An average work day for James Hinchcliffe and Joel Zimmerman, a progressive house music producer known as Deadmau5, is anything but average.
On Oct. 15, Zimmerman got a chance to compare the two, when he traded his iconic mouse-style headdress called "mau5head" for a racing helmet and Hinchcliffe took him for a high-speed ride through the esses of the 14-turn road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"Hinch knows this track like the back of his hand," Zimmerman said. "He knows the brake points and when to stretch. This was nutty."
Despite both Hinchcliffe and Zimmerman being natives of Toronto, it wasn't until their meeting at a rainy Indianapolis Motor Speedway - nearly 600 miles from the Canadian hometown - that the 27-year-old racing driver and the 33-year-old musician were formally introduced.
While this wasn't Zimmerman's first time in the Indy car 2-seater, having taken a ride on the Streets of Toronto prior to the Honda Indy Toronto, this time he felt the rhythm of racing.
"In drummer territory, you have to keep the time," he said. "You have to be on it. You have to meet certain cues."
Though this concept is comparable to motorsports, there are major differences for a typical day on the job for Hinchcliffe, vs. one for Zimmerman: If Zimmerman messes up while working on a music track, it's safe to start over. But if Hinchcliffe slips up on track, it can be dangerous - a detail not missed by Zimmerman.
"The screams weren't too distracting," joked Hinchcliffe, "Joel's been in quick cars before so he has an appreciation for what we're doing here. In the wet it gives you a whole different perspective. The risks you have to take in the wet are much greater."
But Hinchcliffe played it safe and after four fast laps through the Grand Prix of Indianapolis course, Zimmerman jumped out of the car with a huge grin and a jolt of adrenaline.
"Are you going to brake or what?" said Zimmerman about Hinchcliffe's reaction time. "You have to know the absolute latest moment that you can slam on your brakes. It's really about timing. As he told me, every millisecond counts."
"Are you going to brake or what?" said Zimmerman about Hinchcliffe's reaction time. "You have to know the absolute latest moment that you can slam on your brakes. It's really about timing. As he told me, every millisecond counts."