Driver Detail

THIAGO MEDEIROS

One of the most dominant competitors in Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series history, Medeiros switched from rear-engine cars to those with the engine in front for 2006 (at least for most of the season), competing in the USAC Silver Crown Series – the second South American driver in history to race in the series. The rookie recorded two top-five finishes in seven starts, with a best finish of fourth at Iowa Speedway. Medeiros holds many records in Indy Pro Series competition, including consecutive victories and poles, wins and poles in a season, and consecutive laps led and laps led in a season.

Career Highlights (Through 2006 Season)

· 2004 Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series champion
· Best USAC Silver Crown Series Race Finish: 4th (Iowa, 2006)
· Career USAC Silver Crown Series Starts: 7
· One (1) career Indianapolis 500 start

USAC Career

· 2006 – Earned two top-five finishes in just seven starts, including a season best fourth at Iowa Speedway in rookie season in Silver Crown Series. Finished 13th in Silver Crown Series point standings. Scored five top-10 results in seven starts and had an average finish of eighth.

Career in Other Divisions/Races

· 1991 – Began racing career driving go-karts
· 1993 – Finished third in Brazilian karting championship
· 1996 – Earned one pole position en route to fourth-place finish in Brazilian karting championship
· 1997 – Debuted in Brazilian Formula Chevrolet Series
· 1998 – Won Brazilian Formula Chevrolet championship
· 1999 – Made South American Formula 3 debut, scoring one pole position and finishing 10th in point standings
· 2000 – Completed second season in South American Formula 3 competition, landing one victory and one pole position en route to sixth in point standings
· 2001 – Finished third in South American Formula 3 point standings, notching five victories and five poles in a dozen starts
· 2002 – Earned fourth in South American Formula 3 point standings, contesting eight of nine events with one pole to his credit
· 2003 – Finished fourth in rookie season of Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series competition, winning pole in first-ever oval race (Homestead-Miami) and first series victory in season finale (Texas Motor Speedway)
· 2004 – Named First-Team All-America in At-Large category of American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association due to dazzling performance in Indy Pro Series; Won six races – including four straight and once at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – in 12 tries, en route to series title; Also obtained eight poles and nine Top-5 finishes, establishing season and series records driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports
· 2005 – Made debut in IRL IndyCar Series, placing 22nd after crashing a car fielded by Dreyer & Reinbold pre-race
· 2006 – Competed in first career Indianapolis 500 for PDM Racing, occupying the 33rd and final spot in the field on the final day of qualifications; Placed 31st, dropping out with electrical problems after completing 24 laps

Personal Information

Born Thiago Cavalcanti de Medeiros on July 24, 1982 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, his hometown...Also resides in Indianapolis...Has two siblings: Karina and Rodrigo...Enjoys playing bocce, running and watching movies in spare time...First job was as a teacher at a driving school in Brazil...Favorite bands include Lasgo and OAR...Favorite movie is Seven...Favorite racetracks include Interlagos in Brazil (road course) and Phoenix International Raceway.

Kansas Climax

The beautiful 1,5 mile Kansas Speedway was the stage for the final
SilverCrown race of the 2006 season. It was also the opportunity for
the championship battle and the young hopefuls to perform in front of
the NASCAR circus.

"Buddy Kaeding and Brian Tyler are deciding the Championship but we
are all deciding our plans and investing in our future" said Thiago
Medeiros "and there is no better place than this beautiful track and
fantastic audience at both sides of the oval to do that"

The first and only test showed that the smooth and long Kansas
Speedway would be a challenge for the setup of the cars.

