Q: Vitor, the team came from nowhere years and years ago, three years ago, you weren’t in the ride, the team didn’t exist and now we’re here. What do you need to take that one last step and get in the winner circle?
MEIRA: To continue it, keep trying. We had 33 very competent drivers and teams trying. We had Chip Ganassi, AGR and Penske that for the last two years had won everything but three races for the last three or four years maybe. So we are up against very, very hard competition. And to gain back on them, sometimes it’s even harder to maintain the pace with them. That’s what we did right now with the addition of Dave Cripps and Woody as engineers and Andre in the off season, that’s what we did now. Just right before this race we hired Dave Cripps, and that’s what settled down everything. We will be very good from here on. We will gain on the big teams. Sometimes more, sometimes less. But I’m really hopeful, and I’m really confident that the Delphi National Guard is going to be always in front for these races to come.
Q: Vitor, your cars matched up really well, was it the pit position?
MEIRA: We were going to the last pit stop, we were wondering. I was pushing a little bit by myself, but I could still hold it flat and not scrub so much speed. I knew in traffic we were going to push a little more than we wanted. And we were talking with—I was talking with my engineer and wondering since Dixon is on the first pit, even if the pit, the change of tires and refueling itself is a little slower, he will overtake us because the position he’s in since he’s the pole and the first one in line.
So I wanted a little more front wing, but that cost us a little bit in time. It was a decision that we had to make. I could stand no front wing if I would stay in the lead, if I was in the lead, but it didn’t happen. We couldn’t make it. They did a very good pit stop, we did a very good pit stop, too, but because of the positioning he was, he passed us. So it was just a decision we had to make. I think we made the right decision. Had we put a little more front wing, I think Marco or Helio behind us would catch me and I would not have finished second. So I think we made the right decision, but that’s the reason we lost the position on the pit stop.
Q: Vitor, there was a moment late in the race when you were leading and speaking of the power three teams, you had Ganassi, Penske, AGR right behind you. If you remember that moment, how special was that to you being the little guy out there fighting the odds and being in the lead?
MEIRA: It feels really good. And again, my hand is to the Delphi National Guard crew. I think if I’m not mistaken, it was Dixon, me, Marco and Castroneves. So it’s right there, Ganassi, Panther, which it’s the first way that we are there. AGR and Penske, we are among the big three. We are ahead of two of them. Just time, a matter of time until we come back and be better. I’m really confident on the team. We have only one car; let’s not forget we have only one car. So that hurts a little bit, but with good people we are making a difference, and that’s how we’re going to continue.
Q: Vitor, kind of a non-racing question in a time of war and this being Memorial Day weekend, you’ve mentioned several times the National Guard being your sponsor. How honored are you having them as one of your sponsors?
MEIRA: I say this constantly to the men and women that serves the country, if I do as good as they do, if I do on the racetrack as good as they do serving us, I would win every race. But they have to do it every day. So I’m really honored to have National Guard on my side.
Today I was, I was almost as good as they are every day. So it’s a big honor, a big weekend for us. It’s a big sponsor, not only for me, not only for Panther Racing but it’s a big sponsor for IndyCar racing and for racing as a whole. Because from day to night since we signed the sponsorship, first we gained 370,000 more fans, which are the men and women serving us. They are very good fans, fans that everybody have to thank here.
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