When I got back from the IndyCar race in Japan, I went back to Los Angeles for a couple of days where I got all my hair chopped off and dyed so I could double for Christoph Waltz in the remake movie of "The Green Hornet". It has Cameron Diaz, Seth Rogen and Jay Chou as the stars. I worked three days on that film, and we filmed from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. I went home and packed and headed to the airport to fly to Boston, where I am now, and have been working on another new film directed by Ben Affleck, which he is starring in it as well. This film is called "The Town" and is about bank robbers. Ben plays one of the bad guys and we are doing some fun driving stuff. I am the double for Ben in some of the scenes cause his stunt double has been sick. I did some cool shoot-out stuff yesterday with machine guns and get-away car chase. When I leave Boston I am heading back to LA where I am going to be working on "The Green Hornet" movie again until about November 23. The movie has tons of action and some great stunts and driving scenes. I am crashing people in cars, jumping across highways and doing all kinds of fun things.

My next race will be NASCAR racing in Fontana California next Saturday. That will be certainly fun to get back in the stock car. Then on October 24 I am going to shoot a new commercial for Nike with one of the Olympic athletes in Salt Lake on the ice track where we had the Olympics in 2002. This is going to be an exciting commercial for me to shoot and still have to spend some time on the creative content for this commercial.

It is still hard to believe I was just in Japan as it seems so long ago with the pace and schedule I have been keeping. I had such a great time seeing everyone there at the races and in Tokyo. Unfortunately, we had a problem in the race with the safety locking pin that holds the large wheel nut that keeps the wheel from coming off. The track is a very fun and challenging track to drive. Running some good lap times in the race gave me a more enjoyable experience and hopefully the fans enjoyed the event. After the race I got to spend some time at dinner with Dario Francetti and Scott Dixon, the winner of the race. They said my car and I were very fast in turn 3 and 4 and complimented me on how good I was driving. But, they felt the car had a lot of drag in turn 1 and 2 and down the straight. Turn 1 and 2 are turns where you do not lift the throttle. They felt that Motegi was the best that the number #98 car had run all year. Dario and actress Ashley Judd are now living in Boston and plan to go to dinner with me before I leave LA.

This Saturday's race in California will probably mark my last race of the year in a race car. I am looking forward to figuring out where and what I will be racing next year. For now, I will be making great movies and enjoying my family and looking forward to going to the Olympics in Vancouver to see the athletes that I have helped support through my charity.

It was so great to see all the Interush group in the Motegi stands with your hats, shirts and flags cheering me on! The whole experience was something so memorable and all of your support and enthusiasm just made it an amazing event for me!
Thank you!

I will add another blog and include some photos of the NASCAR race in California later this week.

Live Free and Fast!

Stanton

I am in Sun Valley, Idaho visiting my dad for a few days, and soon I'll be on my way back to the eastern USA, to stop by the race shops and take care of some business related to racing.

Yesterday I received a call to work on the new hit TV Series NC-CSI which is the Naval CSI show. My brother is directing this episode and requested that I do some stunts for him on Friday. So, in the morning I am catching a flight to Los Angeles to work for a day and then back to Idaho, and driving east from here. I need to be in Nashville by the weekend for meetings for a new music video I am going to be directing, then to Charlotte to meet with NASCAR about a partnership with my production company for TV commercials. There are lots of new film productions starting up now and I am getting lots of calls about performing stunts for them.

I can't believe how close we are now to the race in Motegi Japan. Time is speeding as fast as the race cars and can not believe that in just six weeks I will be in Japan for the first time, and will also get to see many of my many friends at Interush, and to race in Japan!

The IndyCar race team is working really hard to improve the race car and have made some significant progress based on some engineering information. Last week they were able to get the assistance of a well known engineer Alex Castrounis that previously worked with KV and Conquest racing. Top engineers are so vital to the success of a racing team and collaboration with chief mechanic/race strategist is crucial to building a successful program. Team 3G is utilizing each weekend to grow and learn both on ovals and road courses which is exciting news as the Japan race nears.

