Ana Beatriz, who will make her IZOD IndyCar Series debut in her home country this weekend in a Dreyer & Reinbold Racing-prepared car, had an early morning wakeup call to drive the Indy Racing Experience street-legal two-seater in sections of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
It wasn't a simple morning commute. Under the auspices of the CET (Traffic Engineering Company of Sao Paulo), the operation incorporated about 400 people. There really isn't a time when streets in the largest city in South America are not congested. The helicopter hovered overhead as TV Bandeirantes filmed the five-mile ride for promotion of the race event.
"I would like to thank São Paulo City and Bandeirantes Group for believing in the making of this race," Beatriz said. "I have driven so many times by the Marginal (Tietê River road) at 40 kilometers an hour that I can hardly wait to ride here at 300 kilometers an hour without getting a ticket."
On March 8, the two-seater was transported to the Northeastern region of the state of São Paulo for media rides and display. Team Penske's Helio Castroneves was honored with the title of Citizen of Ribeirão Preto (his hometown) by Mayor Dárcy Vera and he showed her around the car (photo above). The city of 570,000 is a technology business hub in Brazil.
On March 9, the mayor of Piderão Preto will be one of the riders in the two-seater. Castroneves will attend the public event with a few of his former race cars/karts.
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