The tests
Both PDM Racing Cars the #26 of Aaron Pierce and #18 of Thiago
Medeiros, spent most of the allocated one hour time on Friday,
concerned about tire consumption and looking to have the cars better
suited for the long 100 mile race of Saturday. "We gain more working
with the solutions for the long race than looking just for speed in
two qualifying laps" said Thiago, that together with his chief
mechanic Jimmy Drinan managed to climb form 9th to 5th fastest by the
time of qualifying. "The 165mph plus lap of Thiago is a proof that we
are in the right direction," said Jimmy, before adding, "we have a
very constant car perfectly suited for the long race"

Another top 5 finish
Aaron Pierce won the battle for the second time in the year, repeating
his long oval victory in Chicago and showing that PDM is a strong
force to be recognized for next year's Championship. Thiago had a poor
start and dropped to 12th place "I still need to sort out better the
starting procedure" said the Brazilian in the end. But another
spirited drive, with some very straightforward overtaking on turn 1,
brought him to 4th place in the end. "I even managed to have a
fantastic battle with the crowned champion Buddy passed and opened
some distance to him but lost some time behind a back marker and was
overtaken again" completed Medeiros that raised more than one eyebrow
among the spectators.

The SilverCrown next year
After this first year under new rules, the Silver Crwon series proved
to be a welcomed contribution for what is already perceived as the
"NASCAR Package" that will give young drivers a very straightforward
break at the most successful form of Motor Racing in the World.

Iowa Speedway

The Iowa inaugural
The weekend of September 16/17 marked the
inaugurations of Iowa’s brand new Speedway. The Rusty
Wallace designed 7/8 of a mile banked oval received
USAC’s Midget, Sprint and Silver Crown cars for three
special races on Sunday.

Near 20,000 people attended the show on Sunday and saw
not only three very spectacular races but also very
fast ones. Both Midget and Sprint Cars bettered the
existing speed records, with the Sprint Cars having
the privilege to break the existing World speed
record.

For Thiago Medeiros, driving PDM’s Silver Crown Car
#18, it was also the maiden finish in his first year on
the series, after moving from IPS cars.

Troubled Saturday, competitive Sunday
Watching in disbelief a brand new engine seize in what
just the third installation lap on Saturday’s test
session, Thiago had to seat out of qualifying and
constricted to start 13th and last on Sunday’s race.

With just 30 of the 100 laps completed Thiago had
already moved up in the rankings to 7th place with
some thrilling overtaking on Iowa’s Turn 1. His stride
to the front continued and soon he was occupying 4th
place having demoted another three competitors always
using very well the top groove of the track. “It was
very exciting and funny, the track is so smooth and
fast and I was capable of passing all these cars using
the top part of turns 1 and 2 to my best advantage.”
declared a beaming Brazilian that still had more to
show.

Up to 2nd overall
On lap 80 Thiago had moved to 2nd spot, after passing
both Pablo Danoso #91 and Peter Shepherd #99 and
profiting from the fact that his team mate Aaron
Pierce #26 had lost first place due to an electrical
failure. Thiago continued a strong run to the finish
line until lap 93 when the extra effort of climbing
from last place took its toll on his tires. “The car
became very difficult to control with both left hand
front and right hand rear tires loosing their
performance due to blisters. At the same time, I lost
some momentum when overtaking some back markers Brian
Taylor #21 and both Pablo and Peter went by. But I am
very happy with this 4th place and want to thank the
Team for their effort in changing the motor on
Saturday and giving me a car that helped me show my
form.” Completed cheerfully after the first checkered
flag that he sees after 4 races in the series.

Last race of the 2006 season scheduled for the Kansas
Speedway on September 30th is where Thiago hopes to
add a podium before embarking in the testing period
for next year’s season. “I want to be back in 2007 and
race on both Paved and Dirt tracks with the Silver
Crown, the car is awesome with its 800HP engine and no
aerodynamic devices to help, I am really happy and
excited to continue.”

Damage from Debris Ends Strong Run at ORP

O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis from above.









USAC Silver Crown Series rookie Thiago Medeiros enjoyed his best performance to date during the J.D. Byrider 100 at O'Reilly Raceway Park, running as high as fifth before a cut tire forced him to retire midway through the race.

"I was catching my teammate (Aaron Pierce) in fourth and the race was going well," Thiago said. "Then Brian Tyler bumped Josh Wise, and debris from that accident flew back onto the track. I couldn't avoid it, and it cut the left-front tire."

