Andy Priaulx writes:
When I arrived at Road America for the eighth round of my 2014 racing in the United SportsCar Championship, I was very chilled and raring to go. I had been able to totally relax since Indianapolis, and this was thanks to a great road trip in our motorhome with my wife Jo and the kids, Danniella and Sebastian.
Before I head into the weekend and explain what turned out to be a disappointment for me and my BMW Team RLL team-mate, Bill Auberlen, I will just tell you something about the great time the four of us have had so far.
When I got back from the track at Indy the family was there in the downtown Crowne Plaza waiting for me. The first stop on our trip was Columbus and, of course, the team’s shop, as they call it here in the US. It was great seeing the guys back at base and getting to meet some of the families, such as the wife and five kids of my French race engineer Bruno. From there we headed to Chicago and a night in an IHG hotel, the group that owns the Crowne Plaza brand that I am proud to have as a long time sponsor. This went well apart from Danniella leaving her favourite rabbit toy there, but a big thank you to Adrian White from CP for rescuing that.
While in Chicago we did quite a bit of shopping, but for Danniella the highlight was the visit to the American Girl doll store. I am learning about such American institutions very quickly! Not only did we buy her a doll – by the way you can buy the same clothes for your daughter as you can the doll – but we also have a meal at the restaurant there.
From here we went to Plymouth Rock and for me the highlight of this part of the trip was meeting my two cousins who live in America. It was great as I had not seen them for about 30 years. It was a lot of fun and I am going to get together with them again now. Their mother, Nancy, is my mother’s sister and now lives back in Guernsey. However, for this quite emotional family reunion she has travelled back to the States and was there at the race with them. She is quite amazing as, despite being in her mid seventies, still travels a lot and in the past even came and saw me race in Macau.
I suppose I now need to get to the reason I am here in America – the racing. I had never been to Road America, which is in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin so I had a lot to learn. I arrived a few days early and once the motorhome was set up I got out to find out what the track was like. I was not to be disappointed. Once I got out on it in the BMW Z4 GTLM I found it a big commitment circuit, another Mosport and a long track at just over four miles. All very, very fast braking zones, and a bit like Monza, where you have to be very precise with your braking points, as it is very unforgiving and narrow. It is one thing being quick over a lap and another thing knowing where to pass. It is challenging but wonderful to drive on - I love it.
Sadly the first free practice session on Friday afternoon was not to be the ideal start. Early in the session, while I was at the wheel, the left rear of the car was hit by a Porsche. This made the car difficult to drive. Both Bill and myself found it bad and rather than being able to get to grips with the track, we had to park the car early so the guys could work out what was wrong. It didn’t take them long, as soon as the car was back at the truck and the left rear taken of we found we had a bent tow link, which had never happened before. In the drivers’ briefing, the driver of the Porsche, none other than the famous film star Patrick Dempsey, came and apologised to me. He really is a great guy, who takes his racing very seriously and is very humble. I appreciated this, but unfortunately our race preparation was put on a back foot.
We were coming from behind all day on Saturday, but still Bill was able to put it fourth on the grid, which, under the circumstances, was good. However, it hurts when you realise you have most probably lost a couple of tenths and this was what it was to our team-mates John Edwards and Dirk Müller who were starting from pole.
The race was just one long succession of yellows. In the 2hrs 45 mins there was a total of 1 hr 34 mins behind the pace car. This just ruins your strategy and meant, when I had to be pulled back after a pit stop to avoid running over the air gun and getting a penalty, we were dropped too far back to make up the time in green running. I was truly delighted for the other guys and the whole team for them to finish second – the team’s first podium in four races – but very disappointed and frustrated that the best Bill and myself could do was eighth.
While I am now looking forward to Virginia International Raceway and another new track, before that we have some great experiences planned. I shall be seeing my cousins and riding a Harley Davidson and spending a night in St Louis. We are visiting Jellystone Park, the home of Yogi Bear, Memphis, the home of Elvis Presley, and Nashville, the home of Dolly Parton. By the time I get to VIR I shall know a lot more about America. I can’t wait!
