He gave the command to start your engines on tape for Sunday's race to be aired on SPEED, wolfed down dinner and walked around the room shaking hands and thanking people for coming to see him.

He also answered his cell phone a couple times -- speaking English, Portuguese and Spanish to three different callers.

"You just can't believe how much better he's gotten since I first came here," said Jimmy Vasser, who teamed with Cristiano in 2005 at PKV Racing and raced against him for many years.

"He is doing so well and it's just amazing to see his progress."

Nothing was more heartwarming than watching Shorty sing along while brother Gustavo strummed the guitar. Not only did he know all the words to the Stone Temple Pilots' song, Cristiano hit the high and low notes right on key while his family applauded.

"I can't play the guitar very well yet but I guess I can still sing," he said with a laugh. "I want to play Jimmy Hendrix again on my electric guitar but I'm not quite ready.

"Maybe I can get James Edward Vasser to play for me."

Now it should be pointed out that as sharp and engaging as da Matta is, he still gets a little confused at times. He remembers everything and everybody from his days at Newman/Haas but doesn't recognize most of the RuSPORT crew he drove for in July and August.

"He understands he's been injured and he's in a hospital but he doesn't have any recollection of his accident," said mother Maria.

Good friends Max Papis and Oriol Servia spent Friday morning visiting their buddy and Papis said it was all racing talk.

"Cristiano is concerned about next year because he doesn't have a ride yet and we told him not to worry because it was months away."

Roberto Guerrero made a miraculous comeback from head injuries and a three-week coma back in 1987 and was racing six months later where he ran second at Phoenix. Antonio da Matta was asked his feelings about his son getting back in a race car. "That would be up to him and I would support his decision." he replied.

"We have to remember that he wasn't hurt because of racing. He was hit by a deer. I mean, it was so unbelievable."

Pretty much like the past few weeks have been in terms of his son's remarkable recovery.

And, while Cristiano still has a long way to go to be back 100 percent, he's light-years ahead of where the late Stan Fox was in 1995 after his critical head injuries at Indianapolis. Fox took three months to talk and recognize friends. Sadly, he never fully regained his original persona.

That's not the case with da Matta. The guy whose title run in '02 was billed as "130 pounds of Nice Guy" is well on his way to being his old self -- physically and mentally. If it's not a miracle, at least it's a blessing.

Watch SPEED Report Sunday at 8pm ET for an in-depth report on da Matta's amazing progress