Every now and then you have a race that has you on the edge of your seat the entire race, and then has you smiling ear to ear everytime you recall the race. The rain race at NASA's Pot of Gold Rush was one of those intense memorable races. Enjoyed EVERY second of it
Here is the whole rain race, not all of it is exciting but some might want to see how Steve Gorriaran and I start finding speed on the track trying different lines, different braking points, new passing lines, sometimes finding speed and sometimes scaring ourselves silly. Steve pulls off some very significant passes on lapped traffic in the last few laps that are very impressive both in terms of courage and execution.
With the unshaved Toyo RA-1 “rain†tires the car is on the verge of a slide from turn in to track out and the steering wheel is just so light in your hands the entire time. And often in the braking points we were going into turn T10A with all 4 wheels locked up. Very, very scary.
Being crossed up side-by-side with another driver not giving an inch and big concrete walls either side is pretty nerve wracking. Then on top of that we have the Majors race in just 4 days from this so no chance for Steve or I to repair anything if we get it wrong. Passing on the outside of turn1 in the rain is also not for everyone, but it was not nearly as hairy as the feeling from the exit of T3 to the exit of T5 where the entire time I was expecting the car to get away from me.
- Lap 1 is fun finding out what the track and tires have to offer.
- Really fun side-by-side passing attempts on the outside of turns starts at 16:00. Initially we completely check out from the field of BMW Spec E30’s, but towards the end when I start trying to pass Steve it slows us down and then the E30’s come into the picture and make the last two laps really hairy.
ENJOY