newsworthy and dramatic in motorsports for 2009. The two-time Indy 500 winner could be found innocent of all charges or he could be jailed or deported, or both.

Nobody who really knows the ebullient Brazilian can imagine him possessing a criminal mind but his fantastic lifestyle and career hang in the balance. The kid who could only speak a couple words of English when he arrived in this country in the late '90s has truly become the great American success story.

Roger Penske, the man who gave Castroneves his big break in 2000, is all about performance, pedigree and positive publicity. Yet no matter how supportive he's been of HCN every time he's been asked a question, this isn't the kind of media coverage The Captain covets.

Ditto for the Indy Racing League. It can't promote one of its poster boys in the Heartland right now because an accused tax evader doesn't play well with the blue collar crowd in Iowa, Illinois and Ohio. Especially a foreigner making a very good living in the USA.
With legal troubles aplenty and the risk of a PR nightmare, Penske Racing has left Helio Castroneves out of their plans, as SPEEDtv.com's Robin Miller broke Sunday. (LAT Photographic)

Of course, this isn't to say that Helio can't be exonerated and return to his Miami home and place on the IndyCar grid.

It's just that right now there has to be a replacement for him. We can all act like it's a decision based on testing, racing and availability but this is really about reality and perception.

The guy who charmed millions on Dancing with the Stars can't waltz away from the fact he's been indicted by the United States Attorney's Office and has some big hitters gunning for him.

The most successful car owner in American open wheel history not only needs a driver he knows he can count on for all of 2009, more importantly he needs one his PR Machine can promote, his sponsors can embrace and somebody who embodies the concept of Penske Perfect.

Ever since the news broke last October, we've been speculating about who would move into the No. 3 seat.

My first thought was why not Paul Tracy? A former Penske driver whose blinding speed was neutralized by some poor decisions, P.T. spent a lot of time in Roger's Dog House and got cut loose in the prime of his career. He's 40 now and this would be a nice, feel-good farewell for everybody concerned and a big hit with the media. But that ain't happening.

I've been saying for two years that Graham Rahal is the perfect fit for The Captain. Young, articulate, personable, talented, American and miles and miles of potential. But he's only 20 so he can't drive those Marlboro cars until he's 21.

Some said RP was bringing back Sam Hornish Jr. but he's sticking with stock cars for now. Oriol Servia is a fine driver but, at 34, too old for The Captain's taste. ‘Romain Lettuce’ Dumas is a Penske favorite but has no oval track experience.

So the obvious candidates were and are Justin Wilson, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Will Power.

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