I would say you never want one too big. However, if you are still young and growing, go with the medium so you don’t have the cost two times over. Helmets and their fit is obviously key to safety, but if you are growing then there is no need to buy the small because you will fit the medium in no time. They can also add padding if you really need it. Just contact the helmet manufacturer.

SAFEisFAST.comVideo: Helmets and HANS Devices

Life is always packed. A couple of weeks ago, for instance [May 5-11] I had a lot of media deals; a TV program we are shooting from my home; a National Guard Base Camp visit; and then the [Indy GP]. So, yes, the days are always full!

Hey, Dave, I do use YouTube and track walks a lot. Almost any sort of simulator can show you the turns, but a lot of times it’s all the little details that make the biggest difference. YouTube is good because you can see how other drivers are approaching the circuit compared to you!

SAFEisFAST Video: Learning a New Track

I love hockey! It’s a great sport and good luck to your Kings in the playoffs! Hockey has a lot to offer. What we do is all about reactions so, yes, I believe it’s a great sport to play. Anytime you can sharpen your hand-eye coordination, the better you will be in a race car!

SAFEisFAST.com Video: Reaction Training

Yes I do, actually! We all sit down — my dad, my engineers, Oriol [Servia], our entire team – -and discuss it. I do have a say, for sure. In our sport, strategy isn’t only when you stop; it’s tire strategy, fuel strategy, etc. There is a lot going on, but as a team we always have to agree and be on the same page. As a driver, you trust heavily in those on the pit stand making the calls and telling you what you have to get, fuel-savings-wise and things. I feel lucky because my dad is, and always has been, one of the best!

It’s always difficult, Jason. A race engineer and his driver must always be on the same page. An engineer should be able to look into his driver’s eyes and know what he’s thinking before he says a word. Any sort of relationship-building time like dinners together, team meetings, phone calls – all those things – so you both get on the same page is always a big help. Relationships make this world go around, and Bill [Pappas] and I work very hard on this all the time.

SAFEisFAST.com Video: Working with an Engineer

Mike is a great coach. When I say “coach,” it really means more than that. What he is very good at is taking videos, dissecting driver lines, car behaviors, things like this. He is really spectacular at all that. Mike has been working with my dad and our teams since the early 2000s, so he has been part of our family a while. Dad was told about him and immediately took action. There are plenty of good, qualified, coaches out there, but not many with Mike’s abilities.

SAFEisFAST.com Video: The Driver Coach

Hi Greg, of course we all experience that. I have noticed it on the simulator before, as well as in the car. Honestly, I think it’s all about time in the car. The more you drive it, the more comfortable you become. However, when you are pushing to 10/10ths, you will always have some sort of heightened heart rate or slower breathing. This is normal. The most important thing is to make sure you’re in good enough physical shape to sustain this and to keep your mind clear so you aren’t making mistakes, getting sloppy, when your heart rate ramps up. It will always happen, and it has always happened to all of us.

SAFEisFAST.com Video: Focus and Concentration

Hey Jerry. For sure, we all have experienced that! Some tracks are really difficult because they don’t have a lot of reference points for where to brake, when to turn in, where the apex is, etc. Depending on the track’s designer, the corners can all be blind like at Barber Motorsports Park, or very flat with grass and basic colored curbing like the Indy road course. Those are hard because they look the same. We always have those moments when we think, “Now where do I go?!’ but generally, as professionals, we figure it out after a lap or two!

SAFEisFAST.com Video: Learning a New Track

Lots. Spending time around him as a kid was a huge perk. Media is a massive part of our job and you have to learn how to handle it all correctly, although I am still learning as you can imagine!

SAFEisFAST.com Videos: Working with the Media 1 & Working with the Media 2

Hey James. I feel as a professional driver you always have to be in the zone to get the best out of your car and team. For me it’s a place and time where I can put everything else in life aside and feel comfortable and confident in the car I am going to be driving and the team I have behind me. I am different than most: Lots of guys will relax and lie down by themselves to get their heads clear before a race. Me, personally, I like to be active with friends and family, and have fun before a race. It allows me to just clear my head and not think about much else other than being relaxed and ready to rock. Everyone is different; my ways may not work for others.

We drivers are always very involved! We are the best “sensors” that an engineer has! On the team front and operation I am not involved, though. My dad and I look at it like I should be a driver and focus on that, leaving everything else to him until I am ready to step out of the driver’s seat.

