Live from Trackside - Daytona

Sunday, Jan. 27
6:30 p.m.
Wow! What an incredible day (and weekend, really)! Such a tremendous effort by the No. 01 crew, Scott, Memos and Juan. I'm still in shock--can't believe we just won the Rolex 24 at Daytona! Congrats to my teammates, Chip and the entire Ganassi Racing organization!

I just finished up the post-race press conference, so I'm headed out to have a nice dinner before getting a good nights sleep. Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes and support!

Rolex champs!

Sunday, Jan. 27
11:30 a.m.
We're about four hours until the checkered flag, and the real racing hasn't even started! But it's been an interesting 20 hours for sure. I'll do my best to catch you up. We had a few appearances yesterday morning before we prepped for driver introductions. Intros were a bit different than in IndyCar... the entire crew with all four drivers lined up with the car and pushed it to the grid, before being introduced on stage. Once we were back down on the grid, it was so crowded you could barely move around! Very cool experience.

I watched the beginning of the race from the pit stand before heading back to the coach for a bit of a rest and dinner. Around 11 p.m. I was called back out to do my first stint. It was more nerve-wracking waiting to drive than actually driving! My teammates put me in a great position so once I got in for my turn on track, I really just had to settle in and get my feel for the car. There's still a ton I can learn about these cars and this race, but overall I had a great first experience and I hope I get another chance out there!

After my stint, I tried to get some sleep in case I was called on again for another stint. Nothing like the hum of race cars to put you to sleep!

Jumping in the No. 01

Saturday, Jan. 26
10:30 a.m.
It's race day! And an extra long race day, at that. No complaints here!

I started the day with breakfast and a massage. I'm headed to a couple of appearances this morning before we have driver intros at around 2 p.m. ET. Remember to tune in to SPEED for 8 straight hours of live coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET! And follow me on Twitter @racewithinsulin for more updates and pics. Thanks for the support!

Friday, Jan. 25
6:00 p.m.
Another good day at the race track! We only had one on-track session today, but we got some good time in for driver changes. We also spent quite a bit of time with the engineers, spotters and team members going over how we'll handle everything tomorrow so it goes smoothly. The weather looks like it should cooperate so we'll be all set there.

As we've said all week, we just have to race smart for the first 20-22 hours, keep the car on the track in one piece and then start really racing those last couple of hours. I think with that plan, we'll have a lot of success tomorrow!

Tonight I'm headed to the Rolex Grand Marshal dinner, celebrating Hurley Haywood. Looking forward to relaxing a bit and enjoying the company.

8:30 a.m.
Good morning! It's another beautiful day here in Daytona. Just one final 1-hour practice on the schedule today, plus driver change practice and race meetings. About to go grab some breakfast then head to the transporters.

Check out live timing and scoring at 10:30 a.m. at grand-am.com!

Thursday, Jan. 24
9 p.m.
What a day! Nice to have Ganassi on the pole and the P2 spot for the race this weekend! Great job by Scott and Dixie for the No. 01 and 02. Let me tell you... Scott just went out there and got it done! Really impressive.

I got some time in the car during afternoon practice and we had a chance to do a driver change as well. It's a lot of fun to be in a different environment and to be learning so much each day. Looking forward to more tomorrow!

Wednesday, Jan. 23
9 p.m.
Hello from Daytona! I just finished up a great meal with Chip and my teammates at the annual RRDC dinner. It's been quite a day--we started up in North Carolina for a media day and welcomed Cessna to the Ganassi team. It was almost like a family reunion, with all of the Ganassi drivers in attendance.

I've got a drivers meeting bright and early tomorrow morning before we hit the track for our first practice of the weekend, so I'm headed to bed. Click here for a full event schedule!

At the press conference this morning.

Talking to members of the media.

Tune-in Reminder: Rolex 24 at Daytona

Catch me in my first-ever Rolex 24 at Daytona in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target entry in the Daytona Prototype class with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

Saturday, January 26, 3-11 pm ET on SPEED TV

Overnight coverage 11 pm-9 am ET on SPEED.com

Sunday, January 27, 9 am-4 pm ET on SPEED TV

Live timing & scoring and more information available here.

