IndyCar: Interview With Mario Dominguez And Al Unser III
May 07, 2008
Dana Jarrett / IndyCar
Background on Mario Dominguez: Mario Dominguez is a rookie in the IndyCar Series following six years competing in the Champ Car World Series. He drives the No. 96 Visit Mexico City/Pacific Coast Motorsports entry.
· Age: 32 (Birthday is Dec. 1, 1975)
· Career Starts (Champ Car): 87
· Career Victories: 2
· Career Podium Finishes: 12
· Career Poles: 1
· Career Highlights: Earned Champ Car rookie of the year honors in 2002. Won at Surfers Paradise in 2002 and Miami in 2003. Captured the pole at Houston in 2006.
· 2007 Highlights: Finished 18th in points, recording a best finish of sixth at Houston.
· Off the Track: Speaks Spanish, English and some Italian and French.
Question: This is your first time at Indy, and that is my next question on what it’s been like the last couple of days. Can you elaborate, what’s it been like to get on track and put some laps around this place?
MARIO DOMINGUEZ: It’s been incredible. I have a lot of oval experience, and nothing that I’ve ever dreamed compares to this racetrack. Just compared to being here, there’s just so much history here and so much tradition, that you can really feel it. To drive around this racetrack is just an absolute dream come true.
I’ve been here as a spectator a couple of times, and it’s unbelievable. I’ve been to visit just the grounds a couple of times as well, and now it hasn’t really hit me yet that I’m driving here, so it’s fantastic.
Question: What are your memories of the Indianapolis 500, anything that made you want to pursue a racing car career in general?
MARIO DOMINGUEZ: As long as I can remember, I watched the Indianapolis 500. I remember once I was very little and probably five years old and my dad says, ‘Hey, come watch this race.’ He knew I liked racing, but why I liked racing, I don’t know. He was not a racer, and he said, ‘Come watch this race.’
And I said, ‘What is it?’
‘It’s the Indianapolis 500.’
I said, ‘What is that?’
And he said, ‘It’s the biggest race on the planet.’ So ever since then, I got hooked.
And then Josele Garza, another fellow Mexican driver racing here in the mid 80s, and he got Rookie of the Year. So I remember watching him in that race, and he got to lead 13 laps, if I remember correctly. Honestly, ever since I can remember, since I was very young, just, you know, I’ve been wanting to race in Indianapolis. So hopefully my dream will come true.
