Last week, I traveled to Austin, Texas, for a test event at Circuit of the Americas. This wasn’t your average test, though: it was a new format that Apex has come up with called The PreGrid. It encapsulates testing and race practice, all in one event.
It’s perfect for anyone looking for testing time over the winter as well as a chance to get in practice for things like qualifying procedures, race starts and other competition-related activities. This event at COTA was the inaugural PreGrid event, and it was a fantastic value for all involved.
The drivers got an incredible amount of track time, and that included the JDX team I was there working with. Elias De La Torre was able to hone his strategies in the mock qualifying session, then he got to experience multiple race starts throughout the event. We even changed things up, alternating starting spots so he got experience starting from the front, middle and back of the field.
We also practiced some artificial full-course yellows to get experience with restarts and packing up under the safety car. The PreGrid format allowed us to throw in elements you don’t always get throughout a race season, which typically makes them hard to practice for. So, whether you’re an experienced driver or new to all this, the format gave everyone something to learn from.
The PreGrid is a great opportunity for anyone looking not only for seat time at a specific track, but also for getting racing practice in general. Apex will be hosting another PreGrid event at Sebring from January 8-9. I know many drivers and teams plan to take advantage of this opportunity, including JDX. See you there!