Firestone Indy Lights: New Hampshire 100

Topics:  New Hampshire 100

Duarte Ferreira
Jorge Goncalvez
August 14, 2011

LOUDON, NEW HAMPSHIRE

THE MODERATOR: This is a career best finish for Jorge. He also finished on the podium with a third place finish at Milwaukee. Jorge, you seem to like these short ovals here. Talk about today's race.
JORGE GONCALVEZ: Just really happy because it's my first time that I finish second in Indy Lights. It's really hard series. There's a lot of really good drivers here, and yeah, I like the ovals, the short ovals.
We're working really hard at Team Dallara Racing. We're still working on a lot from Milwaukee to here, think a lot about what car we need for race, about traffic. On traffic the car is not so good. We run really slow on traffic at the moment.
But right now I finish second, I'm pretty happy. It's just good to me, makes some sponsors or something.
THE MODERATOR: We are also joined by Duarte Ferreira of Bryan Herta Autosport. Duarte is also having a career-best finish today, your first podium in Firestone Indy Lights. Duarte's previous best finish was fifth place at the short oval at Iowa Speedway. Talk about today's race and getting the first podium.
DUARTE FERREIRA: Today is a very good day because this season is my first season in Indy Lights. I am just 18 years old, and wow, very hard season this year. I finish seven Top 10s, but is work many times in the car. This race the car is a little bit more better, it's very good car, just the problem is big (indiscernible). But nice race. I concentrate just for the podium, and very good work.
And thank you very much for my sponsor, my family and my friends, and every time is talk, send the email, everything, for "go ahead, Duarte," yeah, and very good race.

Q. After Yacamán had passed you under that long green flag, did you think you'd be able to get him back later?
JORGE GONCALVEZ: I don't know because I have my teammate on the scrum in front of me, I have a lot on this team. When I'm behind him it's really hard work with my car on traffic because is only one line, he use the same line. It's pretty hard. After I pass my teammates on the scrum, then I start going faster every lap and doing good laps.
I don't know; at that moment I don't know how fast he ran, just I see is coming yellow flag because my teammates on the scrum is stopped, and I catch Yacamán, and I think everybody is telling me hey, Yacamán just (indiscernible), you can pass now, you need a good restart, keep working, keep concentrating, and that's what I needed. So I'm concentrating, I do the work, I pass him in the first lap after the restart. It's pretty good.
I feel happy with the car at the very end because the car is running fast; not the same like Newgarden, but we run fast.
THE MODERATOR: Duarte, it seemed like in kind of following up on that question for Jorge, it seemed like there were more opportunities to pass out there than originally expected. Did you feel that way?
DUARTE FERREIRA: Sorry, I'm not here. I am in the wall. But very good race. Keep working for the next ovals, because on the road course, the team needs work. I have one new teammate and it's a little bit more hard, but I love the ovals. I'm coming here in USA just for the ovals because is very different. The specification you see, you search in the steering, you're more faster, and it's very nice.

Q. Jorge, how is your leg?
JORGE GONCALVEZ: Oh, thank you. My leg is much better now. I walk without the crutch. It's just a little pain, but the muscle, just keep working, fix it up and everything. But I feel much better and I'm pretty happy and recuperating good. It's pretty long recuperate. But keep working after the Indy crash is no recuperate because I broke something that I have inside the framework, so I'm still there working.
THE MODERATOR: Jorge was involved in a crash at Indianapolis for the Freedom 100 this year. Guys, congratulations on great finishes, and we will see you in I guess it's Baltimore.