Interview With Arie Luyendyk Jr. & Vitor Meira
MODERATOR: Welcome to the Indy Racing League's weekly teleconference. We have driver Arie Luyendyk Jr. from the Menards Infiniti Pro Series and driver Vitor Meira from the IndyCar Series. Arie Luyendyk joins us first.
Arie, thanks a lot for joining us today. Arie is just 22 years old but is already running in his third season in the Menard Infiniti Pro Series. In 22 starts, he's finished in the top five in half of those races and in the top 10 18 times. This season, he has already recorded a second- and a third-place finish after being knocked out of the first race in an early accident.
Q. Arie, I know you are itching to make the jump into the IndyCar Series after running strongly for two-plus seasons here in the Pro Series, but you're still only 22. What's your take on that whole situation?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: Well, obviously the main thing is money. That's obviously the hardest thing is to get sponsored, and that's basically what we are waiting for. We've had teams approach us for rides and everything, but as a rookie, I think everybody needs to bring a little sponsor money along with them. That's what's kind of been holding me back, which is a shame. Like you said, I'm only 22, and I have a lot of time, so I'm not really worried about it.
Q. You've got time, as you said, and you've run so well and even led five races over your career, but I know that first win is still eluding you. Do you feel an increased pressure as time goes on to get into victory lane?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: Yeah, a little bit. This is only my third season, and I finished second, I don't know, six times or something, and finished in the top three. That's a little frustrating, but it could be worse. I could be finishing a lot worse than second or third. And that first win will come when it's supposed to come, and I'm just kind of waiting around for it.
Q. Do you put that pressure mostly on yourself or does it come from any external sources, the team or anybody like that?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: I think right now with Sam Schmidt, we have a really great team. Thiago (Medeiros) and I have been doing well. He's obviously had a lot of success so far. I think it's just a matter of time, and maybe Kansas will be my race to win. Who knows? And so this race, hopefully, everything will be together on my side of the team, and we’ll get the car running well, and hopefully, notch out a win for this race. It would be really great.
Q. Your dad (two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk) had a tremendous career in the race car. When you get two competitive people like that together, a lot of times there could be a lot of friction. Is there some friction between yourself and your dad, or how is your relationship?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: The relationship is good. He's my father, so he's there every race kind of looking over me and making sure everything is going right with the team. It's really helpful to have him around because he has so much great advice to give, and that's an important key in how well we’ve done in the last couple of years. And if I don't have the car to win a race, he'll tell me, ‘Hey, I don't think you have the car to win the race, try to stay where you're at and hold onto it.’ Or if I need a little motivation, he'll give it to me. It's great to have him around. He's not going to be there for the Kansas race because he's going to Europe. Usually, he's there during every race.
Q. When we get back on track at Kansas this coming weekend, you've had a little bit of hard luck there in the past with 10th- and 12th-place finishes. What makes that track unique on the circuit from some of the others?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: Well, I think it's the first one-and-a-half-mile oval that's kind of similar to the tracks like Chicago and those types of tracks, so it's fun to race there. We've hosted some really good racing, and I think you'll see a lot of drafting and side-by-side (racing) going on. That's what's so fun about that place because you can qualify last like Mark Taylor did last year after he got disqualified and still actually win the race. Kansas promotes good racing because it gives a chance for the cars to hook up to the draft, so I'm really looking forward to it. We've had some bad luck there the last couple of years. First year I ran there, I got in an accident trying to pass for second, and last year, we got black flagged, so that put us a lap down. I've had some bad luck, but hopefully that will change this year.
Q. The series itself, do you think it's doing what it was set out to do? Are you learning something every time you go out on the track?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: It's funny you ask that. I looked at the in-car camera from Kansas City in 2002, and I totally view myself as a different driver from a few years ago. I've learned so much the last few years. I made so many mistakes in that race that I would not do right now. I think I've learned a lot, and I think I kind of hit a plateau last year of what I could learn, and that's why I'm really trying to make it to the next level. Even though I have not got that first win, I think I've learned all that I need to learn in this car. For sure, one or two years in this series (and) you will be completely set to be driving an oval, and that's why I think you've seen Ed Carpenter and A.J. Foyt (IV) and Mark Taylor move up. Sometimes the results are not very good, but they are still competitive, as you saw Mark Taylor qualify third last weekend.
