2006 IndyCar Series Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year Marco Andretti and Indy Pro Series rookie Robbie Pecorari, both natives of Pennsylvania, were the guests on last night’s Indy Racing League teleconference.
Andretti previewed his sophomore season of IndyCar Series competition with Andretti Green Racing and plans for his grandfather Mario’s birthday.
Q. Last year Andretti Green Racing spent a lot of time chasing red cars. What besides the normal thing of coming out of the box at Homestead then St. Pete, do you have to have in mind if you're going to be measured up against Penske and Ganassi?
MARCO ANDRETTI: This year I just come back with even more confidence. I would have measured myself up against them last year. Now, we found an element that I think we were losing last year. Now we're ready. We'll put ourselves up against anyone. I wish I could guarantee we won't be chasing red cars this year. I think if you ask me, it's going to be the most competitive year in IndyCars. It's not just going to be three teams in my mind. I think anybody out there is going to be able to win a race. It's going to be very tough.
Q. Are we doing anything special for grandpa's birthday today?
MARCO ANDRETTI: I'm actually in Scottsdale (Ariz.). I sent him a text. I said, “How old are you, 26?” He said, “Close enough.” In his mind, that's his age.
Pecorari recapped the Indy Pro Series Open Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Team KMA and discussed his friendship with Marco Andretti.
Q. We saw a very tight field at the test, especially on the oval. Twenty-two cars were separated by less than 7/10ths of a second. What kind of a season do you expect out on the track?
ROBBIE PECORARI: Right now the goal is to get comfortable with the car and to basically learn the car on the ovals, since it's pretty new to me. As long as we get a couple wins, I think that would be a good season. If we could win the championship, that would be great. Only one driver gets to do it. That's everyone's goal.
Q: I noticed Thursday during the lunch break at the Open Test, Marco Andretti stopped by your garage area for a few minutes. How well do you know each other, growing up within the same state, being about the same age? What kind of advice was he maybe giving to you?
ROBBIE PECORARI: He was just coming out and hanging out as a friend since he didn't really have much to do that day. Growing up fairly young in go-karts we met each other, and since then we’ve kept in touch. He lives in Nazareth, which is about an hour and a half away. Every now and then we'll hang out a little bit. But since the last three or four years through Skip Barber and Star Mazda, we raced against each other. It's a pretty good friendship.
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The 2007 IndyCar Series season begins under the lights with the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 24. The race will be telecast live by ESPN2 at 8 p.m. (EDT) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network. A Spanish-language telecast of the race will be carried by ESPN Deportes. The IMS Radio Network broadcast also is carried on XM Satellite Radio and www.indycar.com. The sixth season of Indy Pro Series competition begins with the Miami 100 on March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be telecast on at 5 p.m. (EDT) on March 28 by ESPN2.