The IRL is a very exciting place to be racing now and the future is looking very positive for everyone involved. The IRL is looking to change both the Engine and the Car package for 2012. The same year they are looking to add China as the first IRL race for that country. Next year is going to have some changes as well, by adding a race in Brazil, one of the world's most popular racing countries. In the USA, the IRL is considering adding Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. This is an excellent facility and I will be looking forward to racing at that beautiful race track with a variety of natural terrain. It is very possible that next year the IRL will also be adding Baltimore and Boston; however, these will most likely happen in 2011. These are great markets for racing and the addition to having more street races is a great business opportunity and a niche market no other motorsports can compare with. IRL is also thinking about adding Las Vegas in 2011, but most likely 2012. Of course there are some races that will be going away to allow for these improved race venues.

These are all very exciting things to me, as I am looking forward to being part of the IRL series for many more years. I am really anxious to get back into a race car again, now that I am feeling healthy and strong again, and without too much back and neck pain. Unfortunately, I am not certain of my return race date because the race team had to make commitments to two other drivers, one suited for road course and the other for ovals, to fill in while I was recovering. There is a strong possibility I will be racing again in Chicago, but will not know for a week or two.

Right now I am very happy just to know that I will be racing again soon, and because I am getting lots of requests for stunts, and I am in discussions about directing and producing more commercials in the near future. I am also looking forward to racing in Japan where I will get to see all my Interush friends from Japan again soon, and hopefully many of you from Taiwan are coming as well!

Live Free and Fast!

Stanton

Things are very busy again for me again now.

As you may know I was not certain when and how things were going to workout after the IndyCar crash last month in Milwaukee. When the soreness did not go away after several days, I had x-rays taken to make sure nothing was broken or fractured... fortunately it was not.

Over the past week I have started feeling well enough to do some synchronized driving for a new Nissan television commercial in Los Angeles, while continuing to recover and while waiting to be able to get back into the race cars. The Nissan commercial was lots of fun and we were working with a director who is a big fan of both my father and I. My dad was also working in the commercial with me, and that is something that we do not get to often do together.

Last week I also went from LA to Irvine to work on a new video Google, highlighting the Google / Interush collaboration, along with Marty Matthews. It was great to have the NASCAR and the IndyCar together at the same spot, you'll be able to see this soon on a Google website, and posted on the Interush sites too.

Overall I am feeling a bit better now from all the soreness in my back and neck. It looks like next week I will be able to get back into the NASCAR series again to race in Chicago. This is a great track and the city is a great location to get away and enjoy yourself.

Both the NASCAR Team and IndyCar Team have been working really hard at making things work well for the rest of the year. Now that I'm starting to feel better, I'm eager to get back in the IndyCar again in the next month sometime. In the interim the team is using another driver to make sure we are able to enter each race.

I need to be back in full health before I drive the IndyCar again so for now, I'm taking the easier path of the NASCAR series and working on films, without dangerous stunts.

Each week we are getting closer to the September race in Japan where I look very forward to seeing everyone at the event and spending time with the Affiliates. You are going to have a great time together watching the super-hot Interush IndyCar.

So right now I am still in Malibu, California resting in my motorhome, overlooking the ocean and enjoying my friends and family. I have also been using my time to be in discussions about some great potential movie stunts, plus directing some commercials and also a new music video. We will see what comes of all the opportunities in the next few weeks.

Live Free and Fast,

Stanton

I was in Milwaukee this past weekend for the IndyCar race. Milwaukee is a very fun track to race and was looking forward to racing at this track but unfortunately I did not get to race.

I got on the race track Friday in the first practice session. The car was very loose and we had to make a few pit stops to make some adjustments. We made some good changes and went back on the track. The car felt really good and was taking some good time off our lap times. We were running 10th and just behind some solid cars. I had only made 19 laps and the car was feeling really solid and into the race track. This is something that is hard to get is your car feeling like it has side bite and into the race track. We were working on shaving time each lap taking off 3-5 tenths per second each lap. Then in turn 2 all of a sudden the car just broke loose and lost control. This was completely unexpected and caught me off guard. I hit the wall hard backwards then came around and slapped the wall sideways on the right side.

Unfortunately it was such a heavy impact we were not able to repair the car at the race track and was not able to race this weekend. I have been very sore from the impact and taking some time to recover. Not certain what the next weekend is going to bring with regards to running the IndyCar. I have to make sure my back is not as sore as it is now to be able to race those cars. It is really unfortunate because it might keep me from running in a few races.

