CART MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 20, 2000

Helio Castroneves

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Thank you very much. It is a long time, actually. It seems a long time and I am very excited, very happy for myself, for Marlboro Team Penske which gave me great equipment on the engine; Firestone tires, so everything was fantastic. I am really, really happy. I think everybody saw how happy I was.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Well, thank you very much. I was actually every year that I have been, that is my third year in the FedEx Championship Series and every year kind of a new team and every time when I get along with the people-it takes a little time, it is normal-but I learn with everyone, Bettenhausen, Hogan Racing last year and this year with Marlboro Team Penske, so it looks like I am learning with people inside the team. I have a lot of people around me that really helped me a lot. As we can see, Rick Mears which is a great driver; also Gil which is my teammate. He is very technical driver as well and it looks like it is-I am a good listener. Everything is coming to the right place and to the right direction. Of course it is tough when you come to a team and everybody is really looking toward to coming right away, but I will tell you, I had no pressure at all. I had everybody -- in fact, the team was really, really welcoming nicely, and every step we are taking was like very firm. We were just taking a chance or trying to be the fastest one, just once or tricky, you know, with low fuel to see if we can go fast in one of the tests - no, no, no. We always try to be very solid and that is why I think we are achieving very nice success for myself; for the team and everybody is growing with this. So I am really happy to learn with the first-class team. Like I said, Marlboro Team Penske gave me the opportunity this year to achieve my dreams and today everything is getting on the right direction. So it is going to work a lot. This series, oh, my goodness, so, competitive, I will tell you. It is unbelievable how tough the series is. We fight for hundreds of second and everybody is really on the same lap time and everybody is really close to each other, so, it is tough. I am glad that the weekend in Detroit, we were fastest out of the box; we were really looking strong every session, and I think I deserve a little bit. I always keep fighting and never give up. That is one of my good qualities, you know, and thinking positive. I am happy that happened. We are going to work again. I know it is not going to be easy because -- I like the celebration. I like to be on the podium and I want to have -- try to go again. So it going to be good and I am sure everybody will work hard to achieve the same goals again.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Not at all. I was like completely homeless, actually. It is tough situation, but all of a sudden everything happened very suddenly and I tell you, the moment that I jump into the car and every time you are sure when you see that No. 3 car myself in, you are sure that I am giving my hundred percent; I am giving my best, even sometimes the car is not going to be very good setup, we are not magic, you know, I don't think there is any magic. Only one guy upstairs and it is a good one to make everything happen. That is why I believe in him. Today, actually this ride on Sunday he make my dream come true.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: In fact, I was watching the race last night and still watching it again today on ESPN. I tell you, like I said, we have a very good setup so far. Last race we did, Long Beach, we finished second. We were in a situation that we have -- save a lot of fuel to finish. So this time was a little bit different. I had fuel. I had very good car again to go for it and fight for the lead, but the guys in the pit actually they were holding me up. They were like: Save fuel, save fuel, you better stay a little bit off and we are going -- if you want to go, let us go towards to the end of the race. Sometimes actually they tried -- that pays off to be patient and smart because all of a sudden I had tons of fuel in my car; not many yellow flags which is unusual normally in a street circuit. That is why when all of a sudden everything fell in my lap, I said, well, I am now in the lead, I am going to go for it. Of course, I would like to have a chance and to battle for the lead or battle with the car and race a little bit especially with Juan - I don't feel sorry for him because to be honest, I have been in a lot of situations like him and I will take anyway, it would have been much nicer to go for it and passing by and challenger, I think, not only for me, but for the fans as well. But I will tell you, what a superb car Marlboro Team Penske gave me; especially when the tires warm up a little bit, I will tell you, wow, that was like fantastic. I am really glad and that everything happened so we are just going to continue our work; come back and like I said, it is down, see what we have for the next race and work hard again, because it is tough out there.