driver debrief: Patrick Carpentier

What is the significance of your helmet design?

It used to be white and gold, but now it's red, white and gold. The red is because it's an aggressive color and I like to be more aggressive on the track. The white is for purity and the gold, of course, is for the top step on the podium. It has a couple of number sevens on the side that you can't really see; they're in the design [for luck]. There's a castle at the back because I used to do martial arts and meditation; that's like the Zen castle.

Do you still meditate?

No, I try to introduce it all day long instead of just doing it in the morning. I try to stay calm all the time.

Does it work?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. You know how life is!

Does meditation help with racing?

Yes, it always does. If you can do it, it's always much, much better.

Are you superstitious?

No, not really.

You were a national speed-skating champion as a child. Why did you switch to racing?

I thought I was not going to have to train ... I was wrong! But I enjoyed it, too.

What was your ultimate moment in racing?

My first victory at Michigan in the IndyCar circuit was a lot of fun. It took awhile to come – it was long and the timing was never there. Finally it came, so it was a big moment.

Do you have a favorite type of racing?

I enjoyed open-wheel a lot. Champ Car gave me a lot and I had a lot of fun. The IRL was more stressful, a bit more risky, but I really enjoyed it. I like where I'm at right now, in the Grand Am series. I always wanted to do that after I'd done open-wheel. I had some calls to replace some guys and go with some good teams in Indy, but I didn't want to do it.

What do you like about sports-car racing?

It's a little bit more relaxed and I really like to drive these cars – they're a lot of fun. They have fenders and you can push and shove a little bit – not too much, but a little bit. It's fun.

What about stock cars?

That's one thing I really like, the ovals. I always enjoyed ovals – my first pole, first victory, pretty much everything came on an oval. I think it's because of the speed-skating when I was young. [Oval racing and speed-skating] are quite a bit alike.

What is it like to have dual citizenship in Canada and the United States?

I'm so happy about that! I think it's a privilege. I've been in the U.S. for 10 years and I'm used to it. I'm just happy here. We're going to stay in the U.S. as long as we can.

Do you consider yourself an American?

Yes, because both my kids are American, they were both born and raised here. But I still consider myself Canadian, too.

You and your family (wife Anick, daughter Anaïs and son Loic) have settled in Las Vegas. What do you like about the city?

The benefit in Vegas is there's good food always, really fun shows and the best places for cycling in the mountains. You can cycle all year long.

Why cycling?

I did it when I was young, then I stopped for awhile and just started again a few years back. I cannot train inside; I have to train outside, so Vegas is a good place for me.

Are the children fun?

Oh, yeah, I love it!

How do you spend time together?

The best thing we do is [enjoy] the swimming pool. We play games and have fun.

Has fatherhood affected the way you drive?

You never know how you're going to react once you have kids. For me, it made me more serious about driving. If anything, I was more aggressive – my career was more important, because I had people to support.

Any predictions on the upcoming season?

I never make any predictions before the season because it never turns out the way we think.  Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst…

We hope 2007 will be one of the best!