NASCAR and IndyCar stars go karting in Daytona
Most professional race car drivers. There are some, though, that's can't stand the downtime. They spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway at Daytona KartWeek, the largest gathering of kart racers in the country.
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| Dan Wheldon |
| Shawn Payne/IRL |
"I have an absolute massive passion for karting," said IndyCar racer Dan Wheldon, former Indy Racing League champion and winner of the Indianapolis 500. "I always have. I started when I was four years old. My father raced karts, my mother was in charge of timing and scoring."
It remains a family sport for Wheldon: The St. Petersburg resident was at the track with his wife, Susie, and their 11-month-old son.
Wheldon isn't the only big-name racer competing in karts. NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers A.J. Allmendinger and Jamie McMurray were racing.
"It's all about staying active," Allmendinger said. "These are some of the hardest vehicles to drive at a high level. Does it carry over into a Cup car? No. I'm not going to come back here and be a lot better in the Daytona 500 because I've been in a go-kart, but it just helps so much to stay active.
"It's either this, or stay at home eating all day. I work out every day of my life, but nothing can simulate actually racing."
It isn't all fun, though.
"This is not 'kick back and relax' time," McMurray said. "This is very serious and very high-stress." More at Orlando Sentinel