By Paul Kelly
indianapolismotorspeedway.com
Thursday, September 25, 2008
IndyCar Series veteran Vitor Meira has signed to drive A.J. Foyt's No. 14 ABC Supply Dallara/Honda/Firestone car beginning with the Nikon Indy 300 on Oct. 26 in Surfer's Paradise, Australia, and continuing through 2009, with an option for 2010.
The race in Australia is a non-points event and will give Meira and Foyt's ABC Supply team an opportunity to work together in a race before the 2009 season, which includes the 93rd Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 24.
"I am definitely going into 2009 with a little extra motivation," Meira said. "I have raced against the team for many years and have heard cool things about them. Many people would give an arm and a leg just to meet A.J., and I am getting to work with him. I think that says it all."
Meira, from Brazil, has 56 top-10 finishes in 93 career IndyCar Series starts since 2002. His best finish is second, eight times. Two of those runner-up finishes came in the Indianapolis 500, in 2005 and 2008.
"I've always admired him because he's a hard racer who charges all day long," Foyt said. "He should have won a lot of races, but he hasn't had the best luck. I believe we can change that, and I'm looking forward to working with him."
Foyt was the owner when several drivers scored their initial triumphs in the IndyCar Series, including Scott Sharp, Kenny Brack, Billy Boat and most recently, Airton Dare.
"This first race we'll get situated with each other, and we'll quickly learn where we're at," Meira said. "Then we can know where to go, what we need to maintain and where we need to improve. My goal is to come out and win, and by that I mean to give 100 percent no matter what is happening.
"I finished second many times, but there were races where I finished fourth or fifth and I felt good about them because I gave 100 percent and we got the most out of the car that day. Whether it's in races or in the championship, if we are getting top-fives, it's because we are putting ourselves in position to win, which is what you have to do before you can win. Then the wins will come."
Meira has finished in the top 10 at Indianapolis in five of his six career starts at Indianapolis, including the two runner-up finishes. Foyt has five victories at Indianapolis, four as a driver or driver-owner and owned the car driven to victory by Kenny Brack in 1999.
Darren Manning, who drove the No. 14 car for the past two seasons, will not be returning to the team in 2009.
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