How to Calm Down For Car Racing

Video Transcript

"TINA STULL: Hi. I'm Tina Stull and I drive the Top Dragster for Interstate Batteries. On behalf of Expert Village, I'm going to share my thoughts on being mentally prepared for a run. If people chatting over your head makes you nervous, you need to make sure that they--you have one of your crew guys to keep people away from the cage of the car. If it doesn't bother you or it makes you feel more comforted, then you don't need to do that. For me, I get in, I settle down. I try to get my heart rate as low as I can because that adrenaline is flowing, and although it can help you in some circumstances, it also can be a hindrance 'cause you want to have every run consistent. So, I'll settle down and mentally, I think, "Stay on my lane." By the point that I get--stay in the staging lanes, me and my crew chief have already discussed what our strategy is on that run. So, for me, all the decisions have been done. It doesn't matter what the person on the other lane does. You know that your crew chief is going to be the one and if you are your own crew chief, you're double duty, but they're going to be the one to set up the cars. As the driver, you're there to deliver and between the two of you, you come up with a strategy and then you give yourself the ability to react and just have that happen. I try to block out all distractions."