Firestone Indy Lights: Baltimore 100

Topics:  Baltimore 100

Victor Carbone
Josef Newgarden
September 4, 2011

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Joseph Newgarden and Victor Carbone. This is a career best for Victor in Firestone Indy Lights. His previous best finish was fourth at Edmonton.
Joseph, we'll start with you. Fourteenth to second. Are days like today the ones that make the championship?
JOSEPH NEWGARDEN: Absolutely. This was probably the best moment, I think, of the year. Certainly I'm pleased with what happened yesterday. It was difficult on me, I made mistakes yesterday and put ourselves in a very bad position for today. It was going to be a tough day, it was very hot, and I know everyone was struggling out there. We're fit, but it was a warm day.
First off, I think it's great that we came to Baltimore, what an unbelievable city to have a race in. I would love to come back here one day, and maybe in an Indycar if I can make it there, and certainly I'd love to win this race. That was the coolest podium I've ever done. We're only a support race and those guys showed so much enthusiasm. So I think everyone has enjoyed being here, including myself and I would love for us to come back. Thanks to the whole team, Championship Motorsports, they did an unbelievable job, as always.
I think Victor deserves a great a lot of credit. He's had an unbelievable amount of bad luck. He's a very fast driver and has obviously got a lot less experience than everyone else in the field. So for him to be doing so well ‑‑ you know, we're able to observe him closer. He's a really good driver, so I'm happy for him and disappointed for Esteban and certainly Conor but a great day for us, so we're going to roll into the last couple of rounds and seal this championship in Kentucky.
THE MODERATOR: Victor, as Joseph touched on, it's been a bit of a bad year this year. Talk about getting this podium finish
VICTOR CARBONE: It feels amazing. It was the toughest race I have ever done.
It was really bad, as Joseph said here. I mean, at the beginning of the race, our pace was good, and then I wasn't able to keep up with those guys, but I think the key to today was being constant and letting others make mistakes. I want to thank my whole team that have been with me the whole year.
We've been working really hard to try to achieve this, and I just want to thank my crew because they never give up. So that's good.
THE MODERATOR: For both of you, if you can talk about, too, the reception we received here in Baltimore, it seems like no other.
JOSEPH NEWGARDEN: It's self‑explanatory. It's pretty obvious, I think everyone could see it. I haven't seen these type of fans, really, this year.
When I say that. I think just the response that they give, they're genuinely enthusiastic for us to be here, they're enjoying it. I don't think they get to see it that often around this area, so it's great for the city. We need to come back here. This is a place to race, and they built a great track. I had a fun time trying to learn this place, and everything that I've learned from the drivers, they enjoyed it, too, so they did a great job as a city, and I'm really proud that we came here.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it for questions for our drivers. Any questions?

Q. Talk about the track a little bit, guys, how it was earlier today, and the remarks this morning about turns 2 and 5. Were guys struggle in those turns and getting up and down?
JOSEPH NEWGARDEN: That's the thing about the track. We love the track, but it's probably the most difficult track we've gone to, honestly. Normally you don't like difficult tracks, when it's easy to make mistakes, people don't like it. There are two very unique types to the track; it's like two tracks in one. From the front straight all the one to turn one, through the hairpin in turn 3 all the way up to turn 4 it's very, very bumpy, the bumpiest track we've ever gone to this year, and it's difficult and easy to make mistakes.
And once you get through turn 4, it's all pretty much asphalt and extremely smooth, so it's two different elements in one, and it provides a difficult engineering challenge, because on one time you could lower the car, because it's smooth, and then you have to raise the car because it's a bumpy circuit. It is really difficult; you saw two leaders go off today, which shows how difficult it is, and those guys are very good, and they made mistakes, so that's probably going to be the nature of the track if we come here again.
THE MODERATOR: Victor, getting this first podium finish this year, how much more confidence has that given you heading into the final stretch of the season?
VICTOR CARBONE: For sure, to finally get it, it's a boost and now it's back to the oval, completely different track, but it's a big boost for the end of the championship, for sure and just to improve on points. I think right now I improved a lot, on the points, so let's fight to do as well as we can to finish strong in the championship.
THE MODERATOR: Joseph, Victor, congratulations on a great race today. Thanks so much for joining us, and best of luck in Kentucky in a month. We'll see you there.