Thiago, who started ninth after qualifying was cancelled due to rain, was classified seventh. It was a disappointing result for the 24-year-old Brazilian and the PDM Racing team, who had high hopes for a strong finish following a productive test at ORP earlier in the week.

"We were really unlucky that qualifying was rained out, because we had to start on practice times, and we'd had an oil leak in practice," Thiago said. "We fixed the problem, but when we weren't able to qualify and improve our starting position, it put us at a real disadvantage."

J.D. Byrider 100 Results

1. Brian Tyler
2. Carl Edwards
3. Dave Steele
4. Aaron Pierce
5. Bryn Gohn
6. Wayne Reutimann Jr.
7. Thiago Medeiros
8. Josh Wise
9. Mat Neely
10. Jay Drake
11. Bud Kaeding
12. Bobby Santos III
13. Tim Barber
14. Rodney Weesner

Thiago On Air On Raceday

Thiago will be featured on Indianapolis radio station X103 (103.3 FM) on Thursday, August 3. The amiable Brazilian is scheduled to chat with X103 morning show personalities Stuck and Gunner at 7 a.m.

Thursday afternoon, Thiago will join NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series stars Tony Stewart and Elliott Sadler for an interview with Michael Young, who will be broadcasting live from O'Reilly Raceway Park prior to the J.D. Byrider 100.

To listen to X103 -- and Thiago's morning show interview -- online, visit www.x103.com.

J.D. Byrider 100 Entry List

1 DAVE STEELE/Tampa, FL Randy Steenbergen-Team Six-R/Print Express - Verizon/
8 BRYN GOHN/Malabar, FL Stauffer-Adams Racing/B & W Enterprises - Goodson
Ott Chevy
14 JOSH WISE/Riverside, CA A.J. Foyt Enterprises/Jimmy Greer - C&R Racing
Incorporated/C&R/Chevy
17 MAT NEELY/Robinson, IL RW Motorsports/Rotondo Weirich/Stealth/HG Chevy
18 THIAGO MEDEIROS/Sao Paulo, Brazil PDM Racing/STP - Band Sports/C&R/Chevy
21 BRIAN TYLER/Mount Pleasant, NC Team Six-R/Kroger-Bounty - Pringles-Tide/C&R/Mopar
26 AARON PIERCE/Phoenix, AZ Sam Pierce/Sam Pierce Chevrolet - Bigelow Trailer
28 TIM BARBER/San Francisco, CA Ken Pierson/Eibach Springs - Shaver Motors/C&R/Chevy
29 BUD KAEDING/Campbell, CA BK-Leffler Motorsports/Loan City - Team ASE/DRC/Shaver
41 JAY DRAKE/Brownsburg, IN Jim Paternoster/Ferris Industries - National Parts Peddler/
96 RODNEY WEESNER/Portland, IN Weesner Motorsports/Hoosier Excavating - Indy RV
Center/Stealth/Chevy
00 WAYNE REUTIMANN JR./Zephyrhills, FLReutimann Motorsports/Case Contracting/DRC/Pink
199 CARL EDWARDS/Columbia, MO Carl Edwards-R.E. Technologies/Ford/C&R/Ford

Thiago Confident Following Productive Test at ORP

Thiago and the PDM Racing team hope a productive test produces winning results at O'Reilly Raceway Park. (Photo courtesy Blake Johnson)

Thiago enters tomorrow's J.D. Byrider 100 at O'Reilly Raceway Park with renewed confidence following a successful test at the Indianapolis track earlier this week. The USAC Silver Crown series rookie was the fastest of the four drivers who participated in the test session, recording an unofficial best lap of 22.36 seconds.

"I ran a total of 110 laps and we were able to test everything we wanted to," Thiago said. "We knew we weren't going to have much time during the event because of the tight schedule, so the test should turn out to be a real advantage for us. We also fixed the problem that ended our day in Milwaukee, so we are very confident for the race tomorrow."

J.D. Byrider 100 Schedule
Thursday, August 3, 2006
O'Reilly Raceway Park (formerly Indianapolis Raceway Park)

5:30 – 6:30 p.m. -- Practice

6:45 – 7:15 p.m. -- Qualifying

7:45 p.m. -- Race

For more information, visit www.oreillyracewaypark.com

Happy Birthday, Thiago

Thiago turns 24 today -- post a comment below and wish him a happy birthday!

Last year, Thiago celebrated with a cake -- and lots of frosting -- thanks to help from 2005 Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon...

Promising Run Ends Early Due to Electrical Problems

All eyes are on the future after a strong run for Thiago and the PDM Racing team at Milwaukee.






After starting 10th in Sunday's USAC Silver Crown series event at The Milwaukee Mile, Thiago was running sixth behind eventual winner Wayne Reutimann Jr. when electrical problems brought his day to an early end on Lap 55 of the 100-lap race. Despite the disappointing result, the performance proved that the rookie could keep pace with series veterans and challenge for the win.

“We had a little bit of brake trouble on full tanks, but the car came to me quickly and then got better and better," Thiago said. "We were on the same pace as the leaders until we had the electrical problem. It’s a shame that we couldn’t finish because I was having a lot of fun and I could really push the car. I think it was still the best experience we’ve had so far because the team and I are really coming together. We are all on the same page now, which gives us a lot of confidence heading into the next race at IRP.”

The next event for Thiago and the PDM Racing team is Aug. 3 at O’Reilly Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Thiago Finishes Sixth in Milwaukee 100; Qualifies 10th for Silver Crown Event

Thiago finished sixth in Saturday's Indy Pro Series Milwaukee 100, despite being slowed by an engine misfire throughout the race. The 100-lap event marked the end of an extremely busy day for the 23-year-old Brazilian, who earlier in the afternoon had qualified 10th for Sunday's USAC Silver Crown series race.

Thiago's hectic Saturday schedule:

9:15 - 9:45 a.m. -- Silver Crown series practice
10 - 10:15 a.m. -- Indy Pro Series warm-up
2:15 - 3 p.m. -- Silver Crown series qualifying
3:15 p.m. -- Indy Pro Series pre-race activities
3:40 p.m. -- Milwaukee 100 Indy Pro Series race

"Today was a long day," said Thiago about his return to the Indy Pro Series. "The car was very loose, especially at the beginning of the race. Then, whenever I'd catch up to (Nick) Bussell, I'd have some kind of misfire, so we'd drop back again. Still, it was fun being back in a Pro Series car, and I want to thank (team owner) Gary (Peterson) and the AFS crew for letting me drive for them this weekend.

"Unfortunately, qualifying for the Silver Crown race didn't go very well. One of the tires on the golf cart in pit lane rolled onto the track and USAC threw the yellow flag, so I only had one flying lap. Now we just have to focus on raceday. It will be a long race -- 100 miles -- so tires are going to play a very big role."

The green flag for the Milwaukee Silver Crown series race, only the fourth Silver Crown start of Thiago's career, will drop at 10:45 a.m. Sunday.

Thiago Seventh in Indy Pro Series Qualifying at Milwaukee

Thiago Medeiros, the 2004 Indy Pro Series champion, qualified seventh for Saturday's IPS Milwaukee 100 at The Milwaukee Mile. Substituting for the ill Alex Lloyd, Medeiros posted a best lap of 141.973 mph in the No. 26 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Inc. car despite brushing the wall late in his qualifying run.



"The car was not good in the first session, not set up the way I wanted it," Medeiros said. "We made some dramatic changes and really improved in the second session. In qualifying, the car was much faster in Turns 1 and 2. I just overdrove it into Turn 4, brushed the wall, no real damage. We should be in good shape for the race tomorrow."

Flashback: 2004 Milwaukee 100

Thiago’s Indy Pro Series/USAC Silver Crown Series double-header this weekend at The Milwaukee Mile marks the first time the talented Brazilian has competed at the historic oval since the IPS Milwaukee 100 in 2004.

Thiago dominated that race, starting from the pole, posting the fastest race lap and leading 76 laps before a wheel-bearing failure forced an early end to his day.
















Thiago captured the pole position for the 2004 Milwaukee 100, one of eight poles he earned en route to the 2004 Indy Pro Series title.

















