SEBRING, Fla. -- Peter Terting watched and listened from behind the pit wall as his fiancee, Katherine Legge, zipped around the Sebring International Raceway short course in her initial session in an IZOD IndyCar Series car.

The 28-year-old German native who's competed in just about everything in Europe -- from touring cars to DTM to open-wheel -- currently is in a supporting role.

"We said last year that we were going to push especially hard for her to get a ride in IndyCar this year, and I kept my contracts back in Europe with the Audi Volkswagon group," said Terting, who started racing karts when he was 6. "I was flying back and forth between the States and Germany, which was difficult to not see each other for long periods.

"I supported her, but we said whoever gets the better opportunity for 2012 the other one is following. We're very happy that she'll be driving here, but it means I couldn't sign my contracts back in Germany for 2012. I'm looking for an ALMS drive and have a few opportunities. It's not so easy; you can't come from Germany to here and expect to get a drive quickly.

"Last year we were working very hard on her drive and now we're working hard on my drive. There is a fantastic atmosphere and aura about North American motorsport. There are also some fantastic tracks that I’d like to try my hand at."

Legge, from England, got in the equivalent of a full day on the 1.67-mile, 11-turn course for Lotus Dragon Racing as she and teammate Sebastien Bourdais (who's moved his family back to St. Petersburg, Fla.) prepare for the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. She recorded 111 laps.

Terting gives his fiancee a knowing smile after the session.

"Finally now she could run. There are so many things to do we're just happy that the car is running. It's a mental thing to just be in the car and drive."