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SUNDAY: COMPLIANCE MODE It's scrutineering day. Offi cials make sure we are in compliance with regulations. What started as a cool rainy morning felt, by day's end, like the middle of a French summer. I start with a long run to get my nerves out and stay loose — I even get to enjoy a Sunday market that's going on in the center of the town below Le Mans Cathedral. We are at the track by noon and head to Place de la République for scrutineering of the cars and safety equipment. We're ushered through a crowd of fans, all waiting to watch the cars and drivers roll past. We stop to sign autographs and "Selfi e! Selfi e!" as much as we can, but we are in a rush to check our equipment with the offi cials. Next up is a quick p r e s s run: more s e l f i e s with fans, conversation with local and international p r e s s , a n d driver videos for television and social-media coverage of the 24 Heures du Mans race. Then, an unexpected task. We're ushered onto a stage in front of a huge audience for a sit-down conversation — one I had no idea was going to happen. It's a shock being seated in front of a crowd of screaming race fans for a translated English-French-English chat for TV and live audiences. It all proves overwhelming but is worth it. We wander around the gated circle to chat with fans. I'm asked to sign pictures of cars I have driven as far TRAINING 82 run to get my nerves out and stay loose — I even get to enjoy a Sunday market that's going on in the center of the town below Le Mans Cathedral. We are at the track by noon and head to Place de la République for scrutineering of the cars and safety equipment. We're ushered through a crowd of stop to sign autographs and "Selfi e! Selfi e!" as much as we can, but we are in a rush to check our equipment with the offi cials. Next up is a quick p r e s s run: more s e l f i e s with fans, conversation with local and international p r e s s , a n d driver videos for television and social-media coverage of the 24 Heures du Mans race. Then, an to check our equipment with NICK BOULLE, THE HANDSOME SCION OF THE DE BOULLE JEWELRY FAMILY, REPORTS FROM LE MANS, FRANCE, WHERE HE DROVE IN THE GRUELING 24 HEURES DU MANS — THE OLDEST ENDURANCE SPORTS CAR RACE IN THE WORLD. THE GOAL? ZIP AROUND PUBLIC FRENCH ROADS AT HIGH SPEEDS FOR A NONSTOP 24 HOURS. CIRCUIT back as 2016 at Daytona, the Circuit of the Americas, Canada, and on and on … It blows my mind. The little kids are so into it, making it all feel very real. I was that little kid once — just loving motorsports and trying to get as close to the action as I could. If this is just the scrutineering day, I can't wait to see what the rest of the week brings. I'm leaning on my teammates to help me keep my nerves cool through this crazy week of press events and marketing. WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY: THE WEIGH IN The fi rst Le Mans test and qualifying sessions have come! I now understand why people say this race is so different and so intense. Every day, the crowds get bigger — and the circuit gets faster and faster. For the fi rst session, we have time to settle in. The course is surreal: The lights down the highway stretch toward chicanes (curves) one and two and Mulsanne, making you feel like you're about to take off in a fi ghter jet. Your reference points disappear, so you must drive based on the rhythm and timing you remember as well as the feeling you get from the car. Tomorrow, we have two more practice sessions to improve the car and get race ready. There's a small chance of rain, but we will just have to deal with the 210 miles-per-hour straights in the dark if the rain comes ... For the race overall, we have a very reliable package. The experience level is diffi cult: You can't see the corners on a nine-mile lap as you try to get the last couple percent out of the car itself; it's nearly impossible to fi nd clear traffi c a m o n g 6 0 o r 70 cars; and this y e a r — m o re t h a n e v e r — we've feared rain every session. Nevertheless, on Saturday we will start the race at 3 pm French t i m e a n d s e e how it goes. We will no doubt push-push-push the whole race to move forward! SATURDAY, SUNDAY: RACE TIME I sleep at the track Friday to be prepped and ready bright and early for the fi nal warm-up session. This proves the most stressful time. Le Mans is unforgiving. Even the smallest mistake can result in huge consequences. A wreck in warm- up can throw away any possibility of a strong result before the race even starts. After warming up, it's time for a bite and Nick Boulle