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The Return Chapter 4 A Driver's Perspective
(Host): How did this whole racing thing start for you?
That's a great question.
When I was probably three years old, or four years old,
my father was in the asphalt paving business.
He paved a go-kart track and the guy didn't pay him for some reason.
So we ended up with three go-karts.
When you only weigh about 80 pounds, five horsepower is a lot.
That's how my motorsports career got started.
You know, Chip is an interesting guy.
He was a racer himself, driver, he raced IndyCars.
He's the second-most successful racing team in the US after Roger Penske.
In motorsports, it's so much about the man and the machine,
and having to optimize both of those to be successful.
You can throw a lot of technology at race cars.
But at the end of the day, it's all about the gentleman, or woman,
who sits behind the wheel and drives the car.
Fortunately we had a lot of interest in race car drivers wanting to drive this car.
So a lot of applications came in.
Jointly between ourselves and Chip Ganassi,
we went through that process and really got the cream of the crop.
It's a very considered decision selecting the drivers.
Primarily you're looking for speed and consistency.
After that you start to get into character,
and whether or not the guy is a team player.
Chip has this amazing knack to be able
to look you right in the eye and know
if you're right for us.
There are lots of drivers out there that are fast.
In endurance racing where you share the car, you need to compromise.
There's always a little give and take with other drivers.
That's ultimately what made the decision for us.
It already feels like the big one for us.
Everywhere you go someone reminds you of the history of Ford in Le Man.
So you're permanently reminded of it and you can't really escape it.
Ford's history at Le Mans is one of their greatest stories in motorsports of all time.
To be at their return is beyond words.
It's not too often that programs come around like this.
I haven't even been to Le Mans,
so for me, it's going to be eyes wide open,
mouth probably a little bit too occasionally, just taking it all in.
Winning Le Mans is the reason I wanted to be a racing driver.
It's what I've always wanted to do.
I didn't want to be a Formula 1 driver, I wanted to win Le Mans.
So to be able to achieve that would be incredible,
to do it with Ford 50 years on from that first win,
it's an honor.
You know, the history of Le Mans,
the first thing you think about is the Ford GT.
Suddenly you're being part of that,
it's like a dream come true.
For me it's the first thing that came to mind.
I want to be part of that history.
I love that everybody is so involved.
For us as drivers, we always want to put on a show,
we always want to do it for the fans,
but now we can also do it for all the people
that put their effort into this Ford GT.
To be handed the mantle to make this program
be successful and win, that's a big deal.
So Ganassi has assembled the kind of driving talent that there are no excuses.
They've been assembled for a reason.
They're professionals and they're there to win.
The Return -A Feature Documentary Film- Coming Fall 2016