I am still looking forward to the weekend to race either in the Nationwide race in Nashville or the IndyCar race in Texas. I just have to wait a few more days and see how my physical health is before I can make the right decision on what I am going to do...

Stanton

The focus over the last few days have been completely towards finding more sponsors, and working on our amazing race car. I have spent a lot of time with the team working with them on the car, doing all we can to find more speed. There are a few things that I can help with and so I have tried to do that. Most of it relates to aerodynamic things on the car. This is not the most important aspect right now.. it is our set-up that is. It sure has been an up and down week and half. One minute we are pretty fast, and the next there is no extra speed. Most of all it has to do with changes in the car that are in the wrong direction or something that has just not been changed just as we had expected. Regardless, we have learned a lot in the last few days on the set-up and how to improve it.

Changing our geometry and starting from scratch again on Thursday has been frustrating. Keeping focussed and not getting frustrated at the wrong time and keeping your cool on the track is the most important and we were able to do that very well this week as a team. Today had its moments. We know we have good direction to go, but sometimes we are just taking the wrong turns and this sets us back. We made a lot of changes today and went for a late qualifying run. We knew that the weather is tough and wind was strong, so the goal was to make a good run and learn what we could, to make proper decisions for qualifying on Sunday.

All the hard work, the hope and desire to make the Indy 500 will come down to just one more day on the track. Only 14 cars still need to qualify into the final 11 spots and some basically locked themselves in today. But tomorrow the speeds are going to be higher, the track will be faster and more risks will be taken. The speed has been there this week at 219.4, so, it can come again plus more. We are only behind the other two cars in front of me by just .045 mph, which is such a small, small margin.

I am excited to get the opportunity to try again tomorrow, but the reality of what is at risk is something that is in the back of everyones mind. Being too comfortable with where you are, or with the speed you post could be something that can bite you tomorrow. I know that you can not just build a great team overnight, there is so much to this sport. Knowing this from history of motor sports, we have to keep working on the entire package from myself as a driver learning the car, to the crew making it the best car they can, and learning about the best possible set-up on these cars. Not to mention adding a few more full time employees so the few we have don't pass-out from a lack of sleep! Our crew has really worked so hard and committed so much to this program. I hope all our hard work will pay off tomorrow and believe it will.

Stanton

Arriving to the track I park my car and walk the steps through the gate that introduces us all to the concrete garages that stands as firmly as our commitment to offer our best. As I walk each step, the busy people, workers and fans both alike moving among what was empty space while we all slept. Step-by-step leads me to the garage marked for Team 3G #98, driver Stanton Barrett INTERUSH/Curb/Candlewood Suites Indy Car team. It is good sign that this is the place I am suppose to be!

My committed crew are working diligently when I walk through the door, as they have for the last three off days. Each one paying attention to the details with new intent, details that are now so important, massaging and tuning every aspect of our race car. Tremendous attention to detail, examining and uncovering ever ingredient that can potentially allow us the speed and the success we seek by days end. I start working on the car as well, covering areas of the suspension with special tape, cutting and molding artistically to reduce drag from the wind that kisses our car. Things I really enjoy, working on race cars, mechanics and aerodynamics is somewhat of an art form to me. Being a part of working on the machine that takes care of me on the race track is just something that seems like the right thing to do. This brings my mind back to the long days in the single car garage, building my own race car, hours on end, to the early morning, then finding myself waking from underneath the metal machine and the unique smells we know as a race car.

Looking forward to the moment today that we make our first laps on the track, high noon arrives, this moment comes before I know it. The shifting of gears as the red lights on my dash move swiftly while shifting up to speed. My excitement ends quickly as the reality sets in, this is not working so well. A new attitude different from last week takes hold as the crew keeps the tone positive and forward thinking to solutions. Belief in what we do, the goals we have set out for since last October has taken the lead for the day. This is what a team is made of and team work is defined as. Nothing came easy today on the track to where the heat blew in creating a slick surface, slowing speeds of the best teams. By the end of the day, we simply found with continued focus and efforts led to finding the way that closed the gaps to our competitors. Now that the night has come full circle, bringing closer to the day we must lay it all on the line, for the four laps that will define our efforts, and that will identify who will be among the 33 drivers that will start on the grid of the 2009 Indy 500.

