An Open Letter from Target/Ganassi to Toyota GP of Long Beach GP Pro/Celebrity Drivers

April 17, 2013

Dear Drivers,

It’s the Target Racing Indy car drivers here, with some (unsolicited) advice as you prepare to hit the track this weekend at The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Pro/Celebrity Race.

Think you can just put on a fire suit and slide into a race car for 10 adrenaline-pumping laps just like that? Not so fast.

We’re talking to each and every one of you: Jackson Rathbone, Wanda Sykes, Michelle Rodriguez, Kate del Castillo, Cristian Castro, Jesse Metcalfe, Adam Carolla, Mark Steines, Jenna Elfman and Rutledge Wood.

Most of you haven’t logged time in the seat of an Indy car going 230 mph, so we’ve come up with a few pointers to get you race-ready. Except you, Rodriguez—we were pretty impressed by your skills in “The Fast and the Furious.” Feel free to skip this. The rest of you, read every word.

1. Wear comfortable, casual clothes under your driving suit. Heels (yes, even sneaker wedges) would be tricky; we say go with closed-toe shoes.
2. Know your car! Study up on the mechanical characteristics of the Scion FR-S. Even a little knowledge of the new chassis will improve your performance. Scott shows off his car here.
3. Do some leg presses. And by some, we mean a lot. Braking and steering a race car—the two biggest sustained functions during a race—is like doing leg reps while a hyper Rottweiler plays tug-of-war with your pant leg. You have to keep up the workout despite the crazy turbulence.
4. When you’re at the gym, don’t forget about your core. Core strength helps drivers stay in their seats when they’re going full throttle.
5. Practice your breathing. When you’re experiencing high g-forces, it can be really hard to breathe. It’s a total-body workout, both mentally and physically. Dario speaks in great detail about the demands of driving an Indy car here.
6. Enjoy your time in the driver’s seat, but don’t overdo it! Stay safe and have fun.
7. Finally, if you win, just go ahead and pour the whole bottle of milk right over your head. Feels phenomenal, looks really cool.

Good luck!
Dario and Scott

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