Moraes has deal with KV Racing, will be 7th Brazilian in Sao Paulo race

SAO PAULO -- Mario Moraes reached a deal Thursday to drive in the IndyCar Series season opener, becoming the seventh Brazilian to secure a ride in the inaugural Sao Paulo Indy 300.

The 21-year-old Moraes said he will drive for KV Racing for the entire 2010 season.

With the addition of Moraes, Brazil will have nearly a third of the drivers on the grid Sunday for the street race in South America's biggest city.

"It's another one to [go after] the gringos and another chance for us to win the race," joked countryman Tony Kanaan, the 2004 IndyCar points champion. "We are the majority on the grid so hopefully we will dominate this race."

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, Vitor Meira, Raphael Matos, and rookies Ana Beatriz Figueiredo and Mario Romancini are the other Brazilians in the race. Figueiredo has not reached a deal for the full season yet.

"This race means a lot to all of us, there is no doubt," Meira said. "We all went through a lot to get where we are and to be back in Brazil to race is incredible."

Brazil will also have a car owner -- former driver Gil de Ferran, who heads the Luzco Dragon Racing/De Ferran Motorsports team.

More than 40,000 Brazilians are expected to pack the grandstands of the Sambadrome. The stadium-like venue is where tens of thousands of revelers attended the traditional Carnival parades just a month ago.

Two Venezuelans also will race in the 24-car field -- Milka Duno and E.J. Viso.

There will be five British drivers, three Americans, two Japanese, two Australians and one New Zealander, one Swiss and one Canadian.

"We pride ourselves for having such an international field," said Terry Angstadt, president of the series' commercial division.