Well, this is marvy. First open wheel racing loses Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti to NASCAR, and now Helio Castroneves goes off to be Fred Astaire.
I mean, anything's possible now that the two-time Indianapolis 500 champ has showed the field his tailpipes on "Dancing With The Stars," largely because the country as a whole fell in love with the effervescent Helio Aura those of us who cover motorsports have long known about. Maybe people will finally realize that open wheel has its stars, too, and some of them are every bit as appealing as Dale Jr. or Jeff Gordon.
Personally, I could see this starting a trend. Jeff Gordon Dances with the Stars! Dan Wheldon does! Juan Pablo Montoya! Tony Stewart!
Well, OK. So maybe not Tony Stewart.
Can't see him out there in a sequined tux dancing the samba, frankly. The Electric Slide, maybe. With a cold Schlitz in one hand. That I'd like to see.
It would be almost as priceless as putting A.J. Foyt out there, if only for the post-dance interview.
INTERVIEWER: So how do you feel, A.J.?
A.J.: How do I FEEL? Hell, how do you think I feel? My partner danced like a tub o' s---! I think we need to take a round of wedge out of her shoes. Anybody got a hammer?
Lovely.
-- Ben Smith
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