I count my blessings every day, quite honestly, because I take nothing for granted.

But really - look at the span of my career, and it's something people dream about. And to be spared major injury: I had some moments along the way, but being able to retire on my own terms after having driven during those decades when safety conditions were more precarious than today - am I lucky, or  what?

You do a period of go-karting until you're at the age of qualifying for a ride in a 'school-kart,' then you qualify for driving school. And several of the driving schools have a competition series for their own students.

From the driver's standpoint I had the same horrors, the same satisfactions, the same everything. The speed is relative. It's faster and things are happening quicker, but you have the equipment to handle it.

I look at myself as the luckiest man alive.

The man upstairs is pushing the buttons, and if your name happens to be on that button, well, thank you.

Failure is sucess if we learn from it.