Kanaan claims eighth Granja Viana title

Tony Kanaan teamed with Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Giaffone, Renato Russian and Luciano Burti Nov. 15 to win the Granja Viana 500 – a 500-mile kart race in Sao Paulo, Brazil – for the eighth time in its 12 years.

The event, held at the Giaffone family's venue, featured 65 karts. IndyCar Series drivers Vitor Meira, Mario Moraes and Raphael Matos also competed. A second Kanaan kart included co-drivers Cristiano da Matta and Antonio Pizzonia.

"Each time I win, I feel a different emotion," said Kanaan, who finished third in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship with Andretti Green Racing. "The team was very dedicated during the race, and in the end this helped us to win the trophy. This is my eighth victory, and I have a great history with this race that I can tell my son about.

"It was a really tough race, physically, in the beginning, when I was driving for three straight hours in the sun. I am really old now, but I was able to get through it."

Kanaan, whose No. 72 kart started from the pole, also will be competing in the International Challenge Of Go-Kart Champs on Nov. 30 in Florianopolis, Brazil – a charity race organized by Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa.