aj foyt after winning 1979 indy 500 ; helio castroneves after winning fourth indy 500 in 2021
Photo by National Motor Museum/Heritage Images via Getty Images ; Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Will Helio Castroneves Be the First 5-Time Indy 500 Winner? A.J. Foyt Says Yes.

The Club is a documentary that everyone from IndyCar newbies to diehard fans can appreciate. If you're a fan of sports history and of athletes dominating in their respective sports, then this is the movie for you.

Airing last week on NBC, the film offers a special tribute to the four-time Indianapolis 500 winners club, which consists of Helio Castroneves, Rick Mears, A.J. Foyt, and the late Al Unser.

Filmed in July 2021, nearly six months before Unser passed away after a 17-year battle with cancer, the doc features classic race footage, enlightening interviews, and a roundtable discussion. But, the documentary is more than just a look back into the past. It also provides a peak into the future, as Castroneves is vying to be the only driver in IndyCar history to win the Borg-Warner trophy five times when he competes in the 106th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing on May 29, 2022.

In 1977, A.J. Foyt became the first four-time winner of the Indy 500, so he knows what it's like to make history. When asked whether he thinks that Castroneves has what it takes to do what's never been done in the sport of IndyCar, the 87-year-old Foyt gave a pretty succinct and hopeful answer.

Now, Helio Castroneves is obviously no rookie in the sport of IndyCar, but compared to his fellow "Club" members, he's definitely something of a young gun. To be around such legends as Mears, Foyt, and Unser, as well as have them consider him the sport's torchbearer is a honor that isn't lost on the 47-year-old Brazilian, which he expressed in an interview ahead of The Club's release.

"It's still hard for me to believe that I am a part of this group of drivers," Castroneves said. "These are drivers that I have looked up to and watched all my life and to now be standing on the same level as them is incredible."

"My best memories have come from winning the Indianapolis 500, there is no other race in history that has that same feeling; the feeling of a month's long hard work all coming to an end in the best way possible."

"I will forever be grateful for the people who have helped me achieve such a monumental accomplishment because it was not just me, it was a team effort each of those four years."

The Complete Indy 500 Winners List

1911-1920

ray harroun at 1991 indy 500

Photo by Getty Images

1911: Ray Harroun — Nordyke & Marmon Company — No. 32 Marmon

1912: Joe Dawson — National Motor Vehicle Company — No. 8 National

1913: Jules Goux — Peugeot — No. 16 Peugeot

1914: René Thomas — Louis Delâge Company — No. 16 Delage

1915: Ralph DePalma — E.C. Patterson — No. 2 Mercedes

1916: Dario Resta — Peugeot Auto Racing Company — No. 17 Peugeot

1917: Races skipped during World War I

1918: Races skipped during World War I

1919: Howdy Wilcox — I.M.S. Corporation — No. 3 Premier

1920: Gaston Chevrolet — William Small Company — No. 4 Frontenac

1921-1930

tommy milton at indy 500

Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1921: Tommy Milton — Louis Chevrolet — No. 2 Frontenac

1922: Jimmy Murphy — Jimmy Murphy — No. 35 Duesenberg

1923: Tommy Milton — H.C.S. Motor Company — No. 1 Miller

1924: Lora L. Corum/Joe Boyer — Duesenberg — No. 15 Duesenberg

1925: Peter DePaolo — Duesenberg — No. 12 Duesenberg

1926: Frank Lockhart — Peter Kreis — No. 15 Miller

1927: George Souders — William S. White — No. 32 Duesenberg

1928: Louis Meyer — Alden Sampson II — No. 14 Miller

1929: Ray Keech — M. A. Yagle — No. 2 Miller

1930: Billy Arnold — Harry Hartz — No. 4 Summers

1931-1940

wilbur shaw at 1937 indy 500

Photo by The Stanley Weston Archive/Getty Images

1931: Louis Schneider — B. L. Schneider — No. 23 Stevens

1932: Fred Frame — Harry Hartz — No. 34 Wetteroth

1933: Louis Meyer — Louis Meyer — No. 36 Miller

1934: Bill Cummings — H. C. Henning — No. 7 Miller

1935: Kelly Petillo — Kelly Petillo — No. 5 Wetteroth

1936: Louis Meyer — Louis Meyer — No. 8 Stevens

1937: Wilbur Shaw — Wilbur Shaw — No. 6 Shaw

1938: Floyd Roberts — Lou Moore — No. 23 Wetteroth

1939: Wilbur Shaw — Boyle Racing Headquarters — No. 2 Maserati

1940: Wilbur Shaw — Boyle Racing Headquarters — No. 1 Maserati

1941-1950

mauri rose at 1941 indy 500

Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1941: Floyd Davis/Mauri Rose — Lou Moore — No. 16 Wetteroth

1942: Races skipped during World War II

1943: Races skipped during World War II

1944: Races skipped during World War II

1945: Races skipped during World War II

1946: George Robson — Thorne Engineering — No. 16 Adams

1947: Mauri Rose — Lou Moore — No. 27 Deidt

1948: Mauri Rose — Lou Moore — No. 3 Deidt

1949: Bill Holland — Lou Moore — No. 7 Deidt

1950: Johnnie Parsons — Kurtis Kraft — No. 1 Kurtis Kraft

1951-1960

lee wallard

Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1951: Lee Wallard — Murrell Belanger — No. 99 Kurtis Kraft

