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I had a great time this year. I was very pleased with my performance in the ProSolo. As mentioned I was driving my SS setup z06 in SM2. This was because I was sitting 5th in SM2 (4th really since Popp was not going to be there) and 11th in SS. I figured if I could finish in the top 3 in SM2 I would get a year end points trophy... but even if I won SS I would have trouble getting a year end trophy (top 5 finishers) for SS. So, off to SM2 I went. I was sitting in third after the morning runs, but I am not sure the rest of the SM2 guys gave me a second thought (probably rightfully so). After the afternoon runs me and my co-driver were exactly where everyone thought we would be... DFL and one spot up from DFL. I was dissapointed, but felt I could really go faster on the second day. As it turns out... I did. I put down one of my best runs ever on the left course and was able to jump up to 4th spot!!! I think I shocked a couple of the other drivers with that run. It felt great Unfortunatley I finished the year in 4th position in the points standings, only 3 points out of the final trophy spot. Oh well.


At Nationals I was determined to trophy. I knew I was fast enough, I just had to drive my best to get it. Well, as the weather forcast got colder and colder, many people were trying to find a co-driver. At some point on Tuesday Mathew Braun phoned Gary Thomason and mentioned I had a lot of experience driving GT3s if he was interested in looking for a co-driver. A few hours later Gary approached me letting me know he was considering having a co-driver and would I be interested. I said -- ummmm... YES. While jumping into a strange car for Nats might be viewed as a bit risky, I knew that the GT3 was the car I would have the best shot with. So, Wednesday Gary confirmed the co-drive and I prepared by walking the course with the GT3 in mind, instead of the z06.

So, Thursday comes and I am pumped. I sit in Gary's GT3 for the first time, buckle in and head on the 3 mile journey to the courses from grid. I made my first run and was LATE for everything. I found myself crossed up many many times and never got the feel for the car during that run. My second run was more of the same (even though I dropped a few tenths. By my third run I was finally getting the car underneath me, but still felt I needed a couple more runs to put together a run I know I am capable of. A bit dissapointed with my runs, I was happy to see I was still in the hunt for a trophy this year sitting 19th, but only a little more than a tenth away from the trophies.

Now it is Friday. I am confident in everything, my driving, Gary's car and my understanding of the course. I just knew I was going to move up and set my sights on a top ten drive for Friday with a guess that any run in the 49s would get me into the trophies. My first run was a 50.547. I felt pretty good about it. I finally didn't fall behind during the run and knew I had more time out there. I still felt a run in the 49s would be what was required to get me into the trophies and thought that I could easily pick up .5xx seconds over my next two runs. Then, after Gary finished his run he comes back to grid saying he heard something funny. (side note: Gary broke his GT3 during the Pro Finale Super Challenge and replaced the broken half shaft with a used part). Gary and James Gunn worked between runs to diagnose the issue. I started thinking of who I could ask for a co-drive for my final two runs. As the grid worker got closer to us, Gary said for me to take it out and be careful not to over-rev the engine. The thought that I was driving a car that might be broken (especially one that is as pricey as a GT3) didn't do anything for me. I went out, short shifted to 2nd and kept it there the whole run. I came back with a 50.517 (only a .030 improvement). CRAP. I still felt the 49.xxx run was needed and I didn't see any improvement. CRAP CRAP. I might not get this trophy. CRAP CRAP CRAP. Then Gary and James started looking over the car again. They decided it was an exhaust leak and we shouldn't worry about it. whew... one thing less to worry about.

Now, I am preparing for my final run. I was up overlooking the course when I heard Salerno and Strano talking. They were discussing the showcase sweeper. Strano was saying everyone in SS was setting up too much for this turn and that we should shorten the distance at entry. I took that nugget of information and set forth with a new plan of attack for my final run. I cut about 10 feet off of my run, ran a nice clean run and dropped my time to a 50.100. Not quite in the 49s but maybe close enough to get that trophy. I quickly ran back to the live results tent and counted up the people in front of me for the day. I counted around 10 people in SS with faster times than me for the day. I think I did it!

I waited impatiently for the impound worker to bring the results sheet for our approval.... We all congratulated Braun on his amazing final run (48.582!!!)... still waited... Finally the results show up. I did it!!! I moved from 19th to 14th on day two! WHooo hoo.

This was not only my first trophy at Nationals... this was my first trophy at any Tour event! I have several ProSolo trophies, but none from a tour, until now!

To show you how close the field was this year in SuperStock. If I took my gap from first place from this year (3.2 seconds total) and applied it to the results from last year, I would have been 6th last year!. The spread in the 16 trophy spots this year was 3.2xx seconds, whereas the gap for the 15 spots last year was 5.2xx seconds!

I had fun.

adamb

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Adam Breakey
Founder - www.autocrossforum.com
SS 75 Red(isfasterthanyellow) Z06