Matos In For MO & Beyond

[NismoZ]

Matos and Montagny in the #26 AGR P2 Acura. Finally, a driver pairing that makes sense. Maybe Honda made this decision instead of Michael.:rolleyes: Either one of those guys is better than 3/4 of the Indy Car team, too. Maybe all of 'em!

[cameraman]

I'm thinking the folks on the Acura side of things were none too impressed with the abject stupidity on display at Lime Rock. Great to see Matos teamed with Montagny.

Now if we could just find some new team owners...

[extramundane]

Matos is a great choice- if they leave him in the car and let him focus on it. There are 2 conflicting weekends b/w ALMS & Indy Lights; if they make him fly back and forth, it may be as futile as Maaco's double-duty this past weeken.

[cameraman]

Matos is a great choice- if they leave him in the car and let him focus on it. There are 2 conflicting weekends b/w ALMS & Indy Lights; if they make him fly back and forth, it may be as futile as Maaco's double-duty this past weeken.

Unless he is #1 in the points for the Indy Lights it would be stupid beyond words to jeopardize an ALMS race for a frickin Indy Lights race. Even if he is #1 in the Indy Lights points who gives a damn about the Indy Lights champion besides the driver's mom?

[extramundane]

Unless he is #1 in the points for the Indy Lights it would be stupid beyond words to jeopardize an ALMS race for a frickin Indy Lights race. Even if he is #1 in the Indy Lights points who gives a damn about the Indy Lights champion besides the driver's mom?

Consider the team we're talking about. Common sense doesn't seem to be in abundant supply.

[NismoZ]

Matos demonstrated several years ago and several times over that he is better/faster than Marco and Rahal but still reaches for that top (?) rung. I wonder what the reason for that could possibly be?:rolleyes:

[extramundane]

So much for a focused rest of the season (http://www.americanlemans.com/news/Article.aspx?ID=4480):


Raphael Matos, often referred to as the poster boy for the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder has been confirmed for the ALMS Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta on October 4th. Matos will be the third driver joining Ben Devlin and Gerardo Bonilla.

[cameraman]

I can't find any quote where it says that Matos will be in the car for any other race than Mid-Ohio.


Andretti Green Racing (AGR) announced today that Raphael Matos will join Franck Montagny in the #26 XM Satellite Radio Acura for the Acura Sports Car Challenge this weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

This is Matos’ first start for AGR in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). However, Matos has three ALMS starts in the 12 Hours of Sebring and one at Petit Le Mans. His best finish came at Sebring in 2007 when he scored a ninth in the GT2 class.

Currently, Matos stands second in the Firestone Indy Lights championship and has driven the #27 AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing entry to a pair of wins this season, one coming on the streets of St. Petersburg and the other coming at Watkins Glen International. Matos won the 2007 Atlantic Championship and also captured a GT class win in the 2008 24 Hours of Daytona.

Matos will be driving in three races as part of this weekend’s action at Mid-Ohio. He will take the wheel Saturday for both the ALMS Acura Sports Car Challenge and the first race of the Mid-Ohio 100 for the Firestone Indy Lights Series. He will drive in the second race of the Firestone Indy Lights doubleheader on Sunday.

Montagny joined AGR mid-season as the primary driver for its ALMS entry and made his first start last weekend at Lime Rock Park. He and co-driver Marco Andretti ended their debut together with a fifth-place LMP2 class finish and sixth-place finish overall.


Raphael Matos, #26 XM Satellite Radio Acura: “I’m very excited to be driving the XM Acura at Mid-Ohio in addition to my duties for the Firestone Indy Lights Series. I got to test AGR’s ALMS car at Mid-Ohio about a month, which I think will help me get up to speed much quicker. I am looking forward to driving with Franck as I know that we will be able to work well together to set up the car. Hopefully we can give Acura another win and give AGR their first win of the season.”

Sounds more like a single race gig to me. Meebe it is his turn:gomer:

Let's see we have Tony, Hideki and the Princess along with Luyendyk who have not had an ALMS ride yet this year. Remaining in the season are RA, Mosport, Detroit, Petit & Laguna. Hmmm, one for each plus Petit.

Could they really be that stupid?

[Methanolandbrats]

Could they really be that stupid? yes

[Easy]

If its true that HPD is looking to cut one of their teams and AGR made a move to try and keep their spot at the table, what bigger way is there to say we don't GAF than by the musical second driver deal that they said didn't work in year one?

I guess they really are that stupid. Its amazing sometimes how far incompetent people can rise.

[extramundane]

Let's see we have Tony, Hideki and the Princess along with Luyendyk who have not had an ALMS ride yet this year. Remaining in the season are RA, Mosport, Detroit, Petit & Laguna. Hmmm, one for each plus Petit.

And 2 of those weekends are direct conflicts with IRL/IPS weekends, so no doubt they'll fly drivers back and forth, rather than properly employ a dedicated 2nd driver.

I guess perhaps the team's collective brain is still lodged inside Bob Clarke's ass.

[Methanolandbrats]

If Honda axes Mikey's team I'm gonna have a party http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/grinser/grinning-smiley-018.gif