Firestone Indy Lights: Lefty's Kids Club 100

Topics:  Lefty's Kids Club 100

Gabby Chaves
October 19, 2013

FONTANA, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and get started with today's Firestone Indy Lights post-race press conference. We're pleased to be joined by Gabby Chaves, who finished second in today's race and second in the championship standings.
Gabby, great race out there. Talk about today's race.
GABBY CHAVES: It was a hard race I think from the beginning. I had to try to get to the lead. I never had enough speed to get around Carlos. I could always get alongside him, but I could never get in front of him.
I did what I could with what I had. Still a great result, I think. Probably come back next year to win the championship.
THE MODERATOR: You're a rookie in Indy Lights. At the beginning of the season, did you think you would be here vying for a championship?
GABBY CHAVES: That was always my objective. Being a rookie or not, wherever you go race, you have to have the mentality you have to go out to win races and fight for the title.
Being a rookie and being in this position in the last race, it's a good thing. But I knew I had the team that was going to back me up to give me a car to win and fight for a title. I think I've come a long way since I started my career in open-wheel racing.
I knew it was going to be a good championship and we took it to the last race.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions for Gabby.

Q. You tried to go inside. Looked like Carlos wasn't going to let you, was he?
GABBY CHAVES: I only had one clear opportunity where I had the inside line. Carlos moved over a little bit quick on me. I had to back off of it.
But after that, you know, I never really had any other opportunities. I tried going around the outside many times. I never had enough speed to actually get ahead of him before the next corner.

Q. I saw a couple times you got alongside him, tried to keep him down there. Were you having trouble staying down there yourself?
GABBY CHAVES: Yeah, I was trying to hold him down, see if he could scrub off some speed. I was having trouble myself with my car staying down there as well. I just had a bit too much understeer.
I did what I could with the tools I had in the cockpit to try to settle the front of the car. Just the wear of the tires didn't play in our favor.

Q. I know you're disappointed today, but how soon will you be able to look back on this season and be proud of what you've accomplished?
GABBY CHAVES: I mean, I think either way, when you have race wins, when you're fighting for a title, you can never complain. Sometimes it's going to go your way; sometimes it's not going to go your way.
This year we had our ups and downs. We had a very consistent year where we proved that we're definitely a title contender. We got a driver and a team to win races, to fight for the title. I think that's the main goal.
You can never be upset with a second place in the championship. I just went out there to win the race, and that's what I've got to keep doing every race.

Q. You just mentioned a minute ago that you're coming back next year. Is your deal with Sam set for 2014?
GABBY CHAVES: No, nothing's set yet. Obviously I would have loved to get the scholarship and move up to IndyCar, but that's still not off the table. We have to analyze our options.
I think with Juan Pablo Montoya coming back to IndyCar, it's going to be a big thing for Colombia. There's going to be a lot of interest. Nothing is off the table yet.
THE MODERATOR: Gabby, congratulations on a great season and a great race today.
GABBY CHAVES: Thank you.