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View Full Version : Matos And The "Ladder"



NismoZ
09-22-08, 10:19 AM
So, when you don't have any of the $5.00 start-up money left and you've run out of championships and steps, where do you go? AGR yapping about a 5th car next year and talk of adding someone else?! Matos is arguably better than ANYone they are running now and he's looking for a ride! :shakehead He's 2 for 2 in GA so I hope his upcoming trip to the Petit gets him a permanent and paying spot with Mazda or someone interested in driving talent. Next...LeMans. Go Rafael!:thumbup:

Ziggy
09-22-08, 11:51 AM
Not to beat a dead horse, but his situation is no different than a lot of guys who won championships the past decade or so.........

There is no ladder series with wheels, our US ladder series has ledger sheets:eek:

opinionated ow
09-22-08, 01:07 PM
Not to beat a dead horse, but his situation is no different than a lot of guys who won championships the past decade or so.........

There is no ladder series with wheels, our US ladder series has ledger sheets:eek:

Case in point 2007 Australian Formula 3 Champion Tim Macrow. Last weekend jumped in a 2001 specification car and finished third in the latest Aussie F3 race, despite a 6 or more year specification difference to the championship contenders. He beat the 2008 champion too...

pchall
09-22-08, 01:30 PM
Anybody else remember David Empringham?

Twice the Atlantic champion and once in Lights.

CART starts: 0

Ziggy's right about the right side of the ledger being more important than results.

NismoZ
09-22-08, 01:58 PM
Oh, I'm certain I'm beating a dead horse alright but it's still upsetting to see this "practice" continue. Maybe Matos can beat the odds.:(

Fio1
09-22-08, 02:04 PM
Anybody else remember David Empringham?

Ya, what more did that guy need to win? Like they said, with a dollar and an Atlantic or Indy Lights title you can still just buy a coke at 7-11. Those championship might have cost you a cool million, million-5, but they didn't mean sh**! Sucks. But, it's true.

Rafa is really good! And, he has good people behind him, always had. He'll land a ride next year, I'm not woring about it. How many different cars did he race this year? How many different cars did he race year after year? I won't worry too much about him. He'll get a ride somewhere in sports cars or touring cars somewhere. Everyone knows how good he is and he has good people behind him that land him all sorts of rides. Worst case, he'll go back to Brazil and make a living racing Brazilian Stock Cars. Watch, he may end up in GP2. He'll be ok!

RHR_Fan
09-22-08, 03:31 PM
Jon Fogarty too. Won two Atlantic championships and NEVER got a Champ Car start. He's been very successful in Grand-Am though.

SurfaceUnits
09-22-08, 03:35 PM
Oh, I'm certain I'm beating a dead horse alright but it's still upsetting to see this "practice" continue. Maybe Matos can beat the odds.:(

Repeat after me, TOney is not the answer to all that ails OW, in fact he's not the answer to anything that ails OW.

Ziggy
09-22-08, 08:08 PM
Hoover Orsi............

That Stephan Fruity Cupper that drove for Tasman (Robertson)

Claude Borbon-ay

Tags! :D

Hell, I remember when Memo Gidley was wowing them in Atlantics

NismoZ
09-22-08, 10:09 PM
Here's hopin', Fio. (and The League is about the last place I'd hope for, SU.)

Fio1
09-23-08, 01:58 PM
Ya, forget about Earl! Poor guy. :laugh:

It would be cool to see him in GP2 next year. That would be my vote. If not, I'm sure we'll see him in ALMS or Grand-Am somewhere if he does not land a second-rate Earl ride. Man, if Vitor Meira can get a ride every year there is no reason why Rafa can't. :saywhat:

Another ride to throw around is the Audi LMP1 seat that is opening up. Fasler has one, Rafa would be perfect for the other.

Trevor Longman
09-23-08, 03:24 PM
He has been doing a lot of ALMS races recently. Though I'm pretty sure that audi has enough drivers that it can dredge up from fia gt among other series. Although with the recent news that Bachelart is considering ALMS next year, maybe he could bring 2 things to conquest no other (recent) driver has: talent, and results. Personally, I think that Conquest will end up being in a 2nd Acura LMP2, a car Matos has had experience in. Oh and if I'm not mistaken he has some honda money. Seems like a perfect fit to me.

Ziggy
09-24-08, 01:53 PM
Does Conquest have the money to run LMP2?

Take away the charity and you would have never heard from Bachalart again

pchall
09-24-08, 04:29 PM
Does Conquest have the money to run LMP2?

Take away the charity and you would have never heard from Bachalart again


Well, in the press release for the Ginetta-Zytek LMP1 deal to run the car for Team LNT Bachelart said he was looking to ALMS as a place for his team to run a car.