Q. Do you think it's a necessary step for somebody trying to get into the IRL?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: I think if you're an open-wheel driver that comes from a series like Formula 3 in Europe or F2000 here in the United States or the Barber Dodge Series, I think it's a great learning tool. I think it's a good step. But for a sprint-car driver, it's extremely necessary. To learn the aerodynamics and the rear suspension of the car is totally crucial when you're coming up from sprint cars. That's really helped Ed Carpenter and a lot of guys, a new series driver, P.J. Chesson. I think it's a valuable tool for them to learn, not so much for the open-wheel guys, but it's just good for everybody.
Q. It would also seem to offer a good opportunity to get some appearances on a larger oval?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: Yeah, if you think about it, our average speed at Indy was around 190 (mph) and the IndyCar Series cars are 220 (mph). So it's a 30 mph difference usually at the racetracks, and that sounds like a lot on paper, but our cars handle very similar. I did my IRL rookie test, and the car felt very stable, so it's a very similar feeling. So that's great if you want to go to the IndyCar Series.
Q. You just mentioned Mark Taylor, and of course, we found out today that he's been released by Panther Racing. Is there any chance that you might have an opportunity there?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: I don't know. There's a lot of opportunities in the IRL right now, but a lot of the teams want to you bring some sort of amount of money. Obviously, an IndyCar Series ride for a whole year costs $8 million; that's how much it takes to run an IndyCar (Series car) competitive. Teams are looking for drivers to bring $1 million or two to the table in sponsorship, and right now, we don't have that. So it kind of limits our options and places us with teams that are not as good as the top teams, and that's what I’m kind of holding out for is a really good ride, so that when I come into the series, I want to make an impression that I'm going to be there for a while. I'm waiting for the right time to move up, and that's why I decided to do the series again for a third year.
Q. Is it frustrating for you to know that to make that next step, you've got to bring so much money?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: No, I think it's kind of expected. As a rookie, you need to give them something because it's always a risk when you're trying out a new driver, especially when you're a rookie in the IndyCar Series, which is one of the most competitive series in the word. The teams need some impetus to put you in the car, and hopefully, once you're there, you've solidified your position. It's frustrating, but that's racing. You always have to bring sponsorship to racing. I've been dealing with it ever since I was a kid, and it's not going to change when I get older.
Q. You've been here three years. Do you see the series changing in any way that would help the series bring in more cars, more drivers?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: What do you mean?
Q. Instead of same chassis, same engine, basically spec cars?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: No, I think the formula is perfect. You have the spec engine, the spec car, and testing is limited to a certain amount of days in the year, and right now, they are doing everything possible to get to the drivers. But for the development series, drivers need to have funding from sponsors, and that's always hard to find. The Pro Series has a good schedule for TV, so that's another incentive so they are doing all of the right things. I think right now the economy is a little rough, and it's just really hard for drivers to find money, and that's why car counts are not as high as I would like it to be. But the talent level that's in the Pro Series is very high. It's still very competitive. There are still regular guys out there that are battling every weekend and could win a race at any moment. I think the series is doing a good job.
Q. Your father didn't run at Indy this year, first time in the last few years. Do you still hold hope for being able to run the Indy 500 with your father?
ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: I really don't think he would come back another year unless he was in some way linked to the car, if we did like a father/son deal with a team. But I think by himself, I don't think he would run. You know, maybe that's better. He had kind of a tough time the last year he ran, and (Alex Barron) took over his seat. So I think as time went on he said, ‘Well, maybe (I’m) getting a little bit older’ and it’s time to make room for me, I guess.
MODERATOR: Arie, thank you very much for joining us today. We wish you the best of luck this weekend. We’re now joined by Vitor Meira. Vitor, first of all, congratulations on a great run at Richmond last weekend, where you had your career-best second-place finish. That must have been a tremendous thrill for you.
