I think they had every right to wonder whether I could do it or not, and I honestly didn't know whether I could do it or not either until I put myself in that situation. You can't presume. Presuming doesn't get you anywhere; you need to have facts.
So I thought the team were a bit hard making me do a race distance straight off the bat. I thought 'wow, that's a bit mean', but, actually, it was the best thing they could have done for me, and they know best, I really do believe that. They have so much experience in these things that they know what's best for me and what's best for the team. I learned so much about myself, my weakness, my strengths, my driving, the car - it was phenomenal. Over those two days, I learned more than I have learned in my life before. So it was an extremely valuable experience and I guess you have a gut feeling before you do it whether you could do it or not. I'm one of the things that think I can do it because I won't be beaten by it. I thought I could do it but it's nice, like I say to, have fact and actually do it.
Q:
When you look at the starting grid in a Champ Car race and the people you'll be competing against, do you kind of pick out one or two to say 'I'm already more prepared because of this fitness regimen, I'm already more prepared than you are'?
KL:
No, I don't look at it like that. I don't know who is prepared and who is not, really. I guess we'll find out when we get to Long Beach. I have to work hard to get to their natural level of fitness. So, if I was in the gym once every day, I would probably be at the same level as somebody who never went to the gym. It's a lot harder to push myself to the level of what they are doing if they are working really hard at it.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I will do everything in my power to do what is required of me and more to be able to eliminate that from anybody's thinking. And, if everybody else is doing that, then great and if they are not, then no worries, but I will make myself the fittest and the best I can be.
Q:
Finally, it sounds like your first competitor is going to be sitting in the cockpit of your car and not necessarily the other people that are on the racetrack with you....
KL:
Right. You can only do your best, and I fully intend to do my best. I know that I have the potential to do it. I just need to make the most of that potential. I honestly believe that I can do it, otherwise I would be banging my head against a brick wall and would not be trying. I just have to keep my head down and work really hard and help myself to it.
Q:
I'd like to ask the question to find out who the driver is, and I don't really know who you are yet, but sometimes when I ask the driver, what's your favourite music, what's the music in your iPod, that gives me a little background on who you are....
KL:
I have everything. I really don't have any one band or anything like that, that I that I, that's my kind of music, I'm not massively rock 'n' roll or rap or anything like that. It depends what kind of a mood I'm in. I like anything and everything. Sometimes, I like other things more than others and, like I said, it depends on what mood I'm in. I really like U2 and things like that.
Q:
Are British bands more to your liking?
KL:
Not really, no. I'm not massively supportive of Oasis and Blur and people like that because they are British. I think, of course, that England has very good music but, actually, the Americans are the leaders in the music world and, like I said, I listen to anything.
Q:
What was the music that got you ready for that big test in Sebring?
