I've been going to the race since 1996.

They think we (the Canadians) are crazy because we'll spend 24 hours driving to see a race in Florida. Meanwhile, they are home 90 minutes after the race and it takes us two days to get home.

That meeting kicked of a great friendship with them (the Americans). I've been with them on vacation to their houses in Florida and stuff. I've met just an entourage of people that they known since 2002. We now all meet at the race track every year in February.

And with the qualifying starting on Thursday, you get five races in four days.