VITOR MEIRA: Yeah, that was. At first, I only had a two-race deal, Indianapolis, and Texas, and then going to Richmond with a second-place was just amazing, and I'm just thrilled to be with those guys here.
Q. You've had success and really made the most of some limited opportunities. You came into the IndyCar Series in 2002, debuted in the final four races and recorded three top-10 finishes, then you came back in 2003, missed the first couple of races and then ran 10 races. And then, you were back looking for a job this off-season. What was that like for you, looking for that job and then seeing the season start and being without a ride?
VITOR MEIRA: Yeah, it's always tough. It's always tough coming to a new team. Well, when you get to the top, and you want to be there. You want to stay there, and the IRL, for me, it's the top of everything. I really wanted to be here. I thought I did a good job on the two previous years, but, well, a lot of good happened with things in 2003. I stayed without a ride, but as you said, I missed the first two races, and then, I couldn’t have been luckier. I was just walking around the Phoenix paddock, and all of the sudden, (Rahal Letterman Racing’s) Scott Roembke gave me the opportunity to go to Japan and Indianapolis. Again, I can't thank those guys enough. It's kind of tough staying without a job. Actually, it's more than a job. It's one thing that you love to do, so it's been tougher.
Q. You've demonstrated such great success so far this year, but still your situation is day-to-day depending on the recovery of Kenny Brack. How do you handle that uncertainty going forward?
VITOR MEIRA: Well, actually, it's not the best thing in the world, for sure, but I mean, I couldn't be in a better place with those guys here. They do everything amazingly and super professional, and I actually just think day-by-day. That's how I go, and it's been working. I work today, and tomorrow, if everything goes good again, I'm going to work again. So I'm not really worried about tomorrow, because if I do, it's going to be really tough. You start to worry tomorrow about what's going to happen, about what's not going to happen. So I really worry about today, and those guys, they gave me the opportunity today, and I will stick with it and do the best I can to win every race.
Q. I know at one point the team had put three cars out on the grid. With your success, has there been any talk of adding a third car that you know of?
VITOR MEIRA: Well, I don't know. I don't know any of these business decisions and everything. They did three cars which was Roger (Yasukawa), Buddy Rice and me at Indianapolis. After Indianapolis, it was just me and Buddy. They kind of did an expansion of the sponsorship that was only during Indianapolis. They extended it, so I had the opportunity to go to Texas and also now Richmond, and to be honest, I don't know, that's one question that Mr. Scott Roembke and Mr. Bobby Rahal would for sure answer much better than I could.
Q. You've turned in three consecutive top-10 finishes now, has that surprised you at all?
VITOR MEIRA: Well, it's surprised me in a way how good the car is. I mean, I do drive not a lot of cars, but I drove quite a few cars in the IRL, and how quick the engineers here and all of the staff, everybody here, how quick they come up with the right setup and the right decisions without any hassle, that's why it kind of surprised me. The results, it's only the fruit of their work and my work and how good the team works. I think that's where the results come from. But having a second-place on the fourth race I did for them, it kind of surprised me a little, but again, surprised me the way how good everything is here.
Q. I understand that the team may be making an announcement in the future here at any time now. The past couple of races, have you felt like you were auditioning for a job of any kind or just driving?
VITOR MEIRA: I was again just driving. It's what I do. It's the only thing I know how to do. So I was driving. I was hired to do that, and that's what I was trying to do, my best. The rest is a business decision. All of the other decisions, I'm not a big part of that. I'm hired to drive, and I will do the best I can here for those guys. The other decisions, I don't know. Mr. Scott Roembke, he can answer much better.
Q. Other than Rahal Letterman Racing, has anybody else been contacting you about possible driving for them?
VITOR MEIRA: Yeah, well, that's our hope. That's what everybody is working for is to expand that throughout rest of the year. Bobby Rahal and Scott Roembke are all working on it. They are really happy with all of the results we have and with all on the track and also out of the track, business-wise. I don't see any reason not to continue. But again, it's a decision, it's a sponsorship, it's a big company on both sides, and I can only pray and hope that they make these decisions to continue the rest of the year.
