Firestone Indy Lights: Baltimore 100

Topics:  Baltimore 100

Gustavo Yacaman
September 4, 2011

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

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.
We are now joined by our race winner, Gustavo Yacaman of Team Moore Racing. This is Gustavo's first career Firestone Indy Lights victory. The win comes in his 39th start in the series. This is Team Moore Racing's 6th career victory; others drivers to win under the Team Moore banner include Victor Garcia, James Hinchcliffe and Pablo†Denoso. Gustavo, congratulations on getting that first win and rebounding from that early spin there.
GUSTAVO YACAMAN: It wasn't completely a spin; it was a controlled 180! Yeah, you know, the race was really, really, really hard. The start was really tight there between Conor and I tried going for the lead early on but didn't quite work.
I don't know what happened right before the start with Peter, we banged wheels, my car went in the air. I think it knocked my toe off because I had a lot of understeer throughout the race, and I clipped the apex in turn 4 and knocked the toe a little more, and more understeer. But just after that first mistake, I put some brake bites to the front, because I was locking the rears a lot and drove my own race, stopped making mistakes, hitting my marks.
You know, I just wanted to thank all the triathlon organizers and the Iron Man for creating such a nice sport that has allowed me to be in this shape, where I was the most mistakeless from that moment on. It's one of the most physical tracks I've ever driven on in. And all of my training, it's paid off, all of those hours on the bike, running, swimming, working out, I think, I've always been looking at this moment as a goal to get me through all those workouts, you know. It's an amazing feeling that has just paid off.
THE MODERATOR: It seemed during the race that for our race leaders there was a bit of bad luck. No matter where you were and what you did, when you got the lead that you were either going to lose it or spin out. Did that go through your mind, seeing any of the other leaders hit the bad luck?
GUSTAVO YACAMAN: It's not bad luck; they've been doing it all year, to be honest, and I've been mistake free most of the season, you know, just hitting my marks and running my own race.
You know, it wasn't a surprise. I'm really sorry for them, you know, but I guess in the end, justice prevails. With what happened yesterday, I'm just happy I came out on top, and like you said, it was all physical. I think I'm the fittest driver in the series, and today it has shown.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions for our race winner. Any questions? That was easy. Congratulations on a great, great race and best of luck in Kentucky.

Q. (In Spanish.)
GUSTAVO YACAMAN: (In Spanish.)

Q. (In Spanish.)
GUSTAVO YACAMAN: I'm a race car driver. I will drive whatever I am offered to drive. If have to drive a go‑kart, I will drive a go‑kart. If I have to drive an F2000, I will drive an F2000. If I am offered to drive a Formula One, hell, I'm going to go to Formula One, you know? It's as easy as that. I love driving and that's what I like the most to do.

Q. What's the focus for the next race?
GUSTAVO YACAMAN: Keep opponents from trying to get up to third place in the championship. I think that would be a pretty good finish of the championship for us.

Q. (Away from mic.)
GUSTAVO YACAMAN: The Baltimore track is ‑‑ I mean, I won here, I absolutely love it. It's really, really hard.
It's not like many tracks that just have no personality to it. This track has a lot of personality. You've got some real bumpy places and then really, really slow corners and really fast corners, and then chicanes where you jump all over them. It's an amazing track, really, really hard physically, like I was saying before, I've never been so tired after a race.
You know, it's just a great place, you know? Great for the fans, great for us. There are so many hotels nearby so it's comfortable, the whole venue, where we're pitted, it's extremely big, we're comfortable there. All the details count to make a really good weekend, you know?

Q. (Away from mic.)
GUSTAVO YACAMAN: What kind of changes?

Q. (Away from mic.)
GUSTAVO YACAMAN: Well, I don't know if they†‑‑ like I said, the bumps give it personality, you know, I hope they don't. If it gets worse, I don't care because it's the same bumps for everyone, and it's just another challenge that we have to go through to be quick.
THE MODERATOR: Any other questions? Gustavo, congratulations, and thank you for joining us.
(Applause.)