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Helio Castroneves not only drives at high speeds on the racetrack, but sometimes on the road as well.
Castroneves, 51, has won the Indy 500 four times and will look to become the first driver ever to win the major race five times. The Brazilian native is encouraged to drive as fast as possible on the race track, but not on the road.
During a recent appearance on “Planet Tyrus,” Castroneves recalled being pulled over by the police.
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Helio Castroneves of Brazil waits for practice to start for the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis on May 17, 2026. (Michael Conroy/AP)
“I remember one time I was in the three digits and (the policeman) said, “Oh, look, you can’t do this. And I have the right to take us.” I say, ‘Bring the ticket,'” Castroneves said during his appearance on the show.
Castroneves said he used to get pulled over often growing up, but credited his daughter for slowing him down on the roads.
“After I have a child, she is now 16 years old, but I have to behave,” Castroneves said. “So knock on wood. Now I’m a good boy.”
When Castroneves rents a car, he said he looks for low mileage, which is a challenge. When saddled with a “beat-up car”, he takes solace in the fact that they usually smell good.
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Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian driver Helio Castroneves prepares to get into his car ahead of qualifying for the 110th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 17, 2026. (Gary Mook/For IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Although Castroneves might push other cars to the limit, he’s afraid of what might happen if he tried to push a beat-up rental car.
“I don’t push as much because I don’t want to be in the middle of the road,” Castroneves said.
Castroneves does more than race cars at an incredibly high level, he also knows some Brazilian trash talk. One of the “Planet Tyrus” co-hosts trains in jiu-jitsu and wanted advice on how to surprise the Brazilians he trains with by using some niche trash talk.
“Chupa que a cana é doce,” Castroneves said.
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Takuma Sato of Japan talks with Helio Castroneves of Brazil during practice for the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis on May 17, 2026. (Michael Conroy/AP)
“(It’s) what they call sugar cane. So cana of means sugar cane, okay. And of course it’s very sweet. What they do when they (are) grated, they (bleep) juice and they’re very sweet, but, but you suck it,” Castroneves said.
“In our filter, it’s just a term that means you suck, you know. You know what I mean? Kind of like, suck that stick you suck or drop it, you’ve been screwed. So stuff like that, it’s going to be fun.”
Castroneves hopes he can use his Brazilian trash talk in the Indy 500 on Sunday as he goes for his record fifth victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race begins at 12:45 PM ET and will be televised on FOX.
