SportsHollywood: What's the fastest you've ever driven outside of a race?
DE LA FUENTE: The fastest I have ever driven was in Chile on my way to the beach. Thank God I wasn't caught because I was going 220 kilometers per hour.
SportsHollywood: What kind of car do you drive every day?
DE LA FUENTE: Right now I am driving a BMW CI.
SportsHollywood: Have you always been interested in car racing?
DE LA FUENTE: I have always loved racing. When I was a little boy I would go to the Formula Three races with my dad and uncle. I also used to watch the races on TV.
SportsHollywood: How much of the driving in Driven did you do?
DE LA FUENTE: I did almost all of the driving that you see in the movie except for one very dangerous scene. To see just how dangerous it really was, you'll have to go see the movie.
SportsHollywood: You got to actually drive a CART race car for PacWest Racing Group's annual "Driving Experience." How fast did you go?
DE LA FUENTE: I wasn't able to go that fast because they had us racing on a very safe and slow track. I was able to go over 90 miles per hour and I clocked the fastest lap.
SportsHollywood: Which is scarier: Going 100 mph on a track or going 5 MPH on the 405 freeway in Southern California with all the drive-bys?
DE LA FUENTE: I think driving on the 405 freeway is definitely scarier- not because of the drive-bys, but because of all the different personalities and driving skills that are rolling down the road. There are also a lot of people talking on their cell phones and not really paying attention. On a track you are driving with professionals who are completely focused on the road ahead.
SportsHollywood: Who's funnier between takes: Sylvester Stallone or Burt Reynolds?
DE LA FUENTE: Sly has a great sense of humor but I had the chance to spend more time with him than I did with Burt.
SportsHollywood: Was it difficult breaking into the American market? Who are your favorite American actors?
DE LA FUENTE: Luckily, it hasn't been that difficult for me to break in and I think that's because I have been blessed with a really wonderful team who has been behind me since the beginning. They share my same vision and together we continue to achieve my goals. I also think I arrived at a great time with the whole Latin explosion. My two favorite actors are Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, whom I would love to work with in the near future.
SportsHollywood: Favorite sport?
DE LA FUENTE: Tennis is my favorite sport to both play and watch.
SportsHollywood: How do you go to the bathroom in a Nomex drivers suit?
DE LA FUENTE: Well, when you are outside the car you just take the Nomex suit off. If you are in the car it's a whole different story. If you have to do number one -- you just do it in the suit, if you have to do number two -- well then you're just out of luck.
Interview by Karen Bailey
