Helio allowed to race at Surfer's

[NickFalzone]

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing/indycar/news/story?id=3636178

[NickFalzone]

MIAMI — Helio Castroneves can leave the country for an IndyCar (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081010/SPORTS/81010031/1052/SPORTS01#) event this month in Australia after a federal judge agreed today to modify bail conditions on tax charges the driver’s facing.
Prosecutors argued the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner has ample reason to run and the assets in Brazil and elsewhere to facilitate such a move. But U.S. Magistrate Judge William Turnoff said he was convinced that “the dumbest thing Mr. Castroneves could do” would be to flee to his native Brazil and not show up for court, given his lucrative racing and endorsement career based in the U.S.


“You have much to lose by not complying with conditions of release,” Turnoff said at a hearing to Castroneves, who nodded vigorously in agreement.

Castroneves, who also won the 2007 TV “Dancing with the Stars” competition, is charged with conspiracy and tax evasion for allegedly dodging U.S. taxes on about $5.5 million in income using offshore accounts. He has pleaded not guilty and is free on $10 million bail.

Turnoff, in a wry reference to Castroneves’ dancing career, said he would have to “tango with the U.S. Marshals” if he didn’t show up for court.

The judge initially prohibited Castroneves from traveling outside the continental U.S. for races or other work but agreed today to modify those conditions for the Oct. 26 event in Brisbane, Australia. Castroneves attorney David Garvin said there was zero chance he would flee prosecution, especially to a Brazil he left in 1996.

“Unless he’s planning to go to the Amazon, there’s no place to go in Brazil,” Garvin said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Axelrod, however, said Castroneves has $15 million in an account in the Netherlands and access to millions more in Brazil, where he owns Burger King restaurants and a car dealership. Facing a potential prison term of up to five years, Axelrod said the 33-year-old driver had ample reason to run.

“His career’s at risk either way,” Axelrod said. “He has extensive ties there.”

Turnoff did give prosecutors until close of business Tuesday to appeal his order to another federal judge, but the U.S. attorney’s office later Friday said no appeal was planned.

Garvin also said Castroneves intends to pay the Internal Revenue Service about $5 million in taxes after his offshore “deferred royalty contract” expires on Dec. 31. That account is central to the criminal case, which alleges that Castroneves, his sister and a Michigan lawyer created fraudulently to evade taxes between 1999-2004.

All have pleaded not guilty.

[ykiki]

Wow. The judge's name is Turn Off???

[Nikki Katz]

I think that the judge is being quite lenient, though I do agree that he's not exactly a flight risk. He's still facing a maximum prison sentence of 30 years if found guilty though, and while I doubt that they'd apply that, a 3 year sentence like Wesley Snipes got for a seemingly smaller offence would still finish his IRL career.
Will still be good to see him there though.

[DazzlaF1]

I think that leaves the surfers lineup like this, still plenty of cars going by the looks of it (Apologies if this has already been mentioned)

ANDRETTI GREEN: Marco Andretti, Patrick, Kanaan, Mutoh
GANASSI: Dixon, Franchitti
PENSKE: Castroneves, Briscoe
KV RACING: Servia, Power
NEWMAN-HAAS: Wilson, Rahal
VISION: Carpenter, Foyt IV
DREYER & REINBOLD: Rice, Duno or Bell
CONQUEST: Camara, Tagliani
DALE COYNE: Junqueira, Moraes
RAHAL-LETTERMAN: Hunter-Reay
PANTHER: Wheldon
FOYT: Meira
HVM: Viso

I wonder though, will Sky be broadcasting the race?

[BobGarage]

I wonder though, will Sky be broadcasting the race?

yes, they said at the end of the chicagoland race they would be. not live coverage though, tape delayed!

[rolinchicane]

Will Matos be racing in Australia? If not why?

[V12]

Will Matos be racing in Australia? If not why?

Don't know but if not, I would guess because Luzco's 2008 budget is already done and they can't afford to fly over.

All the other "2009" changes for Surfers all appear to be simple driver changes rather than additional cars (Franchitti/Wheldon/Meira)

[DazzlaF1]

yes, they said at the end of the chicagoland race they would be. not live coverage though, tape delayed!

Well thats OK, its on during the night over here so im not suprised at that

[elis]

That was one good thing about Eurosports (uk) Champ Car coverage (ya I know, 3 words you wouldn't usually put together, good, Eurosport, coverage ;) ), but Surfers was always on live. I'd be up watching , & more often than not it was a commercial free zone! I hated not watching races live, even now, if this race is streamed online I'll be watching, regardless of the hour of day... um, night :crazy: Cheering for EJ & Helio, as always :)

[V12]

That was one good thing about Eurosports (uk) Champ Car coverage (ya I know, 3 words you wouldn't usually put together, good, Eurosport, coverage ;) ), but Surfers was always on live. I'd be up watching , & more often than not it was a commercial free zone! I hated not watching races live, even now, if this race is streamed online I'll be watching, regardless of the hour of day... um, night :crazy: Cheering for EJ & Helio, as always :)

Yeah I agree! Back in the day Eurosport did my head in with their erratic IndyCar/CART coverage, but at least they showed Surfers live, made a great excuse for a late night. Now I don't even get that with F1, because for some reason the powers that be have decided that the European audience would prefer to watch a race by waking up early on Sunday morning than staying up late on Saturday night :|

[DazzlaF1]

Yeah I agree! Back in the day Eurosport did my head in with their erratic IndyCar/CART coverage, but at least they showed Surfers live, made a great excuse for a late night. Now I don't even get that with F1, because for some reason the powers that be have decided that the European audience would prefer to watch a race by waking up early on Sunday morning than staying up late on Saturday night :|

Aye i agree, i always found getting up at 3am in the morning for a grand prix a great experience, always gives me a great excuse to go back to bed afterwards to get up at around 1pm and watch it all over again :laugh:

[V12]

Aye i agree, i always found getting up at 3am in the morning for a grand prix a great experience, always gives me a great excuse to go back to bed afterwards to get up at around 1pm and watch it all over again :laugh:

Oh yeah those were the days! Still, Bernie knows whats best, apparently :rolleyes:

Getting back on topic, I would hope that next year when Surfers is a championship round, it would be aired live? I mean come on Sky, seriously, what other live sporting event is going to clash at 3/4am? :)

[carracing]

Thank goodness for TiVo - will just record it and avoid all news/media until I get to watch it. lol I agree it should be broadcast live - guess they are wanting some better ad spots for it or something. It's always about money - never near enough about the fans or the sport.

Glad Helio gets to go though... awful business he's got himself into... just awful - the IRS doesn't play fair and is a real pain in the you-know-what.