1952: Troy Ruttman — J. C. Agajanian — No. 98 Kuzma

1953: Bill Vukovich — Howard B. Keck — No. 14 Kurtis Kraft

1954: Bill Vukovich — Howard B. Keck — No. 14 Kurtis Kraft

1955: Bob Sweikert — John Zink — No. 6 Kurtis Kraft

1956: Pat Flaherty — John Zink — No. 8 Watson

1957: Sam Hanks — George Salih — No. 9 Salih

1958: Jimmy Bryan — George Salih — No. 1 Salih

1959: Rodger Ward — Leader Cards — No. 5 Watson

1960: Jim Rathmann — Ken-Paul — No. 4 Watson

1961-1970

aj foyt kissing festival queen at 1964 indy 500

Photo by Tony Triolo/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

1961: A. J. Foyt — Bignotti-Bowes Racing — No. 1 Trevis

1962: Rodger Ward — Leader Cards — No. 3 Watson

1963: Parnelli Jones — J. C. Agajanian — No. 98 Watson

1964: A. J. Foyt — Ansted-Thompson Racing — No. 1 Watson

1965: Jim Clark — Team Lotus — No. 82 Lotus

1966: Graham Hill — Mecom Racing Team — No. 24 Lola

1967: A. J. Foyt — Ansted-Thompson Racing — No. 14 Coyote

1968: Bobby Unser — Leader Cards — No. 3 Eagle

1969: Mario Andretti — STP Corporation — No. 2 Hawk

1970: Al Unser — Vel's Parnelli Jones Ford — No. 2 Colt

1971-1980

al unser after winning 1971 indy 500

Photo by Getty Images

1971: Al Unser — Vel's Parnelli Jones Ford — No. 1 Colt

1972: Mark Donohue — Roger Penske Enterprises — No. 66 McLaren

1973: Gordon Johncock — Patrick Racing Team — No. 20 Eagle

1974: Johnny Rutherford — Bruce McLaren Motor Racing — No. 3 McLaren

1975: Bobby Unser — All American Racers — No. 48 Eagle

1976: Johnny Rutherford — Bruce McLaren Motor Racing — No. 2 McLaren

1977: A. J. Foyt — A. J. Foyt Enterprises — No. 14 Coyote

1978: Al Unser — Chaparral Racing — No. 2 Lola

1979: Rick Mears — Penske Racing — No. 9 Penske

1980: Johnny Rutherford — Chaparral Racing — No. 4 Chaparral

1981-1990

bobby unser after winning 1981 indy 500

Photo by Paul Kennedy/Sports Illustrated via Getty Image

1981: Bobby Unser — Penske Racing — No. 3 Penske

1982: Gordon Johncock — STP Patrick Racing Team — No. 20 Wildcat

1983: Tom Sneva — Bignotti-Cotter — No. 5 March

1984: Rick Mears — Penske Cars — No. 6 March

1985: Danny Sullivan — Penske Cars — No. 5 March

1986: Bobby Rahal — Truesports — No. 3 March

1987: Al Unser — Penske Racing, Incorporated — No. 25 March

1988: Rick Mears — Penske Racing, Incorporated — No. 5 Penske

1989: Emerson Fittipaldi — Patrick Racing, Incorporated — No. 20 Penske

1990: Arie Luyendyk — Doug Shierson Racing — No. 30 Lola

1991-2000

al unser jr after winning 1992 indy 500

Photo by John Biever/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

1991: Rick Mears — Penske Racing, Incorporated — No. 3 Penske

1992: Al Unser Jr. — Galles-Kraco Racing — No. 3 Galmer

1993: Emerson Fittipaldi — Penske Racing, Incorporated — No. 4 Penske

1994: Al Unser Jr. — Penske Racing, Incorporated — No. 31 Penske

1995: Jacques Villeneuve — Team Green — No. 27 Reynard

1996: Buddy Lazier — Hemelgarn Racing — No. 91 Reynard

1997: Arie Luyendyk — Treadway Racing — No. 5 G Force

1998: Eddie Cheever — Team Cheever — No. 51 Dallara

1999: Kenny Brack — A. J. Foyt Enterprises — No. 14 Dallara

2000: Juan Pablo Montoya — Target Chip Ganassi Racing — No. 9 G Force

2001-2010

helio castroneves hanging off fence after winning 2001 indy 500

Photo by David Maxwell/AFP via Getty Images

2001: Helio Castroneves — Marlboro Team Penske — No. 68 Dallara

2002: Helio Castroneves — Marlboro Team Penske — No. 3 Dallara

2003: Gil de Ferran — Marlboro Team Penske — No. 6 Panoz G Force

2004: Buddy Rice — Rahal Letterman Racing — No. 15 Panoz G Force

2005: Dan Wheldon — Andretti Green Racing — No. 26 Dallara

2006: Sam Hornish Jr. — Marlboro Team Penske — No. 6 Dallara

2007: Dario Franchitti — Andretti Green Racing — No. 27 Dallara

2008: Scott Dixon — Target Chip Ganassi Racing — No. 9 Dallara

2009: Helio Castroneves — Marlboro Team Penske — No. 3 Dallara

2010: Dario Franchitti — Target Chip Ganassi Racing — No. 10 Dallara

2011-2021

takuma sato after winning 2017 indy 500

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

2011: Dan Wheldon — Bryan Herta Autosport — No. 98 Dallara

2012: Dario Franchitti — Target Chip Ganassi Racing — No. 50 Dallara

2013: Tony Kanaan — KV Racing Technology — No. 11 Dallara

2014: Ryan Hunter-Reay — Andretti Autosport — No. 28 Dallara

2015: Juan Pablo Montoya — Team Penske — No. 2 Dallara

2016: Alexander Rossi — Andretti Herta Autosport — No. 98 Dallara

2017: Takuma Sato — Andretti Autosport — No. 26 Dallara

2018: Will Power — Team Penske — No. 12 Dallara

2019: Simon Pagenaud — Team Penske — No. 22 Dallara

2020: Takuma Sato — Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing — No. 30 Dallara

2021: Helio Castroneves — Meyer Shank Racing — No. 06 Dallara

WATCH: Breaking Down the Ins and Outs of IndyCar Qualifying