page_title: Ana Beatriz
section_title: Early career
hierarchical_section_title: Ana Beatriz / Career / Early career
caption_attribution_description: Ana Beatriz racing in the 2008 Firestone Freedom 100 Indy Lights race
context_page_description: Ana "Bia" Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo, or Bia Figueiredo is a Brazilian racing driver. Beatriz is accused of being involved in a corruption scandal in the public health system in The state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She won her first Indy Lights race at Nashville Superspeedway on 12 July 2008, becoming the first woman to win a race in the Indy Lights series. On June 20, 2009, Bia won her second Indy Lights race and became the first woman to win a race car event at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.
context_section_description: Ana started her career in karting races. Initially funded by her family, "Bianinha" ("Little Bia") began kart racing at age eight.
  At the age of 12, racing coach Nailor Campos, former coach of racers Tony Kanaan, Rubens Barrichello, Enrique Bernoldi and Andre Ribeiro, became her coach and chief mechanic. When Bia's family could no longer fund her racing endeavors at the age of 15, Campos helped her attain sponsorship from the Medley pharmaceutical company, owned by former racer Xandy (Pollini) Negrão, father of racer Alexandre Sarnes Negrão.
  With formal sponsorship, Bia finished as runner-up in a variety of karting championships and won the Sorriso Petrobrás Kart Cup championship in 2003.
  After three seasons in the Brazilian Formula Renault championship, Ana started competing in Formula Three Sudamericana in 2006, driving for the well-established Cesario Formula team. In 2006, she also drove a Red Bull Volkswagen Touareg for PPD Sports, owned by Pedro Diniz.
caption: Ana driving in the Firestone Freedom 100 in 2008
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