Thiago dominated the competition during his last appearance at The Milwaukee Mile.

2004 Champion Medeiros Returns to Indy Pro Series Competition at Milwaukee

Thiago Medeiros, the 2004 IRL Indy Pro Series champion, returns to the series this weekend at Milwaukee driving for AFS Racing.

"I was flattered to receive the invitation and gladly accepted," said Medeiros. "After all, for a racing driver, it's the same thing as for a pilot -- the more you do it, the better you can be. It's a great opportunity to put in more miles."

The Milwaukee weekend will be a busy one for Medeiros, who also will compete in the USAC Silver Crown series event at the 1-mile oval.

"I am still following the Silver Crown option that I chose in the beginning of the year, and I even plan to compete in some races on dirt tracks later this year with PDM Racing," said Medeiros. "We're still preparing for a complete 2007 season in the Silver Crown series. The opportunity to race in the Pro Series this weekend is a bonus because it keeps me close to the Indy community and next year's Indy 500."

Medeiros will compete in the Indy Pro Series Milwaukee 100 at 3:40 p.m. on Saturday and the USAC Silver Crown series event at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday.

Follow Thiago during his double-duty weekend at www.indycar.com/pro and www.usacracing.com

Transmission failure ends strong run at Chicagoland

After starting fifth and running well for the first half of the USG Fiberock 100 at Chicagoland Speedway, Thiago suffered his third mechanical failure in as many events and finished ninth. Despite the disappointing result, Thiago was happy for his PDM Racing teammate Aaron Pierce, who earned the first win of his Silver Crown career.

Here's what Thiago had to say about his run:

"We had a strong car and if we hadn't had a transmission problem, I think we could have finished in the top three. We began having problems with the top gears and then the car wouldn't move. It's disappointing, for sure, but overall it was still a good weekend for the team thanks to Aaron's win."

Next up on the USAC Silver Crown series schedule is the Milwaukee 100 scheduled for July 23 at The Milwaukee Mile.

Thiago qualifies fifth at Chicagoland

Thiago turned in an outstanding qualifying effort for tonight's USG Fiberock 100 and will start fifth in just his third USAC Silver Crown series event.

The talented rookie qualified just over .10 of a second behind series points leader Bud Kaeding. USAC veterans Aaron Pierce, Jay Drake and Dave Steele took the top three spots on the grid.

Chicagoland qualifying results
1) Aaron Pierce 30.982
2) Jay Drake 31.089
3) Dave Steele 31.520
4) Bud Kaeding 31.727
5) Thiago Medeiros 31.830
6) Wayne Reutimann Jr. 31.864
7) Dave Darland 31.924
8) Brian Tyler 32.251
9) Bryn Gohn 32.351
10) Tim Barber NT
11) Peter Shepherd NT
12) Pablo Donoso NT
13) Josh Wise NT
14) Rodney Weesner NT

Wish Thiago good luck at Chicagoland!

Want to wish Thiago good luck at Chicagoland tomorrow? Click below to post your comments!

Chicagoland preview

The USG Fiberock 100 takes place tomorrow at Chicagoland Speedway, and after suffering mechanical failures in his first two starts, the former Infiniti Pro Series Chicagoland 100 champion is looking forward to a better result this weekend.

Here's what Thiago had to say heading into the event:

"The Chicagoland track brings back very good memories for me. I won there in the Infiniti Pro Series, and it was a very special win, since it came after I had mechanical problems at Milwaukee and Michigan. It felt good to be back on top again. Chicagoland was also where I had my first rookie test in an IndyCar with Patrick Racing, which was a great experience.

Chicagoland is a very fun track with a high level of grip. It’s a fast track, and with the high banking, it also allows us to carry a lot of speed through the corners.

The Silver Crown car is a whole different ball game for me. There is still a lot that I have to discover, but I think that this weekend’s race will be very close and very interesting to watch. I hope that everyone enjoys it. I also want to thank NASCAR for giving me the first opportunity to race in front of their teams!"

