Mario Andretti
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.
There's something special about racing in real streets. The 'artificial' circuits have a certain sameness to them. But every race conducted on real streets has a character of its own - Barcelona, Monaco, and now Long Beach.
All of the courses that run through real streets are very demanding. There is no room for error, no shoulders to lean on. If you go off the road, you're into somebody's shop-window or front porch.
The banked oval tracks are obsolete tracks for Indy cars.
At Indy, we are the NASA of the production-car world, and that's clearly why manufacturers are involved - it's such a good testbed.
My wife loves football, but I think she's resigned to the fact that I'll never make it there.
I still have the competitive spirit, which is good.
In NASCAR, you can do a lot of banging around and get pretty serious and even get yourself upside down. All of those things can happen - and then you give an interview two seconds later.
Tom Carnegie will never be replaced.
If you don't come walking back to the pits every once in a while holding a steering wheel in your hands, you're not trying hard enoughCollection: Hands
The only thing that happens if you wait, is that you get older.Collection: Waiting
It is amazing how many drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.Collection: Motivational
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.Collection: Motivational
If you think you're always in control, then you're not going fast enough.Collection: Teamwork
Failure is sucess if we learn from it.Collection: Inspirational
Love what you do. Believe in your instincts. And you'd better be able to pick yourself up and brush yourself off every day.Collection: Believe
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.Collection: Sports
A goal isn’t something you just arrive at and stop. You have to stay curious and hungry and foolish...Collection: Goal
Desire is the key to motivation.Collection: Motivation
It takes a lifetime to build tradition.Collection: Tradition
The first time I fired up a car, felt the engine shudder and the wheel come to life in my hands, I was hooked. It was a feeling I can't describe. I still get it every time I get into a race car.Collection: Race
When you are losing it can seem like there is a black cloud following you around, but like they say there is a silver lining in every cloud.Collection: Failure
Sometimes you have to bring back only the steering wheel so the car owner will know that you're giving it all you have.Collection: Car
Speed is relative. You have to live it. You can't just jump into it. You have to live it all the time.Collection: Speed
I don't have many superstitions, just dumb things I don't talk about. I will not sign an autograph with a green pen.Collection: Dumb
You dream what you're supposed to doCollection: Dream
You can't take a vacation from speed. I probably could have taken more time off and not driven in all the different disciplines, but I wanted to drive, drive and drive.Collection: Taken
My biggest concern during a race is getting bored. The biggest thing I have to combat is falling asleep while going around and around.Collection: Fall
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.Collection: Satisfaction
I'm so thankful that I've had such a long and uninterrupted [knocks wood] career... I count my blessings every day for that because it was so fulfilling.Collection: Blessing
The experts or the cynics say, "Oh, those were the good old days, that's when drivers were really drivers. They didn't have all these aids." You know what? What we had, we did the best with and when we got more we provided what was needed.Collection: Experts
The passport changes but the blood doesn'tCollection: Blood
Young drivers are supposed to be hard on equipment. That's how you learn.Collection: Equipment
Nobody is born with a steering wheel or a gear shift in his hand. It's something you choose to do or you don't.Collection: Hands
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough.Collection: Driving Fast
I think social media really is a great tool. It fascinates me when I tweet something and right away you get a response almost immediately.Collection: Thinking
If things don't seem out of control, you're not going fast enough.Collection: Enough
In racing, there is no question who is best - the first one to cross the finish line wins first prize. But with wine, even if you make the best wine in the world, someone isn't going to like it, because it isn't their style. Judging wine is very subjective.Collection: Wine
Speed takes a little bit of getting used to, but rules have to be followed. At any speed, the more you run, the more you get used to it.Collection: Running
The crashes people remember, but drivers remember the near misses.Collection: Nascar Racing
I never personally name anyone. I am not comfortable rating other drivers.Collection: Names
Sebastian Vettel's brilliant talent will ultimately come forth and he'll continue to show what he's capable of. I will never ever degrade Vettel's ability. Sooner or later, he'll prove anyone so wrongCollection: Brilliant
I had no problems staying motivated because things that were happening were things I looked forward to.Collection: Problem
I will always enter a race car from the left side. Always. Why? I have no idea.Collection: Race
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?Collection: Dream
What is golden is miles under your belt, miles, miles, miles.Collection: Golden
I go to bed is around 11, and I do that for every race. I get good sleep. I don't lie awake for any race. That's my routine.Collection: Lying