Helio Castroneves' fate with Team Penske hinges on trial date

Team Penske probably will decide within the next few weeks whether two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who faces criminal tax-evasion charges, will keep driving for their IndyCar Series team next season, owner Roger Penske said.

The decision pivots on whether the federal court hearing the tax case decides whether to start Castroneves' trial next year or after the 2009 season, Penske said today at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.

"If it's during the season, obviously it's very difficult for us to have him as a full-time driver," Penske said. "It would be difficult for us to have him in the car during a period of time when he would have to be preparing himself for court.

"We're going to make a decision here once we understand when there is a court date and when this process will begin," Penske said. "I think this will be answered here in the next 30 days."

Castroneves, a 33-year-old Brazilian who lives in the Miami area, won the Indy 500 for Penske in 2001 and 2002. The ebullient driver also gained notoriety a year ago for winning the "Dancing with the Stars" TV contest with Julianne Hough.

But on Oct. 2, Castroneves was indicted by a grand jury in Miami on six counts of tax evasion, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, for allegedly failing to report income for 1999 through 2004, including $5 million from Penske.

Katiucia Castroneves, his sister and business manager, and Alan R. Miller, his attorney, also were indicted.

The next day, a teary-eyed Helio Castroneves entered a not-guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Miami while appearing in handcuffs and leg irons, and he was released on $10-million bail.

Castroneves has one of the most coveted rides in motor racing because Team Penske is among the most successful Indy car teams in history with 14 Indianapolis 500 victories alone.

"It's a difficult time for us because if he's not available to drive next season, then we have to go find ourselves a driver at a very late time," Penske said.

After Castroneves was indicted, "I've never had my phone ring off the hook so many times [with] drivers who want to drive the car," Penske said. But he added: "We have made no commitments to any drivers."

"We're standing by him," Penske said of Castroneves. "He's a young man who came to this country, had people that advised him. Whether that advice is right or wrong we're yet to see, but until he's not available to drive the car, we're going to stand behind him."

Attorneys for Castroneves could not be reached for comment today, when government offices and many legal firms were closed for Veterans Day.

Penske was in Fontana to announce that the Auto Club of Southern California would sponsor five races next year for Sam Hornish Jr., who drives the No. 77 Dodge for Penske's NASCAR Sprint Cup team.

Hornish, who won the Indy 500 in 2006, formerly was Castroneves' teammate at Team Penske before he shifted to stock car racing.

Peltz is a Times staff writer

james.peltz@latimes.com