USG Fiberock 100 Schedule
Friday, July 7, 2006
Practice: 9-10:30 am
Qualifying: 10:45 am
USAC Driver Introductions: 6:10 pm
Feature Event: 6:20 pm

Return to Chicagoland

Thiago in Victory Lane.

The last time Thiago competed at Chicagoland Speedway, in September 2004, he started from the pole, led every lap and won the race to move one step closer to his eventual Infiniti Pro Series title.















Thiago celebrates his Chicagoland 100 win.

As the USAC Silver Crown Series prepares for the USG Fiberock 100 on July 7, Thiago is poised for another dominant run at the tricky 1.5-mile track outside Chicago.

Although engine problems plagued Thiago during a recent Silver Crown test at Chicagoland, he nonetheless posted a top speed of 167.701 mph.

"We just did a few laps to get back in the car and get comfortable," Thiago said. "We made a lot of changes on the car, and once we made it a little too low and the car kept bottoming out. In Turn 3, the car began to get sideways, and I just had to save it and keep it from hitting the wall.

"It's totally different to run this kind of car here, but it helped in bringing back a lot of fond memories. I do like this track a lot, and it was different to drive a Silver Crown car here. It'll be great to run with NASCAR on the weekend we are here. We're looking forward to coming back and having a little better luck the next time."

Flashback: 2004 Infiniti Pro Series Championship

Thiago celebrates his 2004 Infiniti Pro Series championship.

Thiago rewrote the Indy Racing League Infiniti Pro Series record book in 2004, winning the championship by a 134-point margin and leading 588 of 850 possible laps.

Thiago, whose first win in the series came as a rookie in the 2003 season finale, won six of 12 races in 2004, including a record four in a row. The talented Brazilian won the first of eight pole positions at Phoenix, where he became the first driver in IRL history to lap the field. He followed with consecutive victories at Indianapolis, Kansas and Nashville.

Thiago returned to Victory Lane at two of the final three races of the season, including the season finale at Texas Motor Speedway.


Thiago with the Infiniti Pro Series championship trophy at the 2004 IRL Awards Ceremony.

Richmond race update

Race day at Richmond began on a positive note as Thiago posted the second-fastest time in pre-race practice. Unfortunately, his bad luck returned during the race when a wheel-nut failure forced an early end to his run on lap 66. Thiago was classified 9th.

Richmond Times-Dispatch 100 race results: (100 laps) 1. Bud Kaeding, 2. Jay Drake, 3. Brian Tyler, 4. Wayne Reutimann Jr., 5. Josh Wise, 6. Pete Shepherd III, 7. Dave Steele, 8. Pablo Donoso, 9. Thiago Medeiros, 10. Aaron Pierce, 11. Rich Tobias Jr., 12. Tim Barber, 13. Bryn Gohn, 14. Rodney Weesner. 49:41.900

Richmond qualifying update

Photo courtesy Kenneth Plotkin, motorsport.com

Qualifying for the Richmond Times-Dispatch 100 at Richmond International Speedway was rained out, so the starting line-up was determined by combined practice times. Unfortunately, Thiago's first practice session was cut short due to engine problems, and he missed the second session while the PDM team changed the engine.

Thiago will start from the 10th position for Saturday night's race.

Here's what Thiago had to say about Friday practice:

"Friday was the first time I'd been on track at Richmond. Considering that we only did 10 laps before we had the engine problem and we were still only half a second off the pace, it wasn't that bad. The first time I went out, the car was pushing. Then when we came in and made a change, the car was loose on entry. I saw a problem with a valve and knew something was wrong with the engine. Luckily, I was able to pull in before it blew up. I actually did my best lap on the last lap when the engine was already losing power. For the race, we're running the same engine we did at Kentucky, which didn't have any problems. It will be a long race, so we'll see. It should be good."

Family photos

Thiago is very close to his family and friends, who travel to as many of his races as they can.


Thiago, his mom and dad, and his girlfriend Aline celebrating his Infiniti Pro Series title during the Indy Racing League championship cruise in 2004.



