Catching Up With Vitor Meira

BY BRUCE MARTIN

Go to Macys.com/IZOD to buy the latest in IZOD Fall Fashion.

MOORESVILLE, North Carolina – With one off weekend left before the IZOD IndyCar Series World Championship Presented by Honda in Las Vegas on October 16 Vitor Meira gets a trip to Hawaii. But don’t expect to see the likeable driver from Brazil who drives the No. 14 ICOD IndyCar for team owner A.J. Foyt lounging on the beach with a Mai Tai in his hand.

Meira and fellow IZOD driver Tony Kanaan will be competing in the Ford Ironman World Championship – the famed Triathlon – in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on Saturday, October 8. It’s a grueling test of physical endurance that includes a 2.4-mile swim in the Pacific Ocean, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.

So much for a “weekend off” but Meira is a veteran Ironman competitor and looks forward to the challenge.

“I ran the Half-Ironman Championship last year but now it’s the full Ironman,” Meira said. “Man, it’s much bigger than I thought it would be. As I started training and putting the miles necessary to do a decent job there it’s pretty hard. It’s a lot of mind training to be honest because you are on the bike for like five hours training and then you run for 2-1/2 hours. You have to train mentally for it because it is such a big challenge. I try to spend as much time as I can not to disturb the IndyCar training and put as much time as I can not to disturb racing at all.”

Of the three events Meira likes the bicycle portion the most and swimming the least.

“It doesn’t mean I’m bad at it,” he admitted. “I’m OK on the bike and I’m OK on the swim. I have to improve the running but my least favorite is the swimming because it’s not social whatsoever. You get in the water and you just swim. When you are on the bike you can be social and go out with friends and run with friends and go places. But swim – you just swim. Nothing else but swim.”

Meira’s preparation is intense and is ready for that to pay off this weekend.

“In a week where I don’t have anything else like racing I will go a good 14 hours a week preparing for this,” Meira said. “That’s at the very least. That is running every other day and biking every other day. One day you bike; one day you run. One day you bike; one day you run. In between them you have to swim so that is how my training goes.”

So, let’s spend a few moments “Catching up with Vitor Meira.”

INSIDE IZOD – What do you like about IZOD fashion?

VITOR MEIRA – “I think IZOD fashion is more free rather than being classic. It is young and sporty styles. That is what I like most about it. I always liked IZOD’s clothes. I didn’t really know it was such a big company but I always like it before any relations with IndyCar I always had clothing from IZOD.”

INSIDE IZOD – What is the most fun aspect of being involved with IZOD?

VITOR MEIRA – “The most fun about IZOD is the correlation and the commitment they have with the series. Not only are the clothes good it wouldn’t be as much fun if it were another brand. The IZOD people are fun and it’s a good, young, sporty brand that is also heavily involved in trying to participate as much as they do with the series. That’s the most fun part – working with them. It’s not the commercials or the clothes it’s the whole experience working with them and the commitment to whatever they are promoting and working as a partner. They are more than a sponsor – they are a partner and that is the most fun.”

INSIDE IZOD – What is it like working with an American legend like A.J. Foyt as the team owner?

VITOR MEIRA – “Everybody is different and it’s a lot of understanding the perspective of everybody. A.J. can get a little upset and sometimes harsh on you. If you understand that it’s only because he wants to win races and improve the team from day to day, race to race, and year to year. If you understand that and let alone the personal part of it. It’s not that he is mad because of you; it’s because he has a bigger picture in mind and thinking about the team it becomes understandable and easy to work with him. He only gets mad and does the things he does because he wants to get better. Putting myself in his position I would do the same. Maybe I would express myself differently but the objective is always the same. If you understand that you can work with him.”

INSIDE IZOD – He has some characters that work on the team. What is that like?

VITOR MEIRA – “We are all in Waller, Texas which sets the team apart from those based in Indianapolis. Everybody in Indianapolis has the same type of work ethic. A.J. Foyt being far from Indianapolis we have different guys with different perspectives and there is not mixed up there. He does have a lot of interesting characters because being out of Indianapolis and the circle of racing is the difference. I think it comes more from that – just from being out of the Indianapolis area. Not that there is anything wrong with being in Indianapolis but sometimes it makes a difference to be away from that.”

INSIDE IZOD – A.J. Foyt is a pretty big eater and you are a Health Nut. What is that like?

VITOR MEIRA – “It is definitely something that I had to prepare myself to because all they have at the track is Hot Dogs and sometimes Pizza or Flat Meat (Cold Cuts). That is all they have in the truck. It’s a matter of preparation. I go out and buy my own stuff and buy my own bread and all that. When there is no choice you have to eat so you eat whatever A.J. eats if you don’t prepare. If you do prepare you go out; get some groceries and do your own thing.”

INSIDE IZOD – How often are you in Texas?

VITOR MEIRA – “Preseason I’m always there but during the season when the travel really thickens there is not a lot of time to go to Texas. I don’t go much during the thick part of the season but in the preseason at right after the season I go quite often. In the year I’ll go between five to 10 times.”

INSIDE IZOD – You are from Brasilia. Compare Brazil to Texas because a lot of people don’t realize how big Brazil is as a country and Texas is a huge state.

VITOR MEIRA – “I would compare Brasilia to Phoenix. It is a young city that was planned and right in the center. It’s hot but dry. It’s not humid like Miami.”

INSIDE IZOD – Where did you first live when you came to the United States?

VITOR MEIRA – “The first place I lived was Indianapolis for a year and then Dublin, Ohio when I drove for Bobby Rahal.”

INSIDE IZOD – Was that a culture shock?

VITOR MEIRA – “It was but before moving there I was living in Italy and before Italy I was living in England. It was a bit of a culture shock but I liked it much more than living in Italy so to me it was a step up.”

INSIDE IZOD – Do you consider yourself a car guy?

VITOR MEIRA – “I am a car guy. I definitely don’t go and spend a lot of money on it to be honest, though. I wanted to have a good car and now I have that. But nothing is going to beat IndyCar. I’ll stay with what I have here and I’ll let the IndyCar be my fast car. I’m not a car nut like Tony Kanaan or Graham Rahal or Tomas Scheckter. I really like cars but I like the racing cars.”

INSIDE IZOD – What is something about Vitor Meira that would surprise people?

VITOR MEIRA – “Something I try to cultivate is like a lot of guys I don’t try to be a Super Hero. I’m just a normal guy with a cool job. I don’t think I’m a Super Hero like a lot of people think. I’m a guy that had a talent; searched for the dream and it’s happening. I’m thankful for that.”

INSIDE IZOD – Favorite foods?

VITOR MEIRA – “Sushi and Pasta for sure. There is a great Sushi place on Meridian Street in Indianapolis up around 86^th Street called Ocean World. For Pasta there are a few places in Indianapolis I like such as Bravo!

INSIDE IZOD – Best prank you’ve ever pulled?

VITOR MEIRA – “I’m a terrible prankster. I cannot pull pranks. I haven’t had one that I’ve been able to pull off. I did have one pulled on me by Jaques Lazier. He put tie-wraps on the axle of the car that I rented so when it made a weird noise everywhere and were hitting the bottom of the car. That is the last one I remember and that was in 2003.”

INSIDE IZOD – What about your musical preference?

VITOR MEIRA – “I like a little bit of everything but I am more Rock and Roll and than anything else. I like Pearl Jam and R.E.M. a lot.”

INSIDE IZOD – What is the last thing you loaded on your iPod?

VITOR MEIRA – “The last thing I loaded was a Top Gear show which is a British car show. As far as music it was Pearl Jam – Australia. A concert they performed in Australia.”