SAFEisFAST.com Videos: Working with an Engineer and Engineering the Race Car

Take it slow and be patient. Pros are all good; there really are no “bad” guys anymore. So be patient, take your time coming up the ladder, and stay committed to what you’re doing. You will have good days, bad days, and great days. You need to be level headed and ready for anything!

SAFEisFAST.com Video: The Ladder System

I actually don’t have a good answer for you. I think it’s because you want to take a relaxed line and not be right on the edge. Then again, we are always on the edge. Great question, but I guess you do it subconsciously and not really on purpose.

SAFEisFAST Video: The Fast Line

It was once, but now I just love IndyCar racing. I love F1, but in recent years I have lost interest. IndyCar racing, to me, is the best and most competitive form of motorsport in the world, and I feel lucky to be a part of it.

It was probably the ’07 Panoz DP01 car or the Lola that came before it. Why? Really because it was a great car in all aspects. It had great downforce, great grip and the engines were awesome – lots of horsepower and they sounded phenomenal. I loved driving those Champ Cars, but equally love what I drive now.

Sponsorship is all about giving whatever the company may be the biggest return on its investment. Keeping that in mind, think “business-to-business” – how can you link a couple of companies together that need to or can do business together and then you benefit from it? Look at it as a business relationship where multiple companies have marketing budgets but with you they can do it together and cheaper. I think securing sponsorship is always about finding something special that sets you apart from others. Drivers often overlook what makes them special to a company. At the end of the day, the companies are sponsoring you, not just the race car you drive!

SAFEisFAST Videos: Sponsorship and Sponsorship: Where to Begin

I got the choice. I was never pushed into racing and feel very lucky that was the case. If not racing, I would probably be working for our dealerships and selling cars. I love cars; they are possibly my biggest passion in life!

“Enjoy it!” I was lucky never to be pushed into racing. A lot of people believe racing was the obvious fit for me and something I would always do, but I was always told that I needed to love what I do or don’t do it. I am fortunate that I absolutely love racing!

I always looked up to guys like Kenny Brack, Jimmy Vasser, Dario Franchitti – people who had a great level of success but remained good guys on and off the track. One of the guys I look up to the most these days is Scott Dixon. He, in my opinion, is the best driver out here, but he always remains one of the nicest. Some people struggle balancing success with kindness; those guys always had it figured out.

You have to be strong enough to put it behind you. That’s exactly what I did. I spent a lot of time away from the track trying to clear my head. You also need to surround yourself with people who believe in you and want to help you be better. I am fortunate to have people that do exactly that and that made my life a lot easier.

SAFEisFAST.com Video: Focus and Concentration

I love street courses because they are a challenge. It’s an even playing field, generally, because there is no testing. We show up once a year, do our best and see where we stack up. I think short ovals are some of my favorites, though—a very cool and tough challenge. I love IndyCar because we compete on all types of circuits.

SAFEisFAST Videos: Street Circuits and Oval Racing

My best – and any driver’s best – strength is being able to be quick but consistent and make as few mistakes as possible. I think for anyone that is key, and I feel like for me, my racecraft has been my biggest strength. You get it by learning where the limit is at all times and then taking it back just a notch. You find a level that you can push to 100 percent of the time and feel confident that you won’t make mistakes or cause damage to your car or others.

SAFEisFAST Videos: The Perfect Lap and Focus and Concentration

I would say karting is a great way to learn the craft. Once you make the major purchase of the kart and spares, it’s not too expensive to maintain and run. Some simulators are good ways to learn the tracks and things like that, but I think karting is the best way to stay active.

SAFEisFAST Videos: Getting the most out of Sim 1 and Getting the most out of Sim 2

I don’t think any age is too late. However, getting to IndyCar by your late 20s should be anyone’s goal. I would say at 19 you are still young enough for sure. Remember to always pursue your goals and dream. Anything is possible.

SAFEisFAST Video: What Teams Look For

Right now I am very happy where I am at. Would I consider it? Possibly, but the truth is I love IndyCar racing and being here in the United States. To race in F1, I would want to be with a team that has a chance of competing. I am sure a new team will struggle quite a bit.

I think being in Formula Atlantic prepared me the most. I raced against some really good competition that year, and that has definitely helped me to get where I am today. However, the experience you gain every year in IndyCar really helps you the most for the competition we face.

SAFEisFAST Video: The Ladder System