race, a feat that puts him in the overall lead. but gillespie isn't satisfied. he wants to win, go faster. >> i knew the car had more in it. and, you know, we just wanted to make sure that we got every inch of it. >> with the help of sponsors, gillespie has fitted the honda insight with a powerful 550-horsepower engine, nearly triple that was a conventional car. it's just after 7:15 a.m. when he gets inside his customized honda. his crew helps to buckle him in and videotapes his preparations. >> inside the car, i'm in an aluminum bucket seat that's bolted firmly to the floor of the car and to the roll cage itself. then on top of that, you're in a safety suit that allows you to withstand quite a lot of heat if there's a fire. you have a helmet, of course, and you have a device that's a