IndyCar Series driver Raphael Matos participated in a Q&A session this week, discussing the upcoming races at Iowa, Richmond and Watkins Glen. Below are select quotes from his interview followed by "Five Questions with Raphael Matos." Raphael Matos
· 27 year old competing in his first season in the IndyCar Series.
· Drives the No. 2 Luczo Dragon Racing entry.
· Ranks 13th in points with a sixth-place finish at Milwaukee.
· Won 2008 Firestone Indy Lights title on strength of three wins and five poles.
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THE MODERATOR: What are your goals for the remaining 11 races of the season?
RAPHAEL MATOS: My goal is to win a race. I really believe we're capable of winning a race this year if we get everything right. I think performance-wise on road courses we have what it takes. It's going to take a lot of effort from me, a lot of effort from the team. There's a lot of work to be done. But I think I truly believe in the people we have on our team, and I think we can do it.
THE MODERATOR: Talk about the transition going from the Firestone Indy Lights to the IndyCar Series this year. Do you think you could have made the jump last year without the experience of racing on ovals?
RAPHAEL MATOS: I think would be possible, but certainly much more difficult for me. (Racing in) Indy Lights, it's been a very smooth transition because I'm more acclimated with the ovals. I know how the dynamics of the car work on ovals, I know how to translate things to the engineers better today than two years ago, for sure.
I think if you ask me if there was only road course in the schedule, I believe I was ready last year to make this step. But since we have many ovals, I think it was necessary (to have) a year in Indy Lights, for sure.
THE MODERATOR: I know last week at Texas, Luczo Dragon Racing hosted Shaquille O'Neal. Did you get a chance to talk to him? What was he like?
RAPHAEL MATOS: He was a great guy. A very humble person. Very simple. Very open, funny. You can see that he's got a big heart and he helps a lot of people with charity programs. He's got a very similar philosophy than Luczo Dragon. I think that's why Shaq fit our team really well. He knows really well how to be a team player. That's how the whole Luczo Dragon team is.
THE MODERATOR: What do you think it's going to take for Luczo Dragon to be competitive week in and week out with the Penskes, Ganassis and Andretti Greens of the IndyCar world?
RAPHAEL MATOS: I think time. I think we have the personnel. I think we have the best people we can possibly get in the team. We have the best mechanics. We have the best engineers. Hopefully they believe they have the best driver (laughter).
And I think it takes time to build up a team, especially to fight against Andretti Green, Penske and Ganassi. They've been doing this for a long time. They've had this car for a long time. So there's a lot of catch-up work, I believe.
But we're ready for the challenge. We put ourselves in that position and against the best. And I'm sure (team co-owners) Steve (Luczo) and Jay (Penske) and everyone on the Luczo Dragon team are just as competitive as I am, and I'm sure they want to win really bad. We're doing everything we can to get the performance out of the car, and I'm doing everything I can to learn as much as I can and to improve every day.
Five Questions with Raphael Matos:
1. What's your best memory from racing?
"Winning the Firestone Indy Lights championship last year."
2. And your worst memory from racing?
"Probably the latest one, hitting the wall at Kansas."
3. What's your favorite movie?
"Into the Wild. It's about a guy who moved to Alaska with nothing and lived off of nature. It teaches you a log about the good things in life."
4. What's you dream car?
"A Ferrari 430."
5. Favorite thing to cook?
"Pasta with fish."
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The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues June 20 with the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer at Iowa Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 1 p.m. (EDT) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on .indycar.com. The 2009 Firestone Indy Lights season continues with the Iowa 100 on June 20 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be telecast at 4 p.m. June 22 on VERSUS.