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Yes. After the race -- I want to go before the race, but unfortunately the medics and doctors didn't allow us to visit. So right after the race I went there. He congratulated me. He was, of course, I understand he was a little bit on drugs, talk a little slow and everything, but physical, they said that everything went very well. He held my hand tight and I said, hey, man, you should stay here a little bit and fix your nose now - try to play a little bit with him and cheer him up a little bit. I said my prayers and I told him to believe in God because I am sure he will come back very strong again and give me hard time again. And I just spoke with Steve Olvey there as we are speaking right now, he is probably landing in Miami and -- I bought a big gorilla for him, you know, because he had a tattoo of a gorilla, so I am going to try to get a chance and go tonight and give this present for him.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Thank you very much.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: That was a very good question. Actually last night I was watching the race and I was, like I didn't speak at all after the last yellow flag. I didn't say a word. I don't think I was breathing actually. I was like just in the zone, I don't want anything disturbing me. I wasn't even looking at the board to see how many laps there were to go. I was doing everything right and I knew Turn 1 and 2, I was very, very fast and the last two laps everybody normally say oh, takes a long way, but honestly, I was enjoying so much, I was like turning the wheel and going the throttle and, you know, was a great fantastic feeling. I am saying: Wow, I am believing actually, because I will do it and I was looking and thinking, I said, is it today, I think it is going to be today. And every corner I was enjoying my two last laps like very focused, of course, and to not make any stupid mistake or trying to invent something line or different line to go a little faster. So every time I was doing like a watch, you know, make sure that I was passing the same point; make sure that I was doing the right way so -- and when I cross the checkered flag, I will tell you, I felt that I would have explode with emotion and excitement and, well, I think everybody we saw that everything --

HELIO CASTRONEVES: No. In two teams that I have been with Bettenhausen and also Hogan Racing, of course, experience first of all, it is something that really counts in this series; especially in the first year when I started, I remember Bobby Rahal was one of the experienced guys over there. I said, wow, he is old, he is going to retire, I am going to be faster than him. All of a sudden I noticed that he was fast all the time, so it wasn't -- it is just not because he is old. Actually he was much faster, so basically I know that experience is a lot. So tried to learn in every little team, doesn't matter if it was Bettenhausen or Hogan and now on Marlboro Team Penske, but I really had to thank these people that gave me the chance because they teach in the beginning, they teach me different ways and also in my circumstance when I was starting on the back, coming forward, and/or something like that, I learned from these things. So today if I am in the back or if I am in the front, I am sure, of course, you make a mistake because you are human, but of course now I have the experience to know what I have to do. But I still have a long way to go. I still have a long way to learn, a lot of stuff to learn, but I am happy that everything is happening on the step by step. Like you said, last year we have so many chances -- that is why I don't feel sorry for Juan, what happened because it happened to me as well. So I understand how it feels. I understand how mad I was, oh, geez, I knew I could do it. So -- and I knew when I was 15 laps or 20 laps to go when I was in the lead, I said nothing breaks, I am going to win this race because I have been in this situation before and just do my job. Because of the little and racing teams that I was running, they teach me this and that is why I am okay here.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: I don't know and then I think I will explode actually. (laughs).

