Rob Bunker - Sebring preview

Rob Bunker continues to enhance his race performance with interesting
training strategies. The Bridgewater, N.J., teenager has improved his vision
to 20/10 with the help of a visual trainer. The techniques have been used
successfully by elite athletes in baseball, basketball, football, golf,
hockey, tennis and Olympic sports. Bunker says the training has helped him
both on and off track.

 

"I do individual activities that free up the motion of my eyes," he
explained. "It expands peripheral vision, it helps reading up close, it
helps reaction time, as well. It does a lot for street driving and it helps
at school, too, but for sure, it helps with racing. That was the number one
goal, to make sure we didn't leave anything on the table."

 

Bunker has also stepped up his fitness regime in preparation for his rookie
season in the Star Mazda Championship, driving the No. 18 AIM Autosport Pro
Formula Mazda. He is happy with his focus and fitness for the season-opening
race at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla., on March 17.

 

"For Mazda, I started working out a lot more, so I'm top-notch there, too,"
he said. "I'm physically fit and mentally fit."

 

The training paid off, as he posted the third-fastest time in the first
Sebring test session, a welcome birthday gift for his coach, Bob Perona.

 

"The car is fantastic!" Bunker noted. "I couldn't have picked a better team
for the year. Right out of the box, we learned to maximize the potential we
get out of the car and maximize my relationship with the rest of the team.
We were third on old tires – so far, so good."