F2000 Champ Carbone Set for Brickyard
Indianapolis, IN – 2010 F2000 Series Champion Victor Carbone is set to run his first laps the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 13. The 18-year-old Brazilian won six races for Alegra Motorsports en route to the 2010 F2000 title and then made the jump to the Indy Lights Series, where he drives the #3 for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
Carbone will join fellow F2000 graduate, 2008 Champion Anders Krohn, who drives for Belardi Racing in Indy Lights, at the Speedway.
“I’m excited, it’s a pretty cool place,” said Carbone. “It’s my first oval race, and it’s at Indy. With all the history behind it, and everything else, the venue is very special. I’d love to finish in the top five; that is our goal.
“I still have two weeks of school, so I am commuting back and forth to Miami.”
The Brazilian recently earned his oval license following a successful test in Chicago.
“We tested in Chicago on Tuesday at the oval, and we are at the Speedway this Friday (May 13). Chicago was fun; we did everything, from qualifying simulations to running a pack with all four team cars.”
Carbone said street circuits were more demanding the ovals, however, “you have to change your mind for the ovals completely. It’s different, you almost have to erase everything you know about driving on road and street tracks. Everything is different.”
A season high sixth place finish at Long Beach has been Carbone’s highlight so far, where he drove a head’s up race in only his third Indy Lights’ start.
“I don’t have the pace I expected out of myself, but need to remember it’s my first year in the series,” Carbone continued. “We are making progress every time I strap into the car, I get to the track and we improve. That means we are on the right path.”
Following graduating high school at the end of the month, Carbone will move to Indianapolis from Miami to concentrate on racing. Despite applying to colleges, he is deferring admission for the time being.