Katherine Legge and crew. Image courtesy of LAT Photo USA

I was up late a couple of nights ago lying in bed thinking about Firestone, and the many ways, both on and off-track they have been an integral part of my life. It may seem a strange thing to be thinking of at midnight, but I am a race car driver who is trying to fit the jig-saw pieces together for IndyCar 2012 and most of my time awake—or sleeping for that matter—is spent thinking about race related stuff!

However my thoughts on Firestone were somewhat special so I decided to share the story with you!

I am currently in the UK at the moment and my sister, who has no idea what I am doing at the moment, or my plans for 2012, randomly asked me “can you get me any of those tyres again please”  (Yes, I am British—so in my world—they are Tyres)? I thought back and realized that ‘those’ tyres she was actually referring to, were Bridgestone’s from a few years back.

And the question got me thinking about all the things Al Speyer and his team at Firestone/Bridgestone do for us.

Years ago, I got a phone call from the very same sister, crying and in need of new tyres (she doesn’t know a wheel nut from a cashew nut). I wasn’t in the country at the time, so I called my friends at Bridgestone/Firestone for help. And within MINUTES, the USA office had contacted the UK branch and subsequently a local tyre fitter—and my sister was back on the road. With just one phone call.

It is often that you don’t realize what you have, until you don’t have it anymore. It’s one of life’s little lessons that is sent your way occasionally and keeps everything you do in perspective.

This is definitely the case for me and all things tyre-related in my world!

When I had been driving in Champ Car on the Bridgestone tyre, I had not one failure or tyre related problem in two seasons and a bunch of testing… That is a very impressive thing to say, but at the time—we all thought nothing of it. It was completely normal—and that’s just how tyre manufactures operated. You worked through with your team engineers and the Tyre Engineers to work on pressures, temperature set-ups etc., but it honestly did not cross my mind that the actual tyre itself would be anything short of perfect!

So it wasn’t until I came back to Europe to race that I realized how lucky we had been. We had a few individual and team tyre related issues and it got me to thinking how extraordinary Bridgestone/Firestone truly is. The things they do for their customers—which includes drivers and teams–goes above and beyond expectation. And it’s the people within that organization that make it the way it is.

I am very proud to call them my friends.

Back in 2006, they went out of their way to develop a set of unique pink tyres for my ‘Warriors in Pink’ car for the benefit of the Susan Komen foundation. Just another example of how they went above and beyond to help not only myself, but so many others.

My main reason for coming back to the USA was my love for the country and the people. To me Firestone embodies all the things I love about the USA. They really care and it shows in their products and the way they treat their customers. They work extremely hard and function as one big family. They have the best quality product I have ever raced on, and I would not let any of my friends/family buy anything else!!

So to everyone at Firestone—I am sorry for taking you for granted all these years, and now I can’t wait to get back out on track and lay some Firestone rubber down with a big grin on my face!!

I recently wrote an article to accompany a really nice video that was created and produced by IMS Productions.  The story and video were published by both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Speed TV on their respective websites.  Along with INDYCAR, these are two organizations that really support my goals to race in INDYCAR.  I hope you will take a moment to enjoy the video and the story.

By: Katherine Legge

Around the same time of the Champ Car and Indy Car merger, I had the opportunity to go to Spain and compete in a shoot-out to determine who would be a part of Audi’s factory driver line up in the DTM.

At that time, everything was rather unsure in the USA with regards to which teams would be making the cross over and what exactly would happen with the merger—so I choose the safe route (which is quite unlike me!) and decided to go back to Europe and try my hand at the world’s top Touring Car Series—which is a bit like our version of NASCAR.

However, over the last three years there I continued to keep one eye on the IZOD IndyCar Series and what I see for myself, as a bit of unfinished business in the USA. I enjoyed my time in the DTM, learning to be the best athlete, driver, and person that I can be. But, I missed the most of all the racing, people and places in the USA.

Over the last couple of years I became more and more impressed at the progress made by the IZOD IndyCar Series because there was so much positive news coming across the pond. The Series has really made tremendous strides in such a short time–so last October I decided to do a recon mission and I went to Indy to meet with some teams. After positive feedback—I decided to make a trip to Homestead Miami Speedway to an INDYCAR race in order decide for myself if I was going to follow my heart and come back home to Open Wheel Racing.

About halfway through the flight my mind was made up! I persuaded my fiancée to come with me (he is also a driver– I live at racetracks people—where else am I going to meet someone) and so it began…

I hopped the pond to Indy for a meeting in early January, bags packed and ready to get started. I believe it was “The State of INDYCAR” meeting–or something to that effect.

I had already reconnected with a few people from my Champ Car days and I was fortunate to be able to go to work straight after that meeting with my management talking with teams, re-connecting with people and sponsorship hunting. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but I was sure it would be worth it.

I have always had my eye on the Indianapolis 500. It is the Crown Jewel of racing and such a big and exciting draw to everyone, but especially drivers! It has always been on my ‘bucket list’ and I always thought if I could get myself in a good team I could do really well there. The nature of my driving has always been really strong in longer races and I am just itching at the possibility of running there.

Tradition is something that makes the Indianapolis 500 such a great event, and I am big on tradition! Attending the 100th Anniversary celebration this year was both difficult and motivating, and it made me want to be a part of it even more in 2012.

To be a part of a century of history that includes such legendary names as Foyt, Andretti, Unser, Mears, Rahal, and others is just something that I cannot even imagine. I really want to be the first woman to have my face enshrined on that Borg Warner trophy.

I wonder if they will let me use that milk in my tea….

The Indianapolis 500 is the most significant single motorsport event in the world hence the name ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’. The Grand Prix of Monaco, Daytona 500, Le Mans etc. are also very important, but none are nearly as pervasive as the Indianapolis 500; at least to me anyway! Every driver in the world would want a win at Indy on their resume, no matter your individual discipline and I am certainly no different.

IndyCar and the 500 have always been on my radar–even growing up in England… I remember watching it every year as a kid. The thing I remember most is when Nigel Mansell came over here, I was watching it cheering him on! However, it wasn’t until I actually raced in the USA, first testing in an Indy Pro Series car in 2004, that I realized the magnitude of the annual event at Indianapolis. I was hooked. I knew that I had to be a part of it someday, with a dream of winning it. I still have that dream quite often and I have the whole thing played out completely in my head! It’s quite mad actually!

I am most intrigued by the design of the track and can’t wait to race on it. I love to learn about history and when I saw the photo of the original mini ‘plan’ of the racetrack drawn in dirt, it made me really think of the roots and passion behind the legendary track. The unique design of the flat oval must be very interesting to drive. The flat sweeping corners are more like road course corners, so I can see how drivers with talents at both road courses and ovals would do well at Indianapolis.

I missed my time here in America when I was racing in Europe. Specifically, I lived in Indianapolis when I was here racing in Champ Car and I am proud to call it home again.

I like the evolving schedule of the IZOD IndyCar Series. I like the mix of road, street, and oval circuits. I believe it is the best way to test the drivers and find a true driver champion. I think the new car in 2012 will be an exciting addition to the Series for the fans and drivers alike.

We are still working very hard on building a comprehensive sponsorship program that makes sense for everyone, especially the sponsors. It’s been tough sometimes to not take a one, two, or three race deal as I am eager to get back on track. But I know that all eyes will be on me for my return so I want it to be a professional, top-notch program, and one that will give me a chance to win on a regular basis and prove to my fans that I have what it takes to make my own mark in history.

I do know that whatever happens I can say to everyone and especially myself that this time I have the experience to do it right. I can promise you all that I will give it 110 percent and I won’t leave anything on the table. I look forward to giving my best and being a lasting part of the history of the Indianapolis 500 and the future of the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Additional postings and photography at:

Speed TV – http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-introducing-katherine-legge 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway – http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/news/show/46181-introducing-katherine-legge/

What can understeer or oversteer say about us as drivers, or about us as everyday people? 

Our friends at NASCAR use the term “push” to describe a condition that we know as understeer.  This occurs when the car doesn’t turn as sharply as the driver intends, or the car is steering less in the front than in the rear, so it “pushes” up the racetrack in the corners.

Drivers vary on their individual preferences, mainly due to their own driving styles.  Many drivers chose understeer because of what happens as the limit is approached. Understeer builds gradually, allowing the driver to respond early as steering effort increases and response decreases.  Drivers get plenty of warning and are able to stay within the limits by simply reducing acceleration and scrubbing some speed.  Little is required to correct steering as the understeer diminishes, since the car’s heading will change only slightly.

There are a few of us that prefer quite the opposite, not needing the early warnings, nor worried about what happens at the limit.  Oversteer typically occurs very quickly, bursting onto the scene in a split second. There are brief signs as the steering effort reduces, requiring much smaller and more delicate steering inputs, but they are much less obvious. This requires a certain vigilance and skill that many drivers don’t have, yet desperately need once they have found themselves looking sideways at the outside barrier as the car rotates around them.  Even so, some of the world’s best drivers find it difficult to chase an oversteering car for a full race.  It can be very tiresome, requiring patience and complete attention.

We have all heard drivers complaining when a car has too much oversteer (or what our NASCAR friends would describe as “loose”).  What these drivers haven’t gotten comfortable with is the white-knuckle adrenaline rush of a truly oversteering car. Those of us that prefer oversteer know that it is your friend, giving the driver gentle steering feedback that a skilled driver can locate at the limit and work at its edge.  But, you’ve got to be fairly confident to live at the edge like that for a long distance race.

Race car metaphors, while somewhat sophomoric, sometimes say a lot about who we are.  As we chase our dreams in life, do we prefer understeer or oversteer?  Are we confident or cautious?  Which do you prefer?

Design by Ashleigh Mower

As I venture into my new career in INDYCAR, I want to have a new helmet design that expresses something special.  A very good friend, Ashleigh Mower, came up with the basic design, which is shown here.  I’ll go more into the meaning of the design later, but I thought I would give my fans at Katherine’s Korner the very first look.  More to come later…