Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, USA
7 June 2010
GT Pro Division
Race 2:
I don't get a great jump off the line and going into T1, I've got William in front of me, Yuri on my left and Eric D. coming up fast on the right. I brake early, as I usually do in turn 1, first laps, and Eric shoots by me. Yuri goes off as does Keith up ahead. Everyone's dragging down Moraine Straight with Corey doing some off roading. I zip past him into 10th. I make a pass on Eric D. into T5 and set my sights on William's Corvette up ahead. Heading toward the kink, I flashback to the previous day where I was chasing William down in the DTM cars at this very spot and make a critical mistake that ends our race as well as Eric N.. I'm sure William was thinking the same thing looking in his mirror. Not today. I ease up and follow him through withut incident. But I'm not letting up on the pressure. I get besides him on T12 and we both go into the turn side by side. We touch and William goes into the sand. I pull off the track to allow William his spot back, which allows Keith, Eric D., Sam V, Corey, John and Yuri all to go by. I'm now in 15th. At T14, John spins in front of Yuri and I, but we both manage to squeeze through without contact. Yuri and I drag race across the finish line. He goes into the grass and I gain 13th spot going into T1.
Lap 2: At the end of the Moraine Straight, up ahead, Sam V. gets into the turn hot and slides into Corey. This launches Corey into a roll and leaving Sam sitting in the turn. He's on the outside edge and not in the groove so I turn into the apex. Except Sam begins moving again and right into my line where we hit. I continue on, a bit ruffled, but not damaged. Sam straightens his car out but gets into Saul, who seemed to have gone on an extended off road excursion himself. This sends Saul back into the grass. I look ahead only to see Cristian also reentering the track. I make an evasive maneuver into the grass to go around Cristian and manage to keep it all in one piece. After all that I'm in 9th with Yuri right behind me. I move into 8th shortly after that when Sam M. enters the pits to get a new bumper.
Lap 3: Cristian gets by down Moraine Straight as does Yuri but Yuri overshoots the turn and slides into the grass. Cristian goes wide also and I manage to keep my position this lap.
Lap 4: Cristian powers by me into T1 putting me into 9th. Eric D. and William a contesting hotly up ahead and eric goes off in T2 giving me 8th. T5 finds William and Cristian touching in the turn with Cristian coming out on top. I get by William for 7th. This is where Cristian pulls away easily, moving on to his next victim - Peter.
Lap 5-10: Cristian gets by Peter and moves on. I resolve to reel in Peter and try for a 5th place spot. I manage to gain a couple times only to lose my momentum with stupid bobbles. On lap 10 I've closed in on him and am looking for an opening. I think the only way I'm going to get by is if Peter makes a mistake. He's putting up a good fight, though, and I'm running out of lap. I make one more mistake - at the kink - and the fight is over. I puncture a tire and end up limping across the line in 7th, conceding my spot to Saul.
Race 2 Results:
1. Keith B.
2. Cristian H.
3. Tyler S.
4. Eric N.
5. Peter B.
6. Saul B.
7. Glenn P.
8. William N.
9. Eric D.
10. Corey T.
11. Sam V.
12. Sam M.
13. Eric E.
14. Joseph E.
15. Yuri B.
16. Stefan W.
17. John R.
Another epic track that demands solid driving. Little mistakes are dealt with harshly. In only 10 laps I went from 11th to 15th to 6th. A lot of action and always someone to race with. It's a lesson in being persistant and not giving up. My hats off to all the racers for an entertaining race with solid performances.
I do have one beef I'd like to bring up, though. It seems that one of the golden rules gets swept aside in the heat of the battle and the desire to not lose postions. The one I'm talking about is when cars go off track or stop on the track. Many of the drivers, both new and veteran have forgotten that you need to allow cars to pass and resume racing when there is an opening. I've seen many guys go off and resume without a thought about who their pulling in front of. I saw it in this race and in others and it seems to be increasing. Also, if your car comes to a stop on the track, DO NOT move into the line when there are cars approaching. Either stay still so cars can maneuver around you or hit escape to leave the race. Sorry.
Beyond that little 'beef', I'm looking forward to the next race with all you guys!
"Boy's, load up the GT Sports! We're going back in time to Fuji 1970!"
