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GRAND-AM
IN THE COCKPIT: Andy Lally, Mid-Ohio
My first trip to Mid-Ohio was in 1995 for the SCCA Nationals. 17 years later, it’s still one of my most successful, and favorite, race tracks...
Andy Lally, left, on the grid for the Rolex Series race at Mid-Ohio. (Photo: Brian Cleary/GRAND-AM)
My first trip to Mid-Ohio was in 1995 for the SCCA Nationals. 17 years later, it’s still one of my most successful, and favorite, race tracks. For whatever reason I’ve always clicked here, it’s why I’ve won more races here than any other track but one (Watkins Glen).
It’s funny how things come around. I bumped into an old friend at a welcome reception, Kim Green. Kim, along with his promotions company (Green Savoree Racing Promotions) had recently purchased Mid-Ohio, but most of you know Kim (who along with his brother Barry) owned and ran Team Kool Green Racing in the 90's , before merging with Micheal Andretti to form Andretti Green Racing.
In 1996, Green had formed the Team Kool Green Academy, with an ambition to find the best up-and-coming American drivers, and give them the tools and guidance needed to make it to the top levels. I was fortunate to be chosen while it was in existence, and it was very big for me not only because of the confidence it inspired, but it was also great exposure. Bob Earl and Derek Daly were the Team Green Academy's talent scouts, and Mid Ohio is where I was first "found". I was a clueless kid in 1996, and would absolutely drive anything. 16 years later, it’s pretty cool to come full circle and see both Kim and myself on such unique (and lucky) paths.
On to the racing! This year I came to Mid Ohio for a double header in both my no. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche in the Rolex Series, and my No. 10 Kinetic Motorsports Kia in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Both classes are in a tight championship fight, and it’s important to keep momentum in this mid-summer swing.
Our Kia had a good race pace in practice, but not the outright speed we’d seen earlier this season (courtesy of some “competition adjustments” by GRAND-AM). Starting on the front row, the fuse on our ABS popped on the first lap, and as I entered turn four, one of the hardest braking corners anywhere, I suddenly realized I had my hands full. The tires locked up big, and while I managed to stay out of the wall, we lost a bunch of positions in the process. I began fumbling trying to reach for the ABS fuse to pop back in, but it would take a few laps. A horrible pit stop only sealed our fate in the mid-pack.
The series is essentially coming down to a two horse race in the Championship between us and Mazda, and our ability to not make big mistakes has played a crucial role so far. The Mazda was in third, so I knew this would be a bad day. However, as luck would have it, they had their own difficulties with a punctured tire, and we actually finished ahead of them, settling for 11th… and nine points ahead in the Championship. Let’s hope that’s the end of our bad luck.
Two hours later, and it was time to race in the Rolex Series.
John did a great job to make one of his best starts of the season. You need to be able stay close enough to the leaders here in order to pit under green without losing a lap, and John delivered perfectly.
The race that we had in Rolex was exactly what you train for. A long, hard fight that involved: multiple manufacturers, great drivers, and on a great track.
Pulling out of the pits for my stint, one of the greatest feelings a driver can have is finding that all of the work he and the team had done during practice paid off. When I got in, I knew we were one of the fastest cars on the track. Getting us up to second, a mid-race yellow flag threw a mix of strategy in. We elected to come in, but with the fuel-cell half full, we elected for only two tires to make the stop quicker. It made our stop fast, but would mean if we had a long green flag run we would really be abusing the right rear. Our tire wear had been good all through practice, and on top of that, it was Mid-Ohio, there are always cautions here.... I thought.
Surprisingly, no yellows came out, and five laps out of our fuel window I started hearing a funny noise while cornering. In my experience, between the noise and feeling It was giving me, all the warning signs of a corded or delaminating tire were there. We decided to pit a little early to make sure we would not crash, but this meant we would be running super tight on fuel to make it to the end.
I had to be ultra-conservative to manage the fuel and tires we had, so it was difficult to run a fast pace after that. After a late caution I could run a bit harder, and that allowed me to make a couple of passes and settle for fifth.
Overall I’m happy we were the top Porsche, but we were behind the 69 Ferrari and 57 Camaro, who are ahead of us in points. This Championship is incredibly tight, so I would have liked more.
We have a couple rounds that could really prove well for our car at Road American and then Watkins Glen, keep your fingers crossed for us!
