Hope you’ve been watching some of the last few Grand-Am Rolex series races because we have been super close to winning one of these events.  In July we were at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama with the Brumos car.  David Donohue and I both had a good weekend, and even though our #58 Brumos Porsche Riley wasn’t quick off the trailer, we found a set up that really began to let us go quicker in long runs.

The weather was very hot, and it took its toll on a lot of cars and drivers, but I was determined to get a good showing for the team.  After some hard racing for third and second I was able to break away from the pack and began to close in on leader Scott Pruett’s car.  The last few laps it felt like I was tied to his gearbox, and we ended up finishing the race with another second place and the distinction of the fifth closest finish in series history.

This past weekend was the Montreal race at Circuit Gilles Villenueve.  We’ve run well here in the past, and both David and I knew we would be a threat for a win.  It turned out to be one of the best and worst races I’ve had in a car, and probably the most disappointing podiums I had ever earned. 

David had a terrific stint and moved up from his fifth placed qualifier to the lead and handed the car off to me at the first yellow.  I came out in sixth but worked my way up to the lead with about 30 minutes left in the race.  Joey Hand and I were nose to tail for 20 or so laps and then he ran out of fuel.  We had a full straightaway lead over second and third leading into the last lap and the car began to sputter from fuel starvation within sight of the checkered flag!  Coming onto the front straight, the second and third placed cars just barely caught and past me for the closest finish in Grand-Am history at 0.064 seconds.

I couldn’t believe it.  After that charge through the field to come up just short of the win.  It was hard to stand on the podium for sure, but we all know that that’s racing.  The good news was that we had two Brumos cars in the top 5 as we finished 3rd in the #58 and the #59 took fourth.

This weekend, its out to the short course at Watkins Glen for the Crown Royal 250 and then to Infineon later in the month.  We’re gonna win one of these things soon, so stay tuned!