Pit stop action at Watkins Glen!
The IMSA TUDOR Series season is really hitting its stride right now. We just had the six-hour race at Watkins Glen, and after one weekend off we’ll be at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). Then we have only a few weekends off before heading to Road America.
That busy schedule really puts a sports car team to its test. Unlike NASCAR, we only have one car for each entry – we don’t have multiple cars for the No. 07 Mazda SKYACTIV prototype in order to be in two places at once!
The team has to create a home away from home with a schedule like this one, because it makes no sense to travel all the way back to the SpeedSource shop in Florida, just to turn around and head to Canada. Instead, the team left Watkins Glen and set up temporary operations at a local shop, where they are working to get the cars prepped before CTMP.
Watkins Glen was such a wet and crazy race, and luckily we came away with a clean car in spite of the conditions. A tight schedule makes it even more important to have a clean car at the end of the race. There is always prep and development you want to complete before a race weekend, and you don’t want to add more work by giving the crew a damaged car! It’s especially a strain when the team is on the road and may not have the same specialized equipment that they have at the SpeedSource shop.
As a driver, this is a really productive time of year because you get into a nice rhythm. It allows you to build from one race to the next, with only short breaks between rounds. I feel like I’m more confident and in the zone when I show up at the race weekend because everything is very fresh and the whole team works together so smoothly.
Coming off of the team’s best finish of a top five at Watkins Glen, we’re excited about the race at CTMP this weekend. It’s a track that tends to favor our style of prototypes, which was proven last year when the No. 07 car did well there. The track is extremely fast and challenging, so it’s a real thrill from the driver’s seat, especially when you’re behind the wheel of a high downforce car like our Mazda SKYACTIV prototype.