There's a first time for everything!

Well, it's almost time... time to go racing! It's not often that I get to say that in January, but I'm really thankful for the opportunity to compete in the Rolex 24 at Daytona this weekend in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target entry in the Daytona Prototype class with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. My teammates Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Juan Pablo Montoya have been extremely helpful to me while I'm getting used to a different style of racing, not only while testing earlier in January but also answering my questions here and there this month.

For more, check out this article on IndyCar.com! Make sure you're following me on Twitter @racewithinsulin as my "Pit Lane Reporter" (PLR) will be on-site with live updates. Thanks for the support!

Roar Before the 24

Happy New Year! Hope you've all had a great holiday season and enjoyed some time with family and friends.

I just finished up a couple of days at the "Roar Before the 24"--testing at Daytona for the Rolex 24 Hours. This has really been a great experience. Chip has put together a great group of individuals from four different series and I’m learning a lot from all of them. I’ve gotten quite a bit of time in the car and I’ve had to get use to a lot of things; like getting used to a roof, driving at a new track and even driving at night. I haven’t driven at night since my go-karting days. The guys (Memo, Scott and Juan) have been great in helping me and it’s a testament to the group of drivers Chip has put together. I’m really looking forward to being a part of and contributing to the Rolex 24 At Daytona!

Heading back to the Best Coast tomorrow morning for a couple of days. If you're not already, make sure you're following me on Twitter @RaceWithInsulin!

Happy holidays!

I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you all for your support and well-wishes this year! I truly appreciate the IndyCar fans--without you all, I wouldn't be able to live my dreams. 2012 was a year of ups and downs... my first IndyCar podium finish, leading laps at the Indianapolis 500, and of course a small injury. Through it all, you guys have been so great to me!

Happy holidays to you and your family! Wishing you joy, peace, and happiness. See you in 2013!

P.S. Enjoy this #TheOffSeason piece... the first in a series of videos giving you a look into our lives during the winter.

Just add water...

Yesterday I spent the day at the Axis Wake Research and Malibu Boats factory in Loudon, Tennessee, and let me tell you... I had an absolute blast! A big thanks to Debbie for putting together the luncheon and to Adam for the awesome tour.

I went down for the company's annual luncheon and awards. For my part, I did a presentation on my job as an IndyCar driver, then showed a video highlighting how I unwind and spend time outside of the racecar... on my Axis A22! Once the awards ceremony part of the luncheon began, I was able to raffle off some IndyCar-related prizes to the factory employees. I'm excited to host two of them at Barber Motorsports Park next season for the race weekend and show off our machines!

Speaking to the employees about IndyCar.

After the luncheon, Adam took me on a tour of the factory. This is where I definitely geeked-out! The whole thing was just so impressive... the attention to detail is evident throughout the process. You see the employees fitting pieces by hand, stitching the seat covers, inspecting the product during each step. It's truly a hand-made boat. And in talking to the factory employees along the way, I could tell that they all take such pride in their jobs. Axis and Malibu seem to have a rewarding, inclusive company culture and everyone there "gets it" for sure.

It actually reminded me of visiting the Honda plant in Alabama last March, though of course there were some differences. At the Honda plant, everything was very mechanically efficient and had its own place on the production line. Honda can get out almost 1500 Odyssey vans per day (with a full inspection for each car) while the Axis boats are more custom, and more hands-on time is spent with each piece. However, at the end both produce such high-quality products. So cool to see it all happen in person!

Now all I need is some sunshine and warm weather... I'm ready to get back out on the water!

I think Spencer liked the No. 83 diecast!

Thanks for saying hi, Jane!

Another prize winner!

An honor and an opportunity to give back

I'm excited to announce that I was recently recognized as a finalist for the Indy Family Foundation's Giving Back Award Presented by Firestone! I was one of five finalists, nominated for my work in the diabetes community, who will receive $500 to donate to the charity of my choice. Congrats to Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing who won the overall award, announced at the INDYCAR championship banquet.