Andy Lally is one of the most successful drivers in GRAND-AM history, and one of the highest regarded American sports car drivers on the circuit. As GRAND-AM’s all-time mileage leader, Andy has won four different times at The Rolex 24 at Daytona, three GRAND-AM championships, and has had over 100 starts in the Rolex Series. Beyond road racing, he is also the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie-of-the-Year, and even a Classic Luge World Champion.
It’s funny how things come around. I bumped into an old friend at a welcome reception, Kim Green. Kim, along with his promotions company (Green Savoree Racing Promotions) had recently purchased Mid-Ohio, but most of you know Kim (who along with his brother Barry) owned and ran Team Kool Green Racing in the 90's , before merging with Micheal Andretti to form Andretti Green Racing.
In 1996, Green had formed the Team Kool Green Academy, with an ambition to find the best up-and-coming American drivers, and give them the tools and guidance needed to make it to the top levels. I was fortunate to be chosen while it was in existence, and it was very big for me not only because of the confidence it inspired, but it was also great exposure. Bob Earl and Derek Daly were the Team Green Academy's talent scouts, and Mid Ohio is where I was first "found". I was a clueless kid in 1996, and would absolutely drive anything. 16 years later, it’s pretty cool to come full circle and see both Kim and myself on such unique (and lucky) paths.
On to the racing! This year I came to Mid Ohio for a double header in both my no. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche in the Rolex Series, and my No. 10 Kinetic Motorsports Kia in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Both classes are in a tight championship fight, and it’s important to keep momentum in this mid-summer swing.
Our Kia had a good race pace in practice, but not the outright speed we’d seen earlier this season (courtesy of some “competition adjustments” by GRAND-AM). Starting on the front row, the fuse on our ABS popped on the first lap, and as I entered turn four, one of the hardest braking corners anywhere, I suddenly realized I had my hands full. The tires locked up big, and while I managed to stay out of the wall, we lost a bunch of positions in the process. I began fumbling trying to reach for the ABS fuse to pop back in, but it would take a few laps. A horrible pit stop only sealed our fate in the mid-pack.
The series is essentially coming down to a two horse race in the Championship between us and Mazda, and our ability to not make big mistakes has played a crucial role so far. The Mazda was in third, so I knew this would be a bad day. However, as luck would have it, they had their own difficulties with a punctured tire, and we actually finished ahead of them, settling for 11th… and nine points ahead in the Championship. Let’s hope that’s the end of our bad luck.
Two hours later, and it was time to race in the Rolex Series.
John did a great job to make one of his best starts of the season. You need to be able stay close enough to the leaders here in order to pit under green without losing a lap, and John delivered perfectly.
The race that we had in Rolex was exactly what you train for. A long, hard fight that involved: multiple manufacturers, great drivers, and on a great track.
Pulling out of the pits for my stint, one of the greatest feelings a driver can have is finding that all of the work he and the team had done during practice paid off. When I got in, I knew we were one of the fastest cars on the track. Getting us up to second, a mid-race yellow flag threw a mix of strategy in. We elected to come in, but with the fuel-cell half full, we elected for only two tires to make the stop quicker. It made our stop fast, but would mean if we had a long green flag run we would really be abusing the right rear. Our tire wear had been good all through practice, and on top of that, it was Mid-Ohio, there are always cautions here.... I thought.
Surprisingly, no yellows came out, and five laps out of our fuel window I started hearing a funny noise while cornering. In my experience, between the noise and feeling It was giving me, all the warning signs of a corded or delaminating tire were there. We decided to pit a little early to make sure we would not crash, but this meant we would be running super tight on fuel to make it to the end.
I had to be ultra-conservative to manage the fuel and tires we had, so it was difficult to run a fast pace after that. After a late caution I could run a bit harder, and that allowed me to make a couple of passes and settle for fifth.
Overall I’m happy we were the top Porsche, but we were behind the 69 Ferrari and 57 Camaro, who are ahead of us in points. This Championship is incredibly tight, so I would have liked more.
We have a couple rounds that could really prove well for our car at Road American and then Watkins Glen, keep your fingers crossed for us!
Andy Lally is one of the most successful drivers in GRAND-AM history, and one of the highest regarded American sports car drivers on the circuit. As GRAND-AM’s all-time mileage leader, Andy has won four different times at The Rolex 24 at Daytona, three GRAND-AM championships, and has had over 100 starts in the Rolex Series. Beyond road racing, he is also the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie-of-the-Year, and even a Classic Luge World Champion.
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