Vítor Meira (born March 27, 1977) is a Brazilian former auto racing driver. He formerly competed in the IndyCar Series and has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500.
IndyCar Series
2002
After participating in an open test for Panther Racing at Texas Motor Speedway in 2002, Meira made his IndyCar debut with Team Menard on August 11, 2002, at Kentucky Speedway. A little over a month later, Meira won his first career pole at Texas Motor Speedway after just four starts, and finished in third place.
2003
In 2003, Meira ran his first start of the year for Team Menard at the Indianapolis 500, where he finished twelfth as a rookie.
2005
Rahal-Letterman Racing signed Meira to a three-year contract in 2005, with backing from longtime supporter, Johns Manville and Menards. One notable race finish during the year was a second place to Dan Wheldon at the Indianapolis 500. Meira was out for the rest of the 2009 season.
2010
Meira drove to a podium finish in his first race back after his injury; a third place finish in his home country of Brazil. This would be his best finish of the year. Meira drove to a twelfth place overall finish in the points standings for the 2010 IndyCar Series season.
thumb|Meira during practice for the [[2011 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg]]
2011
Meira returned to A. J. Foyt Enterprises driving the No. 14 ABC Supply Company IndyCar. He finished fifteenth overall, with a best of fifth place of Toronto. He was involved in the fifteen-car accident that killed Dan Wheldon during the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship race. Meira was left without a ride for the 2012 IndyCar season, and he left American racing as a result.
2015
Meira attempted a come back for the 2015 Indianapolis 500, but failed to find a ride.
Personal life
Meira, who became engaged to longtime girlfriend, Adriana, in March 2006, was married at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas on March 22, 2008.
Business
After his American racing career, Meira started a self-storage facility business in Brazil, and took over an advertising agency started by his father.
Motorsports career results
Complete Euro Formula 3000 results
(key)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Entrant
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! DC
! Points
|-
| 2001
! nowrap| ADM Motorsport
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| VLL<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PER<br>
|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| MOZ<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DON<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ZOL<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| IMO<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| NÜR<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| VAL<br>
|
! 5th
! 16
|-
| 2002
! nowrap| ADM Motorsport
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|VLL<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|PER<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MOZ<br>
|SPA
|DON
|BRN
|DIJ
|JER
|CAG
! NC
! 0
|}
Complete IndyCar Series results
(key)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Team
! No.
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! 18
! 19
! Rank
! Points
! Ref
|-
| 2002
! rowspan=3 nowrap| Team Menard
! 2
! rowspan=3| Dallara
! rowspan=3| Chevrolet
|HMS
|PHX
|FON
|NZR
|INDY
|TXS
|PPIR
|RIR
|KAN
|NSH
|MIS
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|KTY<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|STL<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|CHI<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|TX2<br>
|colspan=4|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 25th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 96
!
|-
|rowspan=2| 2003
! 22
|HMS
|PHX
|MOT
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|INDY<br>
|colspan=15|
!rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 22nd
!rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 170
!rowspan=2|
|-
! 2
|colspan=4|
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|TXS<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|PPIR<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|RIR<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|KAN<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|NSH<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MIS<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|STL<br>
|style="background:#FFFFFF;"|KTY<br>
|NZR
|CHI
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|FON<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|TX2<br>
|-
| 2004
! rowspan=2 nowrap| Rahal Letterman Racing
! rowspan=2| 17
! nowrap| G-Force
! rowspan=9| Honda
|HMS
|PHX
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MOT<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|INDY<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|TXS<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|RIR<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|KAN<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|NSH<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MIL<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MIS<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|KTY<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|PPIR<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|NZR<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|CHI<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|FON<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|TX2<br>
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8th
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 376
!
|-
| 2005
! Panoz
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|HMS<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|PHX<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|STP<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|MOT<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|INDY<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|TXS<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|RIR<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|KAN<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|NSH<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|MIL<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MIS<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|KTY<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|PPIR<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|SNM<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|CHI<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|WGL<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|FON<br>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7th
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 422
!
|-
| 2006
! rowspan=3 nowrap| Panther Racing
! rowspan=3| 4
! rowspan=7| Dallara
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|HMS<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|STP<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|MOT<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|INDY<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|WGL<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|TXS<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|RIR<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|KAN<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|NSH<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MIL<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|MIS<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|KTY<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|SNM<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|CHI<br>
|colspan=5|
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5th
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 411
!
|-
| 2007
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|HMS<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|STP<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MOT<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|KAN<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|INDY<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MIL<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|TXS<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|IOW<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|RIR<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|WGL<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|NSH<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MDO<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MIS<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|KTY<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|SNM<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|DET<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|CHI<br>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 334
!