Stanton

Today was not the best day for us on the track, in so many ways. Frustration tried to overtake us. In the end our crew chief Owen was wise to keep things in perspective for our team, to help us remain calm and focused to what our task was for that day; and not to worry about the entire week ahead.

A competitors desire to be fast is something that controls a burning instinct which makes us all pull from places not known, making the ability to keep the focus vital to succeed. All of us are competitors... everyone in a crew, and every owner watching their cars shuffle on the speed charts. When the stakes are high, the tension and demands escalate. The value of this trying day of practice brought information that did give us a some new direction, opening another another door to needed speed. We are looking towards building a new set-up package to return our #98 IndyCar to the track on Thursday. I hope to have set aside during the days to come, the discouragement of running wide open throttle at only 218 mph; turning into an experience that will give us stability of grip, a neutral set up, another negative setting in rear wing, ease of steering input that reflects the speed necessary for each car and driver seeking to make the Indy 500.

Stanton

I find myself waking-up to the sounds of the jet dryers that are prepping the racing surface that will support the best drivers in the world and their incredibly fast machines. The realization of where I am, quickly brings me back to reality and knowing this is not a dream. Looking around my motor home, my dog is nearby, and I also that see my phone is full of messages. The day must start and I am so glad that it has!

From in a deep sleep one moment, to then reaching for my fire-proof race suit the next. I gather my Oakley racing shoes and a glass of water, and pat on my dogs' head as I walk out the door, in the direction of the garage. Many things are analyzed in these moments of truth that a new day brings. Am I ready, what are my responsibilities today, what must I do to be my best, to learn and to take the right steps? I must be ready, that is my job and why I do what I do. Walking step-by-step, the crew and fans are all around. It's amazing that each day is very much the same. Passion for racing is so prevalent, but not just racing.........IndyCar racing at the glorious Indianapolis Motorspeedway.

I make my way to the garage #7, 8 and 9 for Team 3G. If you took all the ingredients and resources, with a mere 4 employees and a rookie driver to open-wheel racing; how can we think to compete against the mega teams that are here? Heart, sole, passion, details and believing......it is something that can take a person to places that knows no limits. That unknown is found in the place to where the red, black and silver #98 is heading as I watch while riding atop of the golf kart that tows it. What a sight. I am again in awe each day to see this place that is revealed from under the bridge that reads "Gasoline Alley". Hearing people talk there's a car, go Stanton, you can do it! Stuntman Stan, yeaaaahhhh, with the thumbs up say you will do it man! This would make any person smile! Something about respect and admiration for what we do, that continues to bring true commitment and understanding of how lucky we are to be a part of something so amazing.

Our job today is to complete the 7 remaining laps above 210 mph, towards passing the rookie qualification. Next I hear the radio command from my crew chief, he says we need to do the 4th phase, which I know is to be 10 laps above 215 mph average...! What??? I was thinking, I am still sleeping, this must be a dream.... but no it's the reality of the requirements from the IRL. Heavy condensed air conditions are causing damp humidity, which is not conducive to speed. Good cars that ran the day before at 221 mph are only running at 217 mph...... I am thinking how are we going to get to this speed? Simple, put a new set of Firestone Indy 500 tires on, make a few changes to the car and then just simply go and do it.

Accomplishing all our requirements, the task for the next mission is finding a comfortable speed to qualify this weekend which will set the field for the Centennial Era Indy 500. My crew with a mutual plan works diligently throughout the long day. Making changes, some not so favorable, others taking us in a direction that is bringing speed and grip. The trials of a driver is unpredictable, a car seldom makes it easy on you, focus is key, attention to detail in every sense of the word is beyond explanation. I must keep my mind clear and my eyes concentrating on the surface passing by, and all the information your IndyCar is silently telling you.

Learning and working now has come to an end at a rewarding 218 mph average.
This was another day in which I have gone faster than any other day in my life.
This day I will end soon, but it will bring another all new experience to me with the light of a new day, with a new speed and a new goal, but the same passion to drive and be my absolute best.

