Matos continues to roll

Three weeks into the Champ Car Atlantic Series, Sierra Sierra Enterprises' Raphael Matos has seen nothing but checkers.

Matos won the Fast Trac 100 at the Grand Prix of Houston Sunday, completing his third consecutive victory to open the season.

The consecutive wins over the brutal opening stretch that had the Minden-based open wheel racing team travel from Las Vegas to Long Beach to Houston with under seven days at home in three weeks marks the first time in 17 years that a driver claimed the first three events of a series season.

Mark Dismore won five straight races to open the 1990 campaign as he went on to score Atlantic Pacific Division title.

Matos led through all 43 laps of Sunday's race.

"I didn't get a great start," Matos told champcaratlantic.com. "I don't know, last year my starts were really good. This year I am struggling a little bit but I was able to manage to keep the first position."

Matos' success wasn't the only reason Sierra Sierra had to celebrate this weekend.

James Hinchcliffe took third place, giving the team two drivers on the podium for the first time since 2004 at Road America.

The podium finish, coupled with Hinchcliffe's two other top 10 finishes this season, place him in third in the overall season standings.

"It's a fantastic result for the Sierra Sierra team," Hinchcliffe told champcaratlantic.com. "With both cars on the front row for the start and two on the podium."

Matos agreed.

"We just wanted to make sure that both cars were on the podium and we were able to do that," he said. "I am quite happy for the team right now."