Six Quick Questions With Jay Howard

Love it or hate it, IndyCar driver Jay Howard doesn't pull punches when you ask him a question. His no-holds-barred style of response made things interesting as he became the latest driver to sit down and answer IndyCar Advocate's Six Quick Questions:

Thanks again for doing this, Jay. The first question I have is how is the offseason going, and what's your regimen like in the winter months?

JH: The off-season for me consists of lots of training, I am very strict on my training regimen and I always have been. I play many sports, from boxing, soccer, racquetball, squash, karting and more. I also spend a lot of time driver coaching with some of the young drivers I look after in karting. I am going to do some racing personally in karts this year, January through March is the Florida Winter Tour. Karting is so fantastic for your fitness regimen and keeps you sharp and not to mention, its a ton of fun!"

When you're on a partial season schedule, how hard is it to maintain any sort of rhythm, or does that even come into play for a racer?

JH: For sure racing every week is an advantage, no question about it. Honestly, I don't think about it, I just get in the car, do my best and get the job done. I have proven over the years that I can hop into any car and win instantly, I won on my debut in every category I raced but one, this is a strength of mine, getting up to speed quickly. I plan on doing the same at the 500 this year and hoping to be drinking the milk!!

Howard looks to improve his luck at Indy in '11.

Obviously, last year's Indy 500 didn't go as you or your team wanted, though you definitely had the speed to get in. How much second-guessing is there after that, and how hard is it to move on from these sort of disappointments that come with racing?

JH: Last year was a disaster, the team made a big mistake and I still can't believe it to this day. How we do 225.9mph in the morning of qualifying and then can't do 223mph when it counts is beyond me. I think I must have set some sort of record to be fastest of the day and not qualify all in the same day! This is racing and I am back this year with a better team and better car, so fingers crossed we have a good one, geez, I'm due some luck!"

What's your favorite course/track you've driven in IndyCar, and why?

JH: There is nothing in the World like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, outside of IMS, I really love the Streets of St. Pete. The track is fantastic, something about coming onto the straight, big, wide, sun shining, packed grandstands, start of the season, everything combined, just an amazing race to be a part of. Plus, I have for the most part always done good at St. Pete. My second ever IndyCar race with Roth Racing, we qualified badly but it poored down right before the green flag, I had never driven the car in the rain, but I made my way up to 5th and was having a blast! Good memories contribute for sure, but I just love that place!

In the IndyCar paddock, who do you hang out with? Which drivers do you admire, and why?

JH: I don't hang out with many at all to be honest, I am here to do a job, not make friends. I like about 6-7 of them, but I really spend my time focusing on trying to do the best job possible with what I am given. So far in IndyCar, I have always had alot of work to do right from the second we roll off the wagon, so not much time for anything else!

Lastly, can you confirm we'll see you again at Indy, and are you looking to do any races outside of the 500 for 2011?

JH: I will be there, you can count on that!

(Photo provided courtesy of IndyCar Media)