Thiago and Aline walking the runway during the CARA Charities fashion show prior to the Indy 500.




Thiago hugs his mom following his dramatic Indy 500 qualifying run as his dad and Aline look on.

Fitness and Fun

When he's not racing, Thiago maintains an intense fitness regimen that includes long-distance cycling, running and weight-lifting.

For fun, Thiago enjoys wakeboarding, playing video games, listening to music and playing soccer with friends.

Thiago's Career Highlights

2006
•Competing in the USAC Silver Crown Series for PDM Racing, focusing on pavement events. Made IndyCar Series debut in No. 18 PDM Racing entry at the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 in May. Finished 31st following an electrical problem on Lap 24.

2005
•Participated in IndyCar Series testing at California Speedway in September, driving for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Served as part of the broadcast team for Brazilian cable network BAND TV’s coverage of IndyCar Series races.

2004
•Dominated the Infiniti Pro Series, the Indy Racing League’s official development series. Set new series records with six victories and eight pole positions en route to the series championship. Led 11 of 12 races for a total of 588 laps, more than all other drivers combined. Won the Futaba Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Made history as first Infiniti Pro Series driver to lead all 100 laps and lap the field en route to victory at Phoenix International Raceway. Passed IndyCar Series rookie test in August 2004 at Chicagoland Speedway in a Patrick Racing car. Chosen to participate in an IndyCar Series test with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in November at Kentucky Speedway.

2003
•Finished fourth in point standings and was the top rookie in the Infiniti Pro Series. Captured the pole position for his first oval race, the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Earned first Pro Series victory in the season finale at Texas Motor Speedway.

2002
•Finished fourth in point standings in South American Formula 3, despite contesting only eight of nine events. Earned one pole position.

2001
•Finished third in point standings in South American Formula 3. Earned five wins and five pole positions in 12 events.

2000
•Competed in South American Formula 3. Earned one victory and one pole position en route to sixth place overall.

1999
•Made South American Formula 3 debut. Earned one pole position and finished 10th in point standings.

1998
•Won Brazilian Formula Chevrolet championship.

1997
•Made debut in Brazilian Formula Chevrolet.

1996
•Earned one pole position en route to fourth place in Brazilian karting championship.

1993
•Finished third in Brazilian karting championship.

1991-92
•Started racing career in karts.

Great article about Thiago's Indy 500 qualifying effort

Rookie Medeiros well-qualified kid
May 23, 2006
By Mike Brudenell, Detroit Free Press

INDIANAPOLIS -- He gave me a hug and headed off into what, for him, was the great unknown. I don't mind saying, I was fighting hard to control my emotions.

A reporter should distance himself from the story, or the subject, right? Keep it professional. Just print the facts, and, please, no tears.

Easy to say, but when you're being embraced by rookie Thiago Medeiros an hour before the biggest gut test of his young life, you forget what that crusty old editor taught you years ago.

Medeiros, a 23-year-old driver from Sao Paulo, Brazil, qualified Sunday for this weekend's Indianapolis 500 -- his first 500 -- in last place, and in a car that resembled an automotive version of Dr. Frankenstein's monster.

His family was there to watch him take four laps in the No. 18 Ethanol Brazil Panoz/Honda, which was sewn and glued back together from spare parts donated by other teams after a crash in practice May 18.

Forget about the speed -- 215.729 m.p.h. -- it was the manner in which Medeiros went about qualifying for the race, and the respect he showed the people who helped him get there, that mattered.

To read more of this article, click on the headline above.

Ready for Richmond

Thiago will compete in his second Silver Crown series event this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. The race starts at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, June 24. It will be broadcast on The Outdoor Channel on Saturday, July 15 at 5 p.m.

Welcome Thiago Fans!

Welcome to the unofficial fan blog for Thiago Medeiros, driver of the No. 18 PDM Racing car in the USAC Silver Crown series.

Some info on the 2004 IRL Infiniti Pro Series champion, who made his IndyCar Series debut at the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 this year:

Birthdate: July 24, 1982
Residence: Indianapolis
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Ht./Wt.: 6-3/185
Marital Status: Single