One of the key elements that’s tough to describe leading to the race is just how loooong the week is preceding. We actually unload on the Friday before, and literally spend the next 9 days testing and preparing. It’s a lot like what the NASCAR guys do for the Daytona 500 or the Indy guys during the Month of May.

Between the bumps and time on the car, the endless hours rebuilding the car after every practice day, it’s actually pretty brutal for everyone. The fans start piling in on Thursday, but few realize that by that point… we just want to get going and get on with the darn thing.

That’s why it was unbelievably heartbreaking for our teammates in the 45 to be taken out before they even took the green flag. All those days practicing, preparing, testing, and in a crazy warmup lap someone completely drives over the back of Joerg, ripping off his rear suspension, and we’re not even on lap one. I felt bad for everyone on the 45 car, especially Joerg, no one deserved that. Crazy.

Our day in the No. 44 went much better, just very quiet. I don’t believe there was much coverage on our particular race, and truth be told it’s because there really wasn’t much to talk about. Darren and Seth ran fairly flawless, the guys put together great stops, and in many ways we just ran our own race. We weren’t sure how much of a contender we’d be, and as the race unfolded we just didn’t have much on the BMW’s and Ferrari’s, but we did have a nice little scrap at the end to settle for sixth.

It wasn’t a podium, but it was definitely a good week with a great team.

I can’t complain about missing last year too much, seeing as I got the chance to run Bristol in a Sprint Cup car, but I definitely missed this place, even if I could do without 10 days of being punched in the ribs by Turn 17. Being able to return with such a great team just made it sweeter.

I’m lucky to be back and doing what I do. I’ve got a great full-season ride in the Rolex Series with one of the best (and most fun) teams in the sport, I’ve got a championship shot in the Continental Challenge with an awesome manufacturer, and now I’m running ALMS with a legendary team.

It’s been a great year so far, and especially awesome to interact with so many fans who’ve followed me on Twitter (@AndyLally). Twitter has really changed the way we can bring people in, I enjoy being able to keep people in the know, give out prizes, etc.

It’s great to be here… and I guess I can finally get that “44” tattoo now.

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.