Round 12 Results - Watkins Glen Pro Sprint

Replays:

drive.google.com/file/d/1SDlzGiXUjd6IgjNYZ-TD5ecMVlbHlRIn/view?usp=sharing

I made a minor setup change from lessons learned during last week's Twin Sprint races that seemed to help my pace here. I surprised myself with a near 1:42 flat at the end of Official Practice and almost put together a lap in the 41s during qualifying but Mike Campbell got closer to take pole with his BMW M6 GT3.

The start of the race was a little awkward as Mike slowed a little more than I anticipated and I had to adjust to take my rightful position a fender behind which may have contributed to a poor jump for him when the green was announced. That in combination with P2 being in the inside for T1 helped me into the lead exiting T1 and I was able to build a gap that was big enough to avoid being drafted.

KJ, who had solidified P2 after the first couple of laps pressured me until he spun exiting T10 around Lap 7.

At that point, my plan got clearer. I would pit after lap 18 so that no matter what happened after the pit stops, I would get the bonus point for leading the most laps.

I had started the race with enough fuel to lap for a maximum of about 35 minutes (in consideration of the required 25-35 minute pit window) but probably couldn't pit any sooner than about 28 minutes in otherwise I wouldn't be able to add enough fuel to finish the race on the full power fuel setting.

I'd done maybe 10 practice pit stops, overkill as Watkins Glen has easy pits in and out but was reminded that losing a second to being careful was far less costly than speeding or overshooting the box and the stop went smoothly. 

Before I pitted, Crew Chief told me that I was projected to come out in first place but Mike was in the lead when I rejoined. I'd only added 50 liters of fuel and his early race pace was likely to have been explained by a heavy fuel load so it took catching, passing and gapping him to understand that he probably was running lean and may have not taken ANY fuel which he confirmed as we spoke on the podium.

I did both stints on Softs, started with 68 liters of fuel and added 50 liters. I didn't check after the race but I think that I had 3 or 4 liters left at the end. Slowing my pace on the final lap to shorten the race by one lap wasn't an option.

Looks like Pat and I didn't get any Birthday presents in this one, wow. Feel sorry for Pat and all the issues he was having with with his PC and Steam, had to frazzel him even after getting into the race.

As for me I wasn't sure what strategy to use for running this one so just went with a halfway split on fuel. Qualyed 3rd which I was fine with and quickly got into 2nd in the first lap. Like Tom said from there I just tried to put the pressure on. I was inching closer to him as we got a few laps into it, so was hoping I could get to his bumper. Was looking forward to the way it was shaping up. But nope not going to happen, got loose in the last turn and rammed the left front into the wall. I just turned back out right into the pit entrance, 201 seconds later and 2 laps down back on the track. I only kept going in case somebody else had issues and unfortunately it was Pat. He crashed killing the motor. I slid off track later on but didn't hit anything, didn't matter I was finishing last regardless.

I should have used Tom's thought and changed my setup putting one more click into the wing to make it stable over the whole race. Thinking about my crash pit stop it may have been only a blown front tire and could have been out a lot quicker. Oh well if there is a pitstop involved in race it is my downfall.