Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo once opened up on what made him fall in love with the United States. The former McLaren driver, who regards the North American country as his second home, has revealed the reasons why his love for the country has been there for a long time.

When the Honey Badger was in the US for the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, he had an interview with Jalopnik. There he revealed his first impression of the US when he was a child. Talking with Elizabeth Blackstock, he conveyed, “It was, I would say, a combination of NASCAR and Hollywood.”

“The movies basically. So, you’d see the Sunset Strip, and it just always felt like a bit of a dream world or fairy land. Even like Disneyland or places like this, [America] just seemed like the best place on Earth,” further asserted the former HRT driver.

READ MORE: Red Bull Honcho Reveals if Daniel Ricciardo Can Be Max Verstappen’s Teammate Once Again: “Contract is Very Specific”

An avid NASCAR fan, Ricciardo primarily pointed out the stock car racing series as one of the main reasons why he always had a fascination with America. Moreover, his racing number is also an inspiration taken from NASCAR and the great Dale Earnhardt.

Daniel Ricciardo and his ties with the United States of America

One of their own, Ricciardo, will now probably be the second most trending F1 name in the North American country after the newest addition to the grid, Logan Sargeant. Still, Daniel Ricciardo has a deep connection with the country, and this includes his ranch visit in Texas.

Even though he’s a Perth-born man, he is a Texan by heart. Notably, the Circuit of The Americas isn’t the only reason why he loves coming back to the country during F1’s annual visit to Austin for the US Grand Prix, but the cowboy vibe is what brings him in.

As seen during this year’s US Grand Prix, Ricciardo arrived at the paddock riding a horse, with his friend singing alongside. Thanks to these interesting stunts and Netflix’s Drive to Survive, the love for the Honey Badger from the US is likewise.

WATCH THIS STORY: Struggling ‘Honey Badger’ Daniel Ricciardo Once Dominated the Streets of Azerbaijan in Glorious 2017

Apart from his love for Texas and his NASCAR connection, he has a lavish house in Los Angeles worth over $18.6 million. The Beverly Hills mansion is usually the place where he prefers to spend his time when he’s on the season break.