It's Official

I guess I have to watch this silly show now.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 Winner Helio Castroneves may not have much of an "off-season" this year, as it was announced today that the Miami resident will be joining the cast of ABC Television Network's hit show "Dancing with the Stars" for its fifth season this fall.

The 32 year old Brazilian will be paired with the winner from the fourth season, Julianne Hough, as the couple prepares to prove to the world that Castroneves doesn't just have moves on the racetrack, but on the dance floor as well.

"I'm really excited for this opportunity," said Castroneves. "It's definitely something that I never would have imagined participating in. However, now that I know that I'm going to be part of the competition, I've set my sights on winning. I know it's going to be a lot of hard work, but with our IndyCar Series season coming to a close, I'm going to dedicate the same energy that I bring to racing to rehearsing for the show. I know I have a lot to learn, but I've been told that Julianne is one of the best teachers out there, and I'm ready to get to work. Having won back-to-back Indianapolis 500's, I would like nothing more than to give Julianne back to back ‘Dancing with the Stars' titles."

So does he climb his dance partner if he wins? Just askin'.

Seriously though, as Curt Cavin notes the amount of people that watch this show is about 10 times the average viewership for a typical IndyCar race. WOW! He adds:

"If this collection of dancers is compelling enough for people to watch, this could be one of the biggest things to happen to the IRL. It's big-time mainstream, and they've absolutely got the right driver for the part."

UPDATE: Thanks to the commentor who linked the video for the announcement. However, what's wrong with this picture? Is that prankster Kanaan running production for "Good Morning America" these days?