Merzlikins, Kivlenieks get to enjoy the ride at Mid-Ohio

It didn't take Elvis Merzlikins long to voice his approval at his Tuesday afternoon activity at the Mid-Ohio race course an hour north of Columbus.
Moments after emerging from Jeff Proctor's Honda Ridgeline Baja Race Truck piloted by IndyCar driver Alexander Rossi -- a promotional event ahead of this weekend's Honda 200 IndyCar race at the famed road course in Lexington, Ohio -- the Blue Jackets goalie and noted adrenaline junky made it clear just how much fun he was having.
"I love it," he declared after a three-lap jaunt on a dirt course that featured multiple jumps, tight turns and plenty of off-road thrills. "After retirement, this is what I'm gonna do."

Blue Jackets fans hope that isn't for quite some time for the 27-year-old goalie, and while he said that he's dedicated to the sport of hockey for the time being, he later acknowledged in an interview that racing could very well be in his long-term future.
"I always believe it that in my retirement when I can go for risk with myself, my body, I am going to do something like that," he said. "I am pretty sure one day in the future I am going to do something like that after hockey."

Fellow Latvian CBJ goalie Matiss Kivlenieks had a little different take. While Kivlenieks has no fear when it comes to standing in the net and stopping pucks blasted at speeds up to 100 mph, he admitted he had a little nervousness while accompanying Merzlikins on the trip north, then following him in the truck with Rossi.
"At first, I am not going to lie, I was a little nervous," Kivlenieks said. "Especially that first lap because I didn't know what to expect, but then I just felt more and more comfortable and enjoyed the ride. Especially with a driver like that, you feel a lot safer.
"That third jump, it was pretty cool. It was awesome. It actually feels softer than you would think once you land those jumps."
That's an opinion shared by Merzlikins, who has spent some time around racing himself. A Formula One fan who was noted for his slick driving skills while living in Lugano, Switzerland -- a city of tight, winding roads and precipitous cliffs that lead to picturesque views but some white-nkockle -- he's also taken a few spins at tracks overseas in Ferraris and Lamborghinis and driven rally cars on ice as well (perhaps a future in a Zamboni awaits him).

Still, getting air on the dirt track in rural Ohio was a new experience.
"It's interesting, when you take off and are about to land, it seems like you are crashing into the ground," he said. "We understand that you are not. The tires are super soft. It's fine. You don't even hit yourself inside. It was super fun. I really enjoyed it.
"I was all day long thinking about this and I really couldn't wait for it. When they asked me if I wanted to join for this kind of thing, I said yes right away. I really like sports cars, I really like adrenaline."
Another perk of the day was spending some time with Rossi, a California born racer and former F1 driver who won the 2016 Indianapolis 500. Rossi, Merzlikins and Kivlenieks were able to spend about 10 minutes before the drives talking about their respective fields, and as top-level athletes, they share a curiosity about what life is like for the man in the other sport.
Rossi likely would think it's crazy to stand in front of a slap shot, while Merzlikins and Kivlenieks expressed admiration for the racer's ability to stay calm and handle a vehicle.
"Just watching him in the car, it's just unbelievable the way he controls it," Kivlenieks said. "It just makes you feel so much safer. The guy is a real professional."
Added Merzlikins: "It's not easy to drive in the car like this and be focused. We say in hockey you have to be focused for 60 minutes, but I am not risking my life. Every single time he is going there inside that little cage, he is risking his life.
"This was my first time that I was sitting (with) a serious professional driver, so it was really interesting to see how calm he is and how he's controlling the situation. Maybe we normal people get in a panic, and he's not because if he gets in a panic, he is going to risk his life."
Have no fear, though, Blue Jackets fans. While Merzlikins has plenty of interest in racing -- as well as other adrenaline rushes like skiing and skydiving -- that will all wait until years down the road as he continues to try to stake claim to being one of the top goalies in the sport.
"My life is hockey," he said. "I am going to live long enough that all those things can wait until later."