,
Late in that first race, a 370Z died in a corner and there was a full-course caution. Alex’s five second lead disappeared, and now I had two Cadillacs filling my mirrors on the restart. Our Pirelli slicks, when really hot, pick up loads of used rubber off the track surface, and I could feel it and hear it in the clunky ride. I worked the tires hard to clean ?em up best I could, fronts under braking, rears accelerating. But the back of the Volvo is the light end, and the 4wd keeps me from spinning them and scrubbing off the lumpy buildup. Roaring into One after the green, Alex can’t get ?er stopped on the tire clag and goes wide, and the Porsche is through. I’m good under braking, but my #6 snap oversteers in my nemesis 9A, and before I can block, two Caddies are by, dragging the Skeen Corvette with ?em. Lordy, three positions, like that! Skeen and I blast into the one-wide chicane 11-12 two-wide and he bravely beats me to turn 13, then pushes wide and I four-wheel drive my way past him on exit. The Caddies are a tad slower than us today, but they still have strong brakes. Last lap I try the traction pass on Pilgrim but can only get to his door and there we are, alive and well, but sixth, ugh. The Skeen Corvette was down on power, but he’ll be back big-time next race, I am sure.
Post-race tech found an incorrect splitter on the Porsche, and after a couple of angry hours of argument, Figge got the win he almost had in the first place and the 911 was out. Ouch. One man’s pain become another’s pleasure.
Race two short story. K-PAX Volvo standing start launch into lead. Figge draws away from Pobst again as brakes and tires heat up, Porsche harasses, then dives by in turn ten again, Audi harasses a long time, then dive bombs in turn ten again-again, and we’re fourth late in the race. The Figge breaks a suspension piece and Dalziel flats a tire and the checkered waves and we luck into second. It ain’t ever over until it’s over, folks. The Cadillacs were not a factor, and I suspect they chose to be that way to start the season, wise and sophisticated strategists that they are.
Overall frustrating for Figge, who darn near won ?em both, and for me, for not quite being able to keep up with my quick teammate, but a really sweet start to the season for the K-PAX team, with a second and a first in the Manufacturers Championship. We’re tied with Audi, who now have five fabulous new racers in the field. It’s one mean Volvo K-PAX has built to run with these killer rides.
