Great races last night. Had a lot of fun wrestling my Viper around the track. I choose it despite knowing it wouldn't keep up with the top runners. The Viper had amazing top end as usual, but was absolutely horrible on the brakes and had a clear disadvantage in terms of corner speed. Despite that it was a lot of fun to "slide" it around this track.
Quali: I really didn't find the pace I had a few days ago. Between Sunday's DTM race and all the testing I have been doing with the V8's and Mobil1 Supercup cars, I just didn't have quite the right feeling with these cars to really push it. Still managed a high 20's lap slotting me into 8th position on the grid.
Race1: Got a decent drive off the line, but tried to take it easy through T1. Sam gets loose and puts it into the wall coming out of T1 and I pass Rafael around the outside of T2. I am now behind Jarrod in P6 and follow him around for about two laps when I make a mistake in T14 and go really wide allowing Tyler to slip through momentarily. Tyler and Jarrod out brake each other into T1 and I keep it tight slipping by the pair of them into P5. Coming through T5 again, I am closing quickly on Yves whom is recovering from his spin. Yves then gets it really loose going through T6 and puts it into the wall. Not knowing where his car would end up, I slam the brakes mid corner sending the Viper really wide and into the wall, but am able to carry on and pass Yves whom is still struggling to get his Vette facing the right way. I am now in P4 with Rafael still hot on my tail. For the next six laps it's a battle against the clock between Rafael and I. Two corners from the last lap, Rafael makes a mistake and the gap between us opens from a few tenths to about 2.5 seconds allowing me to really breath for the first time since the start of the race and I am able to cruise home safely in fourth.
Race2: Starting from 5th, I got a great drive off the line and shot past Tyler in front of me, but brake early to ensure I keep my nose clean through T1. This allows Tyler to get back beside me and Keith tries to squeeze in between us. I get a bit of a shove from Keith, which forces me really wide, but I keep it on the black stuff and find myself chasing Jarrod once more. Jarrod runs it wide through T1 the next time around, allowing me to slip through into P2 behind Rafael. I now had Sam hot on my tail. Having seen him pass someone behind me coming down the hill into the fast esses on the lap before, I figured he would try it there again. Not a place I feel you should pass and rather than risk anything, I held back a bit and let him by coming down the hill. After Rafael's crash (which scared the crap out of me btw) I have Yves close on my tail. I make a mistake into T8 (the fast right hander) and run it really wide and into the wall. Yves slips by with ease and I now have Dariusz hot on my tail. I manage to hold off Dariusz for now, but have Keith all over me again. He dives down the side of me in T3 and I let him by, but get a much better drive up the hill and fly past him. He then dives up the inside into T5 and I leave him room once more. On the exit of the corner Keith gets on the gas to early and spins his car. I now have Dariusz behind me again and Cristian is closing quickly on the pair of us. The following lap Dariusz makes a dive up the inside of T5 from way back. He came in to hot and forced us both really wide. I pull the car around and start accelerating up the short straight leading to T6 and get side swiped by Cristian whom was trying to pass me on the exit of T5. My car got pretty loose, but I was able to keep it straight as Cristian spun into the wall. This allowed Dariusz plenty of time to get away. Keith is closing fast on me once more, but he runs out of time and I finish just a head of him in 4th. Man, what a crazy race this was!