Stanton

The day is moving slowly as the rain still seems to fall forward bringing in the dawn of evening. Not exactly the day I had hoped for, nor a day any driver inside the walls this empire had hoped for. With the days end, not even enough total laps to complete our rookie orientation; let alone reach the third required phase of speed 10 laps with average above 210 mph. The crew has been working like ants preparing for winter, yet much less of a feet to accomplish the required task at hand.

Shortly after 9 am the gates opened to pit road where only a few cars had been waiting to take on the 2.5 mile track. It is such a great experience to walk threw the "Gasoline Alley" opening to a view of the stands that hold the 300,000 open wheel fans on the majestic race day. It is hard to say why this place is so special to everyone you talk to here, something about it for everyone. I am learning all about "INDY", what it is about that name and place which makes everyone passionate to the true form that name brings respect and admiration all who are racers and fans at heart.

Each day as I set my first shoe in my seat and downward nestle in this tight capsule that I call my home on the track. Strapping the belts on, synching them down tightly, gloves slowly grasping the steering wheel, breathing steady and calm, eyes focused and the start switch activated, the thumb sign from my crew to light em up, wham...shift the paddle...1st gear, let the clutch out and burn rubber. What a sound for everyone and the feeling of bliss for a driver. My vision and mind focused to the timing and instincts of my everyday ritual. Taking my car threw the gears, 79 mph, 132, 150, 189, 199, 203 the car feels good, one lap goes by and the tires are feeling it, the changes we made seem to be an improvement, taking time to feel it out, average 199 first lap, second 207, feeling continues to be good, I have felt the car enough. Its time to pick it up, now 211, 210, 211 mph average, thats three laps of ten out of the way above 210 mph, now its comfortable, wide open in turn 3 and turn 4, top speed down the front stretch 220 mph with 211 in turn 1 and 2, happy with the car and my timing.

What, I see something down the track, flashing lights from a truck, but no lights on the track or caution lights in the car, I keep going half way down the straight away. I need these laps today before the weather comes in, yellow flashing everywhere now, inside my car, caution, my thoughts were not good ones at this point. I slow down quickly from 218 mph to make turn three entrance to pit road, the entrance we have to use in practice. I was thinking to myself, why????? Then the answer was in-front of my face as rain sprinkles on my Bell Helmet vizor swiftly went away from the fast moving wind. Not what I needed.

The day will end with these sprinkles turning into rain drops that continued into the evening. For all, both fans and drivers alike this is not what we had hoped of the official opening day of IndyCar practice for the Indy 500. Now that our time was limited and we had not had enough total laps let alone the total laps at the speeds required, we get another hour in the morning to complete the other 6 laps above 210 mph. Conclusion of the day will bring another day tomorrow. I look forward to talking to the drivers again that give me encouragement and valuable advice.

Tomorrow I will have the opportunity to once again climb into my space inside a car built for speed!

Stanton

Today was an awesome experience to have driven on the INDY 500 race track in an IndyCar. A race track with 100 years of heritage and worldwide admiration by both fans and drivers. By the time we resolved several of the issues that we had during the day, the team stayed focus and on track for our goals. Today it was a relaxed atmosphere around the facility, the only cars on the track were rookies or drivers who have not been on the track in some time. Just the whole experience was enjoyable to have stepped on the pavement so many have walked, heading to the place where victory is sought after.

Our number 98 CURB / INTERUSH race car made its way by tow to pit road. Quickly we took action to get on the track, putting on my Bell helmet, Oakley gloves and climbing in the car with only the view of turn one. The vibration and powerful sweet sound a high-performance Honda engine makes, was all you could hear and feel. We had only 35 minutes left in the day to get our first laps. Keeping things in-perspective is not always easy with such little time in the day and so much at stake. We know that intermittent weather is prominent for the week to come, there is allot that needs to be done in the next day of the rookie test. Otherwise I will not get the opportunity to run the month of May.

Leaving pit road was something that made all the reality being a race car driver come to true sight, and an enormous feeling of pride came over me. Keeping that quickly in check to realize there is a whole month of May, of trials, of learning, all in efforts to drive with speed to sit on the grid of the incomparable Indy 500.

Stanton