Joe kicked ass. That's all I got to say about that...
He got a little over zelous scurbbing his tires...
I think that's being a bit nice. I'd describe it more as being an arrogant bonehead.
As he was coming through T3 he tried to kick out the rear tires, I assume to heat them up. He got WAAY out of shape and just about lost the car around that blind spot/Jersey barriers right then and there. Fortunately, he caught it and continued.
Then he did the EXACT SAME STUPID THING at the top of the hill. This time his "ginormous" talent pool didn't save him; he tank-slapped it into the dirt and up the hill on the left, then shot across the track to the right, across Andy's bow. Andy, who was originally gridded behind him, swung around him and continued, with Gorrarian in quick pursuit, and he got back into his original spot (which was just to the left of Andy, same row.)
Hey, it might have worked for him, except for the somewhat-minor inconvenience of other drivers having been in the same race group as him...
Jake, he's done that before, run ITA; in fact, he was on pole with that Spec Miata at Watkins Glen last year when I was there. Like I told Andy, those Spec Miatas make damn fine ITA cars...give them real shocks, less weight, open exhausts, internal engine mods - call it 25-30 more horsepower - open diff and such and that thing might actually be able to eventually even place top-3...
I have no clue how Patullo managed to do a complete 360 in the middle of the pack - in the entry to T3, first lap, and not get hit.
I'm tired. Glad we only do this event once a year...