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Of course, in the ovals like I said, last year I was running with the Lola and we found a very good setup and the car was very, very good. This year we kind of struggling, not struggling but battling to find a very nice way and go for it. So it take a little time. That is why you said in the beginning I was taking a little time step by step, and I was getting comfortable with the team and everybody -- so we are in the 7th race, so we are still long way to go for the Championship, and -- but five beginning races was only on the ovals. So everything have to be -- I have to, instead of trying to go too fast and start crashing cars, sometimes you have to hold a little bit back and see where we can learn and where you can go fast. But on the street circuit and also I have to thank Honda because they are very good. They are very, very good. They gave me a great engine, drivability, it is really nice and it is helping a lot. I didn't change my way to drive from last year. Not own from the 1998 or when even I was in Indy Lights. But sometimes when you have a great car, great teams supporting you, it looks like everything is smooth than appears. Like I was mentioning to someone, last year I have tons of tendinitis in my arm, actually my left arm. This year, wow, I wasn't even sore, so it is big difference. And again, it is just you are getting comfortable; you are getting comfortable with the team and equipment that you have and everything is going gradually in the right direction.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: That was my dad. I was -- I said: You like this present? He said: Yes. Even in Brazil it wasn't Father's Day, but I was raised in here in America. I said any kind of present like that I would love it. So he was screaming and crying, and it is just amazing how great my family is supporting me and I have to thank my dad because he was really the one who gave me all the opportunity.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Well, Castro-Neves when I came over here to America in Brazil, it is normal to have two names as your last name. So Castro-Neves, it is my last name. And here kind of only have one name; that is why people didn't recognize me: Is it Castro or Neves. Well, I put the dash on and people still were confusing or call me Neves or Castro which is the first one. Then I said, well, if I put it together, people will confuse anyway but it is tough and but at least they are going to try to say all the names. They are not going to missing any one. That is why, my decision it is just the way that I want to make sure that it is shorter a little bit, if you put the dash on it makes it bigger, just want to easier for everyone when they say Castro-Neves, go for it. It doesn't change the pronunciation; doesn't change anything, and not even my legal documents or the kind of thing, it is just so everybody understands that it is Castroneves.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Hey, so far it is.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Believe it or not, when you are in the front it looks like everybody is pushing hard and going for it, it, is we are. But it is a different way when you are in the back like 12th or 10th or something like that because when you are back there everybody really is tight, close to each other so any mistake someone going to try to drive and make the position. In the front it is different, everybody is pretty much very, very equal and you kind of don't have to worry about who is behind you because you have a gap or I don't know, it is -- just makes your life so much easier to worry about, you don't have traffic or people going slower than you. Actually when you are leading it is even better - last year in Portland - if you just keep your focus and try to look ahead and not worry about the guy behind and if you know where he is weak during the racetrack, you can beat the guy even if you are in front. So that is what I did last 20 laps, I knew Max was fast, so what I tried to do was -- I made -- tried to make sure where he was fast and not make any mistakes or try come different lines otherwise he will make the pass and that is it. So it works fantastic because the only place he was quick I was going at least equal than him and then the rest of the racetrack I was a little faster so was making the gaps, making the gap bigger and bigger as my tires getting warmer where he was weak on the circuit and then I am starting very strongly that is why I made the gap. So it is different. It is a lot of -- you have to think a lot. But it is the best way to drive, looks like -- that is why I said when I am -- if I am right now nothing happens with my equipment, nobody will take this lead from me because I know how to do it and I prove it.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Thank you very much. You know, people sometimes it is a little worried about, oh, man, is he going to say sponsor name or is he going to look okay. Of course, I am worried about these things as well, but in that specific situation, it is my first one, you know, and when I saw -- when I stopped on the racetrack I thought supposed to stop there, I don't think I was paying attention to it, I didn't know I -- when I stopped there, I was waiting for everybody and I didn't see anyone. So when I look in my last -- I see the crowd cheering, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, man, that was just the beginning to start everything. So that is why I came over and climbed the fence and it was great. It was really, really great. I will tell you, I don't know what I am going to do on the second one, but I am sure I am going to be excited as well.