Since I started in Nascar, popularity has definitely gone up. I've become more attractive and helpful to companies that are looking for spokespersons. So from that perspective, things are going really well.
To be honest, once you've driven around for about five, 10 laps, you don't notice a difference.
One of the areas I have a little less confidence in is giving any kind of a speech.
No one wants to hear my perspective on politics, but I think honestly as you get older, you get more interested in it.
I never thought I'd be a role model this early. It caught me off-guard, but it says a lot about how I was brought up, what my values have been, and how my parents raised me. It's very flattering that being myself is enough to be a role model.
I leave it up to the government to make good decisions for Americans.
Being a girl, my parents could have discouraged me from racing ... but my family has such a passion and so much confidence in me, and that goes a long way.
Every time I get into a Nationwide car after being in a Cup car, I feel so much more comfortable than I did previously.
At the after-party of the Indy 500, I'm usually wearing jeans and a tank top.
I know that England changed me. I became a little bit colder, a little different.
In motorsports we work in the grey areas a lot. You're trying to find where the holes are in the rule book.
I'm a good blend of both my mom and dad.
I'm definitely different and I know that.
On Memorial Day, I was out floating on Lake Norman and came across Denny Hamlin. We struck up a conversation, and one of the first things we were talking about was how much it helped him when he started racing the Cup car and how much it helped his Nationwide program.
We ran well there in the November 2012, my first race with (Tony) Gibson (as crew chief). Unfortunately, we haven't left there without a torn up race car. We got caught up in accidents in November of 2012 and then again in November 2013. We cut a tire and crashed last spring, so it'd be nice to have a good clean run with the GoDaddy car. I like Phoenix and Gibson has won there a few times. Hopefully our luck will turn around and we can have a good smooth run and get back on track.
I'm not tall enough to be a model, but I wish I was 6-foot, because I love it. It's kind of artsy, and I'm artsy. And I love clothes.
When you are not missing something, longing for something, you don't really think about it that much. It's like that girlfriend you don't want to have anymore. You don't think about her anymore. Or ex-husband. You just don't.
People have opinions about everything and especially when you get into that world of animal rights or tree rights or whatever rights, they all have an opinion.
Together, we can put the brakes on breast cancer.
Racing is been my profession since I was 19 years old.
In the Lamborghini I have to avoid certain roads because of pot holes, and there's nowhere to put my drink, no cup holder. And I'm not going to lie, it looks pretentious. I used to think it was cool to, like, drive it to dinner. Now? Like I really need to be looked at any more.
You have responsibilities and if you want to be the best in your industry you need to have a relentless dedication to your job. I was fortunate to have support from my parents and sister growing up and that helped me a lot.
My first Indy 500 was one of my high points. I ended up qualifying fourth and I finished fourth. I had a win in Japan a few years later, and then qualifying for Daytona was great as well.
I would tell kids not be like me, but to try and be better than me. Because I always wanted to be better than everyone I was around. That's what drove me. I wanted to be better than my role models. I'm super competitive.
I've never asked for special treatment along the way. And I'm never going to hide the fact that I'm a girl, ever. That's obvious, isn't it?
