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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will attempt to make his NASCAR debut in next month’s Daytona 500 with Trackhouse Racing.

Castroneves, one of the most popular drivers in IndyCar history, has been trying for two years to get a Daytona 500 seat and finally landed one Monday as part of Trackhouse’s “Project 91” designed to give renowned racers from outside of NASCAR a shot in a stock car.

He will attempt to qualify for the “Great American Race” in the No. 91 Chevrolet with sponsorship from Wendy’s. Darian Grubb will be his crew chief.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing,” Castroneves said. “This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down. I am so thankful to Wendy’s for allowing me to wear their uniform and drive their car.”

Project 91 debuted in 2022 when former Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen made his Cup Series debut at Watkins Glen. Project 91 then ran three times in 2023, once with Raikkonen at Circuit of the Americas and twice with three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen.

Van Gisbergen won in his NASCAR debut on the street course in Chicago and that led to last season’s move to full-time stock car competition. The New Zealander will be a full-time Cup Series driver this year.

Castroneves, meanwhile, is at the end of his driving career. One of only four drivers to win the Indy 500 four times, the Brazilian moved into an ownership role with Meyer Shank Racing last season and ran only three races.

His 2021 win at Indianapolis was with Meyer Shank, where he landed after his long career with Team Penske came to a close. Castroneves had been inquiring for the past few years about a chance to run the Daytona 500.

Castroneves is a three-time winner of the Rolex 24 endurance sports car race held on the road course inside Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR’s biggest race is held on the 2½-mile oval.

“Hélio is one of the greatest drivers of all time and exactly the type of driver we want to bring to NASCAR,” Trackhouse owner Justin Marks said. “I think race fans around the world will be excited to see Hélio in NASCAR’s most prestigious race. It also exposes our sport to a global audience and allows them to see just how great of a series we have in NASCAR.”

Castroneves won 31 races in IndyCar and finished second in the championship four times. The other four-time Indy 500 winners are A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and Al Unser Sr.

Castroneves will need to qualify for the Feb. 16 race at Daytona with a fast time in trials or race his way in via a qualifying race. There are only four open spots in the 40-car field, as 36 are earmarked for teams that hold NASCAR charters. Trackhouse has two chartered Cup cars, but the Project 91 Chevrolet is not one of them.

If Castroneves wins the Daytona 500, he will join Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to capture that race and the Indianapolis 500.

“I know how much of a challenge this is going to be, but I also know the type of people and team Trackhouse Racing will bring to the effort,” Castroneves said. “I can’t wait to get to the Trackhouse race shop in North Carolina to meet everyone and prepare for Daytona. There is so much I must learn and I’m ready to get started.”

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Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

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Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.

Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.

Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.

The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.

Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.

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Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

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Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

Jake Allen, one of the top goaltenders available entering free agency, is not heading to the market after agreeing to a five-year deal with the New Jersey Devils, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Allen’s average annual value on the deal is $1.8 million, sources told ESPN. That AAV allows the Devils to run back the same goaltending tandem for next season.

Jacob Markstrom has one year remaining on his contract for $4.125 million. Nico Daws is also under contract for next season, before becoming a restricted free agent next summer.

Several teams were interested in the 34-year-old veteran, whom sources said could have made more money on the open market. However, the deal with the Devils gives Allen long-term security. Allen has played for the Blues, Canadiens and Devils over his 12-year-career. He has started in 436 career games.

Last season, Allen started 29 games for the Devils, going 13-16-1 with a .906 save percentage, 2.66 GAA and four shutouts.

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Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, $42M extension

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Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, M extension

Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year extension through the 2032-33 season that is worth $6 million annually, the team announced Tuesday.

Fehervary, who had one year of team control remaining, will enter the final season of a three-year bridge deal that will see him make $2.675 million before his new contract begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.

He finished the season with five goals and a career-high 25 points while logging 19 minutes. Fehervary also played a crucial role in the Capitals’ penalty kill by finishing with 245 short-handed minutes for a penalty kill that was fifth in the NHL with an 82% success rate.

Securing the 25-year-old Fehervary to a long-term deal means the Capitals now have seven players who have more than three years remaining on their current contracts.

It also means the Capitals front office has one less decision to make ahead of what is expected to be an active offseason in 2026 that will see the club have what PuckPedia projects to be $39.25 million in cap space.

That’s also the same offseason in which captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin‘s contract will come off their books along with that of defenseman John Carlson.

But until then, the Capitals have their entire top-six defensive unit under contract as they seek to improve upon a 2024-25 season that saw them finish atop the Metropolitan Division with 111 points before they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinal to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

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