What a weekend for FOM. With 16 cars supported at the event, there is so much to remember that the write up on the website will be huge. From my seat:
First time ever driving the Glen. Test day was shortened from 3 groups to 2 for the IT guys as a huge storm came through right at the worst time. With 13 SM's out on track, we had limited ability to tie down one of our awnings at that moment and lost it. Lucky for us, the weather for the rest of the weekend didn't hurt us.
Great track, lots to learn. Tons of blind corners take time to figure out. Love the speed. This track would be an absolute hoot in an ITR car.
Qualifying didn't go well Saturday morning for me. First out but we were lucky recipiants of an oiled up boot from an HRG car in the previous session. Kitty litter every where. Second lap was a touch faster but as I came through the heal of the boot the car washed out totally. I hadn't seen any fluid and there was no debiris flag so I came back through 18 and 10 with no issue. Trying for a flyer, I was making an effort to be fast through 12 (something I never did all weekend) and washed out again. This time I lost about an entire car width. I got the 09 slowed but tapped the tire wall and it ping-ponged me around so I was facing the exit of 12. Joe D and Steve U. make nice controlled avoidance manuveres and I headed to pit lane. Car checked out ok and went out through traffic and qualified P4. Found out later another care had oiled the track and I was about the 3rd car through (I think Doc B told me he hit it and told his crew that 'someone was gonna crash in that'...it was me!
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The race was WORK. Tim K. got a monster start (as Joe pulled off with a broken exhaust) and got bwteeen myself and the top 2, Cefalo and Wheeler. Neither Tim or I EVER got a clean lap because we were fighting in every corner. I knew that I had the potential from the test day for high 18's so I thought if I could get by I could mount a run on Steve and Marc. Nope. Time gave me just enough room to try my passes when I was along side and he held his outside line like a Pro and powered past me to the next corner.
Steve F. gave me some nice bump drafts through the Esses but it was just not enough. When I looked at video from Steve's car, it was very clear that I was giving Tim way to much room. I had my plan for Sundays 12 lap feature race...race clean but race him much harder. I felt bad that I couldn't close the deal on Tim because Steve had tried to help us both get by. Being the first time at the track, being conservative was the smart play but it sure didn't feel like that at the time. It was pretty awesome. I threw the whole kitchen sink at Tim in T1 on the last lap while in P4 and got sideways avoiding him as he turned in hard toward the apex and I watched Steve and Geoff B drive by as I gathered it up way off line out in the runoff area.
Sunday was pretty ready to race having reviewed the video and data over and over. Got a monster start and went from P6 to P2 by turn 1. I spend all 12 laps chasing Marc, got up along side a couple times but never had a legit chance to pass. Marc and I gapped P3 so I was able to focus on turning my best laps. Ended up P2 with the fast lap in ITA of a 1:18.6. October is going to be FUN.
Some items on the event itself. TONS of cars, TONS of racing. If you wanted to (and we has some customers do this), you could have done the test day a double regional and a Pro IT race. Awesome. Huge Pro IT field.
The PTB allowed the ITR/ITS/ITA to have a split start Saturday with R and S taking the green before the 20+ ITA field and it worked (I thought) perfectly. A little confusion on Sunday morning was taken care of quickly and we had another split start that allowed all the leaders to race without incident.
Actually, ALL the workers were awesome. Weights were done for top 3 in blazing speed and the tech hours were extensive. Overall a great weekend. Thanks to all the volunteers that made it happen and thanks to the Team DI/ Pro IT team for continuing to grow a cool series.