[MotorSports News]

Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has some new conversation pieces for his office in Brasilia compliments of the Indy Racing League and three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves.
Castroneves and Terry Angstadt, president of the Indy Racing League's commercial division, were among the delegation to meet with President da Silva for more than an hour July 20 to discuss a 2010 IndyCar Series event in the country and its burgeoning association with trade promotion agency ApexBrasil.
Watch it: News report of the meeting with President da Silva (in Portuguese)
Castroneves, a native of Ribeirao Preto in the state of Sao Paulo, autographed one of his historic racing helmets and presented it to the president.
"It was an amazing experience to meet the president of my native country and I am truly honored to have been granted the audience," said Castroneves, who won his third 500-Mile Race in May and will compete in the Rexall Edmonton Indy this weekend. "After everything I've been able to accomplish this year, it was fantastic to get the opportunity to shake President da Silva's hand.
"Now, the next order of business is to get my pit crew to the White House to meet their president.♫The guys on the team would really like to meet President Obama, and after all they've done for me I would love to be able to give them the opportunity to meet him."
Castroneves relayed details of the IndyCar Series (Formula Indy as it's known in Brazil and Latin America) to President da Silva, who at one point asked the straight line speed of the No. 3 Team Penske Honda-powered Dallara.
"About 230 mph," Castroneves said.
" ... and after all that you can still dance?" the♫President replied.♫

Earlier this year, in an effort to communicate the options in which ethanol can be produced and to enhance its position as a global commodity, the IndyCar Series partnered with ApexBrasil.♫The IndyCar Series has utilized 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol since 2007, and Brazil is the largest exporter of the ethanol in the world.
Mauricio Borges of ApexBrasil explained to the President♫the program with the♫IndyCar Series as a platform, which also includes♫promotion of both Brazilian exports as well as foreign investments in Brazil, has been a great success.
Angstadt, who on July 21 toured a "very impressive" sugar cane ethanol production facility in the state, presented da Silva a checkered flag signed by the 33 drivers to start the Indy 500 and a framed, autographed photo collage of Castroneves crossing the Yard of Bricks and holding the Brazilian flag in Victory Circle.
"I found (da Silva) incredibly engaging and he asked very interesting and pertinent questions about the Indy Racing League, its use of ethanol and the drivers," Angstadt said. "At the end, he publically declared his support for racing in Brazil."
The last time Brazil hosted an Indy car race was in 2000 in Rio de Janeiro. The 2010 IndyCar Series schedule will be announced Aug. 1.


7/21 :: Presidential audience