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: It will be great, I would be even happier as I am today. Yeah, Portland is a very tough track and especially because it is a very high speed track and there is only one hairpin which is slowing down, and you downshift from 6th to 1st, and it is a concrete as well so that makes it tougher for you and the engineers to figure out how to stop the speed as you are coming and to not wheel-spin or under-steer; make sure that the car has a lot of grip. But also it is very fun to drive, especially the end of the back stretch when you have long corner and fast one that you can put the car above the curb completely. So I am really excited to go over there. We had a very good test in Mid-Ohio and it is not a street circuit Mid-Ohio, very nice circuit, so I hope we do well as well. But I have to work again. We coming over there, I know it is going to be tough again because people, we start working very hard and let us keep doing our job, you know, it seems to be working very well and we don't need to touch anything.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Yeah, that was very nice. I saw -- in fact, a couple at the end of the race I spoke to Roger yesterday, he was very pleased NASCAR won, we won, so, he was very, very excited. I saw the race, so I was very excited as well. I asked him if it was fantastic racing actual series as well (sic) everybody really like it, all the Americans love it, and it is exciting to watch these things. So I am pleased for the team. I am pleased for Marlboro Team Penske and from here we have to continue work.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Yeah, a lot of people actually yesterday calling me, hey, you look great in this colors, you remember a great Champion, Emerson. I said, well, I wish I will be champion like that. Still only in the beginning of the Championship. It is great. Yeah, definitely when I came over here to Marlboro Team Penske I knew that it is a great opportunity to learn and go faster again. I was talking with my engineer - we did third in grid in Detroit and we were a little bit upset because we know -- we knew that we could get the pole position and we were talking, oh, it is great when you are in third and it is a little bit upset. I said, it is. You should be in Hogan and Bettenhausen, we would have been jumping up and down and screaming. So it is a great team effort. Everybody is really working hard. You have to see the team that change the equipment for, chassis, engine, tires, so, everybody taking a chance. We proving that was a very right change so, when just have to keep working hard and it is a tough series. I am just happy that it is very good to keep this momentum especially going for next race, and which is looking good and everything looking on our side, so let us just keep focusing on our job and we will do okay.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: I will tell you, every time I go to inside my car and racing car, I always give my 100% and I know all the teams that I have been, given what they have, but today I have the same thing, same way I was feeling before just go in that car and do my best, you know, but I know winning something outside of our control, but one thing I know, myself and the team putting the best effort to achieve this goal which is No. 1. That is why I have to trust and they have to trust in me as well.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: (laughs) We are going to -- that one is going to be good. I hope it will be the first one and they will be second and third.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: I will tell you, man, it is just so tough out there and all of a sudden you think you have it in your hand and then yellow flag came on. I said, damn, it is not this time or all of a sudden something happens. That is why our series is so fantastic, like you just mentioned 7 races, 7 different drivers winning, it is just great. Of course, I want to try and stop this. I hope we go to Portland and say here we go, that is it. But it is unbelievable how great our series is and any kind of little mistake you make, or any kind of all of a sudden something happens to your car, if you miss a brake point or if the car when you are coming to the pits, back marker missed, a little bit of seconds coming in, so, every little thing make a lot of difference in the end. So you have to be precise in this series to be there. If you be always constantly in the top 6, you are going to have a big chance. If you see the Championship standings it is unbelievable, from everybody really behind each other like 59, 56, and 40, 47, everybody is really close so, I think I have to thank everybody, you guys that make our series even better and better as international people coming on and we are going outside so, it is just unbelievable how tough out there and everybody has great opportunity to be in the podium and win races as well.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: I think it is me.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: I need my second one.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: I don't know. Concentrate on my car and in my job and in my work and I am not going to think who is going to win the next. I hope I will be the next.

HELIO CASTRONEVES: Yeah, Gil is a Brazilian as well. And more experienced. He is a very good technical driver and also very quick as well. That is good about it, it is basically both of us going to try to beat each other and try to go as fast as we can. And I think because of that, it is one keep pushing each other to go faster. Also what we have together because we have more experience, I try learn from what he is asking for, what is the difference; what is the good quality that he has, that I can learn from this. Everybody has a good quality. Everybody has something different than the other one. So I try to see this good quality and speaking to me and try to be as perfect as I can because it is tough. I am a human being; never going to be perfect. It is great to have a guy like that, very similar driving style, which is helping our setup and so we helping each other, both cars going to be on the top, so both Marlboro cars are going to be fighting with each other. So it is better that we try to be faster than every one and then we have only one to compete, you know, that is going to be easier or tougher, I don't know.