Talk about the agony and the ecstasy.
Just one day after a teary, chained-up Hélio Castroneves pleaded not guilty to a host of conspiracy and tax-evasion charges in Miami, the former Dancing With the Stars champ was literally back on track, nabbing first place in a 10-hour race in Georgia.
Along with teammate Ryan Briscoe, the two-time Indy 500 winner trumped the competition in the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans Prototype 2 Class event.
The 33-year-old Brazilian star was free to get back behind the wheel after posting $10 million bail.
"It has been a difficult two days, but to finish first, it turned out to be a good day," he told reporters after his victory lap. "It was a great day, and we're going to continue to move forward."
The distraction of the race, and its seeming ill-timing, was apparently just the trick for Castroneves.
"When you're out in the car you're the only one," he said. "That was perfect for me...The fans kept me going. They gave me an immense amount of support. I was very touched."
Not to mention motivated for his pending court case.
"This problem is like a race. And we're going to win."
On Friday, Castroneves pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy and six counts of tax evasion for allegedly failing to pay Uncle Sam on more than $5.5 million in income between 1999 and 2004. He was forced to surrender his passport.
Last week, the driver, his sister-manager Katiucia Castroneves and his lawyer Alan Miller were all indicted on the charges.
If convicted on all charges, each faces more than 30 years in prison.
Image:© 2008, , AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt
