ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – What made Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi and Dario Franchitti such superlative drivers, a young racer asked Chip Ganassi Racing managing director Mike Hull.

“The short answer is when they open their visor and you look in their eyes,” he quickly replied. “You can see right away the focus. Every one of them had a different skill set in terms of how they got the job done, but it was the focus they had for today.”

Hull was among the speakers at the season-opening Mazda Road to Indy Summit, which covers off-track tools drivers need in their professional motorsports careers. Curriculum addressed conducting interviews, the business of motorsports, performance thinking, fitness and wellness, driver brand building, social media and working with the media, and providing a return on investment.

More than 50 drivers from Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda attended the informative sessions.

Another driver who aspires to compete in the Verizon IndyCar Series asked Hull what team owners and managers are looking for from competitors in the stepladder series.

“We keenly watch everyone. We’re curious as to how you stand out,” said Hull, referencing 2013 Indy Lights champion Sage Karam, who has competed for Chip Ganassi Racing’s sports car team in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.  “He represents this system quite well.

“What we look at and remember is how you represent yourself out of the race car. Also, I want to see a skill set; somebody who understands as the tires degrade or as the track conditions change how they adapt to that. The most important thing you do before you start the race is how you prepare for the race. That’s what practice is all about.”

Another summit is scheduled for May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.