I had no problems staying motivated because things that were happening were things I looked forward to.

Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs.

I will always enter a race car from the left side. Always. Why? I have no idea.

For every negative, there's a positive. It's in everything. How you deal with life, outlook, how much energy you put into achieving something. That's why I detest entitlement. Anything that's worthwhile is going to call for some sacrifice. Nothing worthwhile will come to you without a price. People think in sports, you have different rules. You really don't. It's whatever motivates you.

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?

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.

The United States is the only country where a driver can have a successful career - either in stock cars or IndyCar - and he won't need a passport.