The SVRA Sunday Group 2 Formula Ford race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on June 16th, 2024.
The Saturday race was pretty exciting but I didn't get any camera footage since after 11 generations GoPro still can't make a camera that won't overheat and shut off shooting 4K in 93 degree weather. For Sunday I dropped the resolution back down to 1080p and even though it was hotter the cameras captured what was also a very entertaining race (from my perspective anyway).
I started 3rd in Club Ford behind Kim Madrid and Mark Kingham and I managed to pass Mark on the inside of turn 1 through turn 2. Rick Hill had to start way in the back due to a mechanical issue in the Saturday race, but you'll see his red #55 Crossle come flying through the field on the inside of the track and by Turn 12 he's fighting for 5th place. On the second lap I knew Mark's Zink would easily catch me in the draft, so I drifted to the middle of the track to block off an inside move at Turn 1, but I locked up at turn entry and Mark was able to sail around on the outside. By now Rick was right behind me and he passed me on the back straight, so now I was in P4.
Rick and Kim had a good battle over the next few laps as Rick passed her going onto the front straight. I closed the gap after a couple of laps and we went three wide into turn 1, and while I managed to get by Kim, Dan Ariens had been right on our tails and he slipped through and passed us both. Nine corners later though Dan spun exiting Turn 10 and Kim spun onto the grass avoiding him. I made it through and then spent a few laps trying to close down Rick. I got close but an ill-timed yellow (aren't they all?) and a very slow Formula B opened the gap back up. As I was working to catch up, Todd Strong came into the picture after he went off track earlier fighting for first place overall in Formula Ford. Rick was able to defend the third-overall Formula Ford spot with Todd a half second behind him and me another half second behind Todd at the finish line.
I finished P3 in Club Ford in both the Saturday and Sunday race, which are my first medals at Indy in four years of trying, and was consistently a second and a half faster than my previous fast laps at this track. Another really fun weekend with SVRA at a fantastic venue, I hope we get to keep coming back here. Thanks as always to our great TIP 189 crew (Dan, Todd, Elizabeth, Sam, Jeff K, Mike) for everything they do for us drivers and the cars over the weekend, you guys are amazing.
Chapters
00:00 - Formation Lap/Start - P3
01:35 - Lap 1 - Passing Mark Kingham in Turn 1 - P2
02:12 - Lap 1 - Trying to pass Kim Madrid in Turn 7
02:44 - Lap 1 - Rick Hill makes a move in Turn 12
03:14 - Lap 2 - I move inside to cover Turn 1 from Mark, it goes badly - P3
03:52 - Lap 2 - Rick passes me on the back straight - P4
04:27 - Lap 2 - Rick tries to pass Kim in Turn 12 then gets it done in Turn 14
07:52 - Lap 4 - Rick and Kim dice in turns 12 & 13
09:22 - Lap 5 - I close the gap to Rick and Kim, Dan Ariens closes the gap to me
10:07 - Lap 6 - Three-wide going into Turn 1 where I pass Kim but Dan passes us both - P4
10:42 - Lap 6 - Pass attempt on Dan into Turn 7 - Still P4
11:05 - Lap 6 - Dan spins exiting Turn 10, Kim spins avoiding him - P3
13:35 - Lap 8 - Geoff Brabham and Tonis Kasemets roar by in their Formula Bs
15:24 - Lap 9 - A yellow flag and a slow Formula B thwart my progress reeling Rick in
17:02 - Lap 10 - Todd Strong in VFF class catching up after an off-track excursion
17:41 - Lap 10 - Todd passes me on the back straight - I'm still P3 in 2CF class
18:17 - Lap 10 - Rick defends against Todd for P3 Overall through the last three corners
23 июл 2024
