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Thanks!!

montoya

Our final qualifying was Saturday morning. Temps were due to ramp up on Saturday and Sunday so this was likely to be the last time to get a good start. Before going out I was able to arrange to line up behind the Fogg brothers like the day before and hoped to hang on as best I could in their draft. At the start of the session all went well for the first 4 or 5 laps until we came upon one of my good friends and rivals JD, he let Phil and Steve by but it took me another half a lap to get around and by that time we had lost the Fogg's and were left on our own. JD was kind enough to draft me, but the best we could manage together was 6th and 7th on the grid, with me 7th by a few thousands. In the end the it was bumped up one position, TQ, Anson, was underweight by almost 20 pounds and his time was DQ'd.



A very tight field, with a second covering the top 10, Saturday's race looked to be a good one. I felt I had the pace to be Top 5, if something happened a podium was possible. Saturday's race was scheduled in the afternoon, with temps in 90's, so the track would slick, the only saving grace was it was short at only 20 minutes. Here's the video:


Best finish of the year! Fourth after a crappy start, I make up lost ground, eventually passing and pulling away from JD. Wow, it felt good to finish, but also to have a complete race at the top of my performance level. Equally encouraging was I had the fourth fastest lap of the race. I did benefit from Calvin Harris pulling off due to a sealed radiator intake after bumping someone at the start, but I'll take it! Interestingly, my setup was very good in the high temp conditions, no major sliding around in the heat unlike others that struggled including JD.

Sunday's race then was shaping up to be a good one then if I could only get off the line better. At 40 minutes, there was a lot of time- tires could be a concern at the end and managing them through the race would factor in. That's how it turned out-here's my edited race video with comments:


Spoiler alert!- 6th place. The start was fantastic, started in fifth and then stayed with the lead group for 8 laps. I was close enough to be part of the lead group except for the gap that grew down the front and back straights, but I would close that up through the back section of the course. Unfortunately a spin in front of us leaves dirt on the track on the entrance to twelve. This corner we trail brake in so we are already loose and my line uses every bit of track- just a little wider than the leaders- and I spin on dirt they miss. Ugh. This would have been a third place finishing position! The rest of the race it seemingly takes forever for my tires to cool down to mount a run up the field from tenth, eventually catching the dice for third, but by this time the tires were on the edge and I could go no further.

But what a weekend! The setup changes allow me to finally drive the car at the limit, not just under and that is what it takes to be competitive for top finishes in this class. Fourth fastest both days with a motor still in break-in, wow! Time will tell if this setup translates to other tracks, but I don't see why it wouldn't. Now I'm looking forward to the Runoffs in October!

Thanks for following along all season. Leave me a note if you enjoyed it, or if you didn't!!

Thanks,

Andre

24Chromium

Good stuff, Andre! Racing is a cruel mistress at times.

montoya

seanseidman

Andre,
I've thoroughly enjoyed these posts
Great work, way to keep pushing on the track, and through adversity

montoya

MaynardZed

montoya