|-
|rowspan=2| 2008
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|HMS<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|STP<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MOT<sup>1</sup><br>
|LBH<sup>1</sup><br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|KAN<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|INDY<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MIL<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|TXS<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|IOW<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|RIR<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|WGL<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|NSH<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|MDO<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|EDM<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|KTY<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|SNM<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|DET<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|CHI<br>
|
!rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 13th
!rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 324
!rowspan=2|
|-
! rowspan=4 nowrap| A.J. Foyt Enterprises
! rowspan=4| 14
|colspan=18|
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SRF<sup>2</sup><br>
|-
| 2009
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|STP<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|LBH<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|KAN<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|INDY<br>
|MIL
|TXS
|IOW
|RIR
|WGL
|TOR
|EDM
|KTY
|MDO
|SNM
|CHI
|MOT
|HMS
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 28th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 62
!
|-
| 2010
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|SAO<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|STP<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|ALA<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|LBH<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|KAN<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|INDY<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|TXS<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|IOW<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|WGL<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|TOR<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|EDM<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|MDO<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SNM<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|CHI<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|KTY<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|MOT<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|HMS<br>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 310
!
|-
| 2011
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|STP<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|ALA<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|LBH<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SAO<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|INDY<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|TXS1<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|TXS2<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MIL<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|IOW<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|TOR<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|EDM<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|MDO<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|NHM<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SNM<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|BAL<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MOT<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|KTY<br>
|style="background:#FFFFFF;"|LVS<br>
|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 16th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 287
!
|}
: <sup>1</sup> Run on same day.
: <sup>2</sup> Non-points-paying, exhibition race.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
! Years
! Teams
! Races
! Poles
! Wins
! Podiums<br>(Non-win)
! Top 10s<br>(Non-podium)
! Indianapolis 500<br>Wins
! Championships
|-
|10
|4
|131
|2
|0
|15
|56
|0
|0
|}
Indianapolis 500
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
|-
! Year
! Chassis
! Engine
! Start
! Finish
! Team
|-
| 2003
| Dallara
| Chevrolet
|align=center | 26
|align=center style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12
| Menard
|-
| 2004
| G-Force
|! rowspan=8| Honda
|align=center | 7
|align=center style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6
| nowrap| Rahal Letterman
|-
| 2005
| Panoz
|align=center | 7
|align=center style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2
| Rahal Letterman
|-
| 2006
| Dallara
|align=center | 6
|align=center style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 10
| Panther
|-
| 2007
| Dallara
|align=center | 19
|align=center style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 10
| Panther
|-
| 2008
| Dallara
|align=center | 8
|align=center style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2
| Panther
|-
| 2009
| Dallara
|align=center | 14
|align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 21
| Foyt
|-
| 2010
| Dallara
|align=center | 30
|align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 27
| Foyt
|-
| 2011
| Dallara
|align=center | 11
|align=center style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 15
| Foyt
|}
Complete Stock Car Brasil results
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Team
! Car
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! 18
! 19
! 20
! 21
! Rank
! Points
|-
| 2012
! nowrap| Officer ProGP
! nowrap| Chevrolet Sonic
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| INT<br />
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| CTB<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| VEL<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| RBP<br />
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| LON<br />
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| RIO<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SAL<br />
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| CGD<br />
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| TAR<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CTB<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BSB<br />
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| INT<br />
|colspan=9|
! 23rd
! 45
|-
| 2014
! nowrap| Boettger Competições
! nowrap| Peugeot 408
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INT<br>1<br />
| SCZ<br>1
| SCZ<br>2
| BRA<br>1
| BRA<br>2
| GOI<br>1
| GOI<br>2
| GOI<br>1
| CAS<br>1
| CAS<br>2
| CUR<br>1
| CUR<br>2
| VEL<br>1
| VEL<br>2
| SAL<br>1
| SAL<br>2
| TAR<br>1
| TAR<br>2
| RBP<br>1
| RBP<br>2
| CUR<br>1
! NC†
! 0†
|-
| 2015
! nowrap| Eurofarma RC
! nowrap| Chevrolet Sonic
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GOI<br>1<br />
| RBP<br>1
| RBP<br>2
| VEL<br>1
| VEL<br>2
| CUR<br>1
| CUR<br>2
| SCZ<br>1
| SCZ<br>2
| CUR<br>1
| CUR<br>2
| GOI<br>1
| CAS<br>1
| CAS<br>2
| BRA<br>1
| BRA<br>2
| CUR<br>1
| CUR<br>2
| TAR<br>1
| TAR<br>2
| INT<br>1
! NC†
! 0†
|}
† Ineligible for championship points.
References
<!-- References will show in this section when they are added to the text in the appropriate manner -->
External links
- Vitor Meira's Official Site
- IndyCar Driver Page