Bubba Wallace thinks Helio Castroneves felt like a 'complete clown' after Daytona 500 weekend

Last week, Helio Castroneves got the full NASCAR treatment as he raced in ARCA and the Daytona 500. Bubba Wallace has thoughts about that. The 23XI Racing driver was able to share the track with the four-time Indy 500 winner during his trial by fire.

Things were not easy for Helio Castroneves in Daytona. Despite having an automatic qualifying spot by virtue of the Open Exemption Provisional, everything else was hard.

He didn’t qualify well. Then he had a wreck in his Duel race. On top of that, he was involved in multiple incidents, including a wreck after the checkered flag, in the ARCA Menards Series race. Then there was the Daytona 500 itself.

Reflecting on Helio’s journey, Bubba Wallace shared his thoughts on the IndyCar driver’s P39 finish. And had an interesting criticism of the OEP at the same time.

“I sat there and thought about it when I came on the radio and homeboy [Castroneves] was taking his time into three versus the Duel, he was hauling ass and ate shit,” Wallace joked on Door, Bumper, Clear this week. “And I sat there and I thought about it more, and I felt bad for him. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him, I’m sure he’s a great guy, but I’m pretty sure he probably left that whole weekend feeling like a complete clown.”

Bubba Wallace’s spotter and DBC host, Freddie Kraft, chimed in.

“It was the total opposite of what it was designed to do,” Kraft said of the provisional. “Instead of embracing this world-class driver and giving him a spot, just whether or not you agree with it, everybody just was like, ‘This guy sucks.’ He’s still Helio Castroneves, he does not suck!”

Bubba Wallace compares Daytona 500 prep to Indy 500

During the light-hearted conversation, the new provisional rule was the main topic. Wallace and Kraft weren’t trying to tear down Castroneves. What they were doing was pointing out the negatives to the OEP.

Wallace made an apt comparison to the Indianapolis 500 with a couple of interjections from the hosts of the show.

“I think about if roles were reversed, I’m not just jumping in the car at the Indy 500,” Wallace explained. “I get a whole month of testing, another month of testing, and then another month on top of that. [Rookie test] Yeah, all this stuff! And NASCAR’s like, ‘Nah, come on in.’ [Run ARCA], yeah you’re going to learn a lot! It’s like, what are we doing?”

Instead of granting a driver a backup 41st starting spot why not give them the experience in the car they need to qualify on merit? Kyle Larson was able to test an IndyCar at Phoenix before he ever suited up at Indianapolis.

Larson had not just 50 minutes of practice in an IndyCar before the Indy 500. He had hours of time at the track and as many laps as he could ask for within reason.

Compared to Castroneves coming to Daytona and having to race ARCA on top of having less than an hour of time in the car – how is he supposed to succeed? Or any outside driver for that matter?

NASCAR is trying to have their own Kyle Larson to the Indy 500 moment. It was a great thing for IndyCar and NASCAR, but now the Cup Series wants that next big CURRENT star. Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward, or whoever else.

The OEP is a shortcut that won’t lead to success. IndyCar gives drivers the best opportunity to use their talents to qualify on their own merit. NASCAR is looking to give out starting spots.