From: Michael Powell 
 
TEAM RAHAL ANNOUNCES VITOR MEIRA TO DRIVE ITS THIRD ENTRY AT JAPAN
 
Meira Joins Rice and Yasukawa For Team#s Three-Car Assault At Motegi 
 
HILLIARD, Ohio  - Team Rahal announced today that young driver Vitor Meira
will drive the Ohio-based team#s third car for the Japan Indy 300 at Twin Ring
Motegi on April 15-17 in Round Three of the 2004 IRL IndyCar# Series.
 
Meira, who turns 27 Saturday, will join drivers Buddy Rice and Roger Yasukawa
in the first three-car entry for Team Rahal in the IndyCar Series.  Meira will
drive the No. 17 Honda-powered G-Force car with Rice in the No. 15
Pioneer/Argent Mortgage Honda G-Force and Yasukawa in the No. 16 Sammy Honda
G-Force.
 
Meira, a Brasilia, Brazil native, comes to Team Rahal with IRL experience in
14 races in 2002 and 2003 driving for Team Menard.  Meira won the pole position
in the second 2002 Texas Motor Speedway event (September 13, 2002 at 221.594
m.p.h.) and finished a career-high third in the Sept. 15, 2002 race at Texas in
his fourth IRL start.  Meira, a former open-wheel champion in South America and
Formula 3000 veteran, has recorded four Top Ten finishes in his 14 IRL starts. 
 
#We are pleased to bring Vitor into our Team Rahal driver lineup,# said Bobby
Rahal, Team Rahal co-owner with partner Dave Letterman.  #Vitor is a talented
young driver who was impressive in his performances previously in the IndyCar
Series.  I believe he will work well with Buddy and Roger at Motegi as we look
to collect our first victory in the league.#
 
#I#m very excited to drive for Team Rahal,# said Meira, who#ll make his first
start at the 1.5-mile oval north of Tokyo next month.  #This team has been one
of the best in open-wheel racing for many years and I#m looking forward to
working with the organization.  Driving with Honda power is a big plus for me,
too.  I#m eager to get to Motegi.#
 
Team Rahal will announce plans for the Indy 500 and other upcoming IRL events
in the future. 
 
___ Internet Rex 2.29
 


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