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Written by:
Marshall Pruett
03/24/2008 - 08:02 PM
Decatur, Texas
With a 100 foot patch of scorched Pirelli rubber left behind him, Cristiano da Matta made the most poignant of non-verbal statements: the ‘Old’ da Matta was back.
da Matta quickly found himself at home and embraced by the entire Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing team. (Photo: Marshall Pruett) » More Photos
But for the two years of his life, taken from him at Elkhart Lake in 2006 when a deer ran across the track and struck a direct blow to da Matta’s helmet at well over one hundred miles per hour in his Lola Champ Car, the 2002 CART champion and ex-Toyota F1 star would surely be preparing for the 2008 IRL season opener at Homestead this weekend.
Instead, a thousand miles away from Homestead, da Matta was preparing to test the #99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Riley-Pontiac Daytona Prototype at the 2.5-mile Eagles Canyon circuit in outside of Dallas, Texas. It would prove to be the most important track test of Cristiano’s career. This wasn’t simply a day of practice for da Matta; after dealing with all too common questions regarding his mental and physical fitness, he’d soon learn if he could reclaim the career he'd lost in 2006 or if his days as professional driver were truly finished.
To appreciate the gravity of da Matta’s return and the imposing task of recovering from a massive brain injury, it can be said that while many within the racing industry wished Cristiano a speedy recovery, very few believed he would ever race again at the elite level he'd achieved. da Matta’s ability to steer a racing car wasn’t in question; could he actually drive a racing car with the skill and ability of the pre-Elkhart Cristiano?
What distinguishes a da Matta or any superstar driver from the average racer is heightened sensitivity to the feedback a racing car delivers through the seat, the steering wheel, and his ability to judge closing speeds, turn-in points, gaining or losing traction, braking distances, and a myriad of other visceral inputs the brains of these champion drivers receive and process at an abnormally high level. Diminish the mind/body interaction for a pro driver by just a few percent, and a driver capable of the extraordinary
Sadly, Elkhart Lake 2006 would turn that dial down to zero.
Immediately after the crash, concerns for Brazilian’s future as a racing driver were replaced with concerns for his ability to walk, talk, and to live a life without constant medical assistance. As details of his accident were revealed, the subdural hematoma, ruptured cranial blood vessel, and ensuing coma were ominous indicators of a man simply fighting to survive. Now, almost two years later, and despite completing his physical healing process, the return of da Matta’s psychological abilities to push a racecar to the far edge of its performance envelope could only be determined at a racing circuit.
da Matta quickly found himself at home and embraced by the entire Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing team. (Photo: Marshall Pruett) » More Photos
Fast forward to Thursday, March 20th, 2008, and the 5’4” marvel is faced with a new challenge: trying to contain the excitement of testing a proper racing car for the first time since his crash. He’s also carrying with him the questions and concerns of whether the full compliment of driving skills he’d made a living from would be at his disposal when called upon. After countless hours of rehabilitation, Cristiano wanted nothing more than to confirm that his brain had reconnected the motor skills, visual acuity, and physical sensitivities he’d need to resume his career.
Waiting for three agonizing days to buckle into the #99 car, da Matta was a bundle of nerves. Torrential rain and wind in central Texas had pushed back the test scheduled for Monday to starting just after lunch on Thursday. Team Manager Terry Wilbert could only sympathize with his anxious driver. “The rain has pushed us back again and again. The poor guy…Cristiano is supposed to be moving into his new home in Miami at this moment, but has hung around waiting for the weather to clear. He told me ‘my new house is important, but not more important than this test…’”
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