Hot laps with champion racer Scott Pruett

And the Californian is also a very pleasant and down-to-earth person -- despite being lumbered with film star looks, being widely known as "the winningest driver in US history" and having a pedigree reflecting his passion for all forms of motorsport.

He started in karts aged eight and as an adult had most of his success in sports car racing, where he is a four-time Rolex Series Champion in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, and four-time Rolex 24 hours of Daytona winner.

The now 51-year-old Pruett (who looks more like a 40-year-old) is also the single most successful Daytona Prototype driver with career records for wins (31), pole positions (32), podium finishes (59) and laps led (2152).

He has also raced in NASCAR and has had 145 races in the CART series, including one in Australia: He won at Surfers Paradise in 1997 and won the IMSA GTO Championship in 1986 and 1988.

So who wouldn't jump at the chance of a few laps with the maestro? The opportunity came my way at the impossibly technical Infineon Raceway, near Monterey, California.

In a Lexus IS-F, I strapped into the front seat alongside the wunderpilot and watched in awe as he steered the 5.0litre V8 sport sedan through the tight corners, felt my equilibrium do a somersault as he whipped it left and right through the esses and felt my eyeballs threaten the pop out of my head as he braked for the double-apex hairpin.

Infineon has a hidden corner too: you barrel out of a right hander, go straight and, all of a sudden there's a crest  with no sign of where the road goes.

My stomach did a lurch as the Lexus soared over the drop and Scott, who has driven the circuit hundreds of times, flicked it sharp left and powered out of the downhill left hander. And so it went on for six laps.

Not a moment of hesitation from him as he belted the IS-F, its motor bellowing with glee, around the demon-designed circuit with its hidden corners, adverse cambers, ups, downs and other surprises. There are 12 turns and nearly 50m of elevation change in the circuit's 3.5km.

Pruett's relationship with Lexus includes heavy involvement with the IS F and LFA programs, and he's probably had more km in the LFA sports car than anyone else in the world.

But there's more to car racing for the affable father of three: he is also a passionate producer of fine wines.

Scott, and his wife Judy grow prime syrah grapes at their vineyard in Auburn, northern California. And they write children's books through their publishing company, Word Weaver Books.

"He's passionate about absolutely everything he does," Judy told with a sweet smile. And just a hint of a blush.