Vítor Meira
A Brazilian driver whose fearless consistency at the Brickyard made him a perennial threat, coming achingly close to winning the Indy 500 twice.
Born 1977 (age 49)·Brazilian racing driver·Birthday: March 27·Generation X
Biography
Vítor Meira embodied the gritty, determined spirit of an IndyCar Series contender during the 2000s. The Brazilian arrived in American open-wheel racing with a solid foundation from European formulas and quickly established himself as a master of the ovals, particularly the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Driving for mid-tier teams, Meira's success was built on remarkable consistency and a razor-sharp race craft; he rarely put a wheel wrong. This skill brought him heart-stoppingly close to the sport's greatest prize, finishing as runner-up in the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2008. While a major victory ultimately eluded him, his career is defined by those brilliant May performances, proving that speed paired with smart, clean driving could make anyone a threat for the Borg-Warner Trophy.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Vítor was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Vítor Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Vítor's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished in second place at the Indianapolis 500 twice, in 2005 and 2008.
- Secured 13 podium finishes during his IndyCar Series career from 2002 to 2011.
- Competed in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race multiple times in the GT class.
Did You Know?
Before moving to IndyCar, he won the Formula 3 Sudamericana championship in 1998.
He drove for the legendary A.J. Foyt's racing team during part of his IndyCar career.
Meira survived a violent, barrel-rolling crash at the 2009 Indianapolis 500 and walked away uninjured.
“On an oval, you're not just driving against the others; you're fighting the track itself.”