Now on to the best part... I will be donating my $500 to Camp John Warvel, an American Diabetes Association residential camp for children and teens located here in Indiana! The donation will help fund a child's camp fee for a week of fun with other kids who also happen to have diabetes. Throughout the past few years, I've visited several camps for children with diabetes. I've seen first-hand how much it means for the families to have an outlet for the kids to learn how to manage their diabetes independently, while giving parents the assurance that they are being properly taken care of with medical supervision and dietary staff. And of course, it's summer camp... so there are tons of fun activities for the kids! Believe me, every time I go to meet the kids, I want to stay!

It's such an honor for me because it comes from people who I respect--the IndyCar family--and a group of people who work hard to help those in need within IndyCar. I have to thank Firestone for their commitment to every aspect of the sport, supporting us on track and off track. I also have to thank Novo Nordisk for giving me the platform and resources to have a voice in the diabetes community.

Again, I'm humbled to receive this honor and I look forward to doing more to give back! Be sure to follow @IndyFamilyFnd on Twitter, and click here to learn how to make a contribution toward Camp Warvel.

Two slightly different tests

As you may have heard yesterday, I will be competing in the 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona! I watched from the Ganassi pit stand last year and saw first-hand how much work and team effort it takes to have a good race, and I know I have great teammates in Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Juan Pablo Montoya. I'm looking forward to getting down there for a test in a few weeks and take my first laps in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target car. I have to thank Chip Ganassi, Felix Sabates and the whole team for this opportunity. I'll be sure to make the most of it in January!

The test at Sebring on Thursday went pretty well. With it being a Honda engine day, they had a few development pieces to test and we ran through a bunch of stuff. The No. 83 car ended up doing a lot of miles—close to 300 I think. We weren’t quite as fast on the outright pace, but we did have a red flag on our best new tire run. We made a lot of changes and learned a ton, so overall a good day. A lot of credit goes to the guys because they were really on top of things. The whole Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing crew has been great all year, and hopefully they get to enjoy some downtime over the holidays as we get ready for 2013!

Working hard at
Texas A&M's lab!

After the test, I spent a day at the Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance at Texas A&M University. I’ve been working with David, one of their Ph.D. candidates, for about a year now to do some physical fitness evaluations. Basically, they try to simulate the stress my body goes through during a race at the lab, then figure out how to make my body perform better while in the car. Honestly, I was exhausted by the end of the day! But it was really cool to get some feedback and suggestions that could help me next season. A big thanks to Dr. Tim Lightfoot, David and everyone at the Huffines Institute for spending the day with me.

Today I’m headed down to Loudon, Tennessee to take a tour of the Malibu/Axis boat factory tomorrow. I’m pretty excited… they’ve really thought of everything for these boats; the attention to detail is like none other! It’ll be cool to see how it all comes together at the shop. I’ll also get to meet their employees and give away some cool IndyCar prizes. The only downside is that it will make me want to get out on the water even more! If only it was a bit warmer in Indy…

Giving back, and a surprise honor!

Happy Friday! My week is definitely ending on a high note. Yesterday morning I spent some time at the INDYCAR office filming some videos you'll see later this off-season. In the afternoon, I went to Gleaners Food Bank here in Indy to do some volunteer work for INDYCAR's Day of Caring. Indy is my adopted home now and I always enjoy giving back whenever I can.

Last night the INDYCAR community came together to celebrate the 2012 season and Ryan Hunter-Reay's championship. I was just looking forward to seeing friends and competitors from the paddock, so I was extremely surprised to receive the Tony Renna Rising Star Award! It's truly a special honor for me to recognized like this, and I'll be working as hard as ever in 2013 to live up to the award!

Photo credit: @RACERmag

Throwback Thursday

Another Thursday, another "throwback" photo! Today I found a good group of shots from the Firestone Indy Lights race at the 2010 Long Beach Grand Prix. Spoiler alert: I came in second place! Click here or on the pic below to see more... including podium photos!

Click above to see more!