CHAMPCAR/CART: Wilson runs in Brazilian race

Redback Networks-backed driver Max Wilson returns to the US to start his testing sessions with his new Team: Arciero Brooke Racing, after winning a big race in Brazil.

"When I got back to Brazil after Fontana (Sneak Preview), some long-time friends called to invite me to race in the 29th edition of the Brazilian 1,000-Mile sportscar race, which was held last Sunday on the Grand Prix circuit of Autodromo Interlagos, at Sao Paulo, Brazil," Wilson said.

"Every year they organize this race. This time we drove the #21 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. I qualified the car on pole. The race was delayed 3 hours due to rain. It started at 3:05 a.m. and my teammate Flavio Trindade started the race. I took the car halfway into the race, when we were second and I returned the car in the lead, two laps ahead. I drove the car later and when I returned it, we were still on the first position, 8 laps ahead. Regis Schuch drove the last 15 laps, finishing 12 laps over second-place. We led 215 of the 375-lap race and we set the fastest lap, too," he added.


Marx Wilson Photo: Brooke Racing.

"It was not easy to win, there were famous names on the grid such as former F-1 driver, Nelson Piquet, current Champ Car drivers Christian Fittipaldi and Tony Kanaan, also former Indy Lights driver Felipe Giaffone.

Now I am in Sao Paulo and I am flying to Indianapolis this Sunday (February 4). I am really looking forward to working with my new team. Our first test will be in Putnam Park on February 8 and 9 to shake down the car. Then, we will go to Laguna Seca on February 14 & 15, to work on the road course settings. Finally, we will go to Phoenix on February 21 and 22 to work on the oval configuration.

<pre> Following the race results (top-six) of the 1,000-Mile race held in Interlagos.

1 Max Wilson, Regis Schuch, Flavio Trindade, Andre Lara Resende. Stuttgart Sportcar, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 375 laps, 11:57'46.306 at 134.541 Kph. 2 Jair Bana, Tino Viana, Peter Januario. Aldee, 363 laps. 3 Pedro Pimenta Jr., Amaury Pires, Daniel Gianfratti. Aldee, 358 laps. 4 Baltazar Jr., Rodrigo Hanashiro. AS-Vectra, 355 laps 5 Renato Marlia, Carlos Teixeira, Valmir Benavides. Berga, 342 laps. 6 Nilo Caruso, Claudio Ferreira, Alvaro Candido. Aldee, 340 laps.

-Brooke Racing