Q. When I've been listening to you talk about the patience that you have regarding this ride and looking for a ride, I begin to understand a little bit more why you're able to do what you did at Texas because it seemed you used that same patience on the racetrack.
VITOR MEIRA: Thank you very much. Well, I think the patience comes from wanting so bad, maybe. I will always do the maximum for my effort and the maximum of everything to get a good ride and to stay racing and competitive. And I think a little bit comes from it because that's what I know how to do and what I have been doing since I was 10 years old. So, you learn a little bit from years and years in racing, and I will keep doing the same thing. I will always do that because that's what I love to do.
Q. Looking at Kansas City, talk about that for a moment.
VITOR MEIRA: Kansas City, last year, we had a good car there, which I was on another team. We had a good car, but we unfortunately didn't finish the race because of mechanical problems. It's a race pretty much like Texas, Chicago and a little bit like Homestead. We will have a good power there as everybody saw, it depends – (Honda) never stops pushing; and every day, every week, every race, we have some more horsepower, some new tricks that they come up with. Again, it's the race like Texas or Chicago where the engine is really important. So, we are going to be good. The team is good. The team just won the (Indianapolis) 500 with Buddy Rice. I just came in second. The momentum is building. I like this one-and-a-half-mile track. I think it's only a matter of putting it all together, all of the kind of little pieces together to make it happen.
Q. Considering what you have been able to do, and considering the confidence that you have in this race car, and the fact that with the lesser car, you did pretty well at Kansas City last year, something tells me you've got to be real confident that you'll be standing there at the victory podium at the end of the race.
VITOR MEIRA: Yeah, actually, I'm confident every race because it's no reason not to be with all of this structure around me. It's amazing the job those guys do, and also, a victory, it's something that you're always looking for, but it's really difficult to make it happen. A victory, you work, work, work, and then it comes to you. Because they find the good players, we are doing our best every day to obtain that. But the victory is something that comes with the work, and if it's going to come this weekend, maybe next weekend or later, I don't know. But as long as we keep working the way we are working, we do our best and make the best decisions, it's going to come sooner or later.
Q. Again, the word "patience."
VITOR MEIRA: Exactly. This is where patience comes in. With only three races, for example, we are fourteenth in the championship, and there's where patience comes in. There's still a lot of races to go on this championship, and you never know what can happen. Just stay on the track, keep pushing and something good happens.
Q. Several races this year, especially the last one, you haven’t qualified well. Is that part of your style or what does that say about your driving ability?
VITOR MEIRA: Well, we always had a good car, and even in traffic or qualifying -- but for some reason, which I am still about to find out, sometimes we don’t show it. For example, at Texas, I was the first one to go out to qualifying after the truck series warm-up. So I kind of took a run around the track that was very kind of different, and then it kind of didn't help me much, and that's why we started 13th there, and that wasn't as good a qualifying as we thought it would. And the rest of the races, honestly, I think they thought we were always going to be qualifying a little bit better than they did. And again, I always focus more on the racing than qualifying. That doesn't mean that I don't focus on qualifying. I always focus the max I can on both of them, but again, racing is the important thing. Qualifying, it's important, the further you are, the more forward you are, you can be easier that you can avoid a lot of eventual problems that happens on the start of the race. So, I don't know, we've been working as hard in racing and qualifying, but so far for me, now, racing has been a bit stronger car, which is good, but we still have to have a little bit, the qualifying part of it, because if you start like -- the more ahead you start, the better it is.
Q. Great job last Saturday. You've driven many different types of cars over the last couple of years. Have you had to change how you adapt to a racing car when you get into a different type of package?
VITOR MEIRA: Well, for sure, it's a change, but it's not a whole lot different. The cars give different feedback, and with feedback, you have to learn a lot of tricks that they have. It's not the best situation. But again, it's all speed, and speed doesn't change. Racing is just racing, and if you have the speed, you have the speed. So, it's a matter of putting everything together and going for it. It does change, driving different cars and different engines and everything, but the bottom line is, it's always speed and time. So you want to -- it is tough, but not as -- there's not a whole lot different than driving in another car.
MODERATOR: Thanks everyone for joining us today on the IRL's weekly teleconference.
