It's a little ironic the only time Takuma Sato might really be able to slow down, as he prepares to defend his title in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, is when he's strapped into a car and about to take off in a machine that can reach speeds in excess of 200 mph (322 kph).
Sato, a 41-year-old native of Tokyo, has been living life in the fast lane since this time last year, when he became the first-ever Japanese driver to win the "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Since then, Sato has rubbed shoulders with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump, thrown out the first pitch before a Cubs game at Wrigley Field and attended countless other functions in the U.S. and Japan as the Indy 500 champion.
There hasn't been much time for him to catch his breath and that won't change this weekend, as Sato juggles his preparation with the duties of a defending champion at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.