The 2015 season is halfway through, so let's look back at where I've come in the past six months. My adventure started back in February, when I joined the Prism Motorsports team to drive in Spec Racer Ford. I joined the team at Sebring International Raceway for my first ever car race. The weekend proved fruitful as I got to grips with the car and ended the weekend with two 3rd place finishes. I learned a lot throughout the weekend and couldn't thank Prism enough for all of their help. But soon enough, it was time to race again. The next race would bring me to Palm Beach International Raceway. The weekend was to be one of a slightly different caliber as I would be driving the Gen 3 Spec Racer Ford (SRF) instead of the Gen 2 I drove back in Sebring. The differences aren't staggering, although there are some key differences. A new engine in the Gen 3 SRF means a 15-20% power increase and a different weight class means the car are about 20 pounds lighter. On paper then, no huge differences, but these differences add up to multiple seconds of lap time differences on the track.
So, a new track in a new car. The weekend brought more learning and some good competition. In the end, I finished with three 2nd places. This result was a success considering all of the factors. My next weekend would bring me somewhere far from home, South Carolina to be exact. The track was Carolina Motorsports Park and I would be in the Gen 2 SRF once again. The weekend started hopeful but ended in mild disaster. After fighting throughout the weekend and setting some staggering lap times in a car with worn out tires, I was involved in a scuffle with another driver. The consequences were harsh, as I was put on a 3 weekend probation by the SCCA.
Trying to move forward from this weekend, I headed back to Palm Beach in the Gen 2 SRF and made quite an impression. I left with two wins and a third place trophy, as well as a check mark for one of the three weekends for my probation. May came around and I was off again, this tie to Daytona International Speedway. Competing in the Gen 3 SRF this time, I made great progress, which led to zero results. I made a few mistakes and there was some miscommunication which left me with an 11th and 10th place in the books, and bad mark on my checklist for my SCCA membership. Even though the weekend didn't seem very god on paper, I still made good progress and fought with national chmapions for top 5 positions on track.
Now, I will travel to the Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time, racing the Gen 3 SRF. Although I have a lot of work to do, I'm more determined than ever to prove myself and fight for podium finishes. I will have the full support of Prism Motorsports backing me up, and I couldn't ask for anything more. The time to gain momentum and get results is now. This weekend may very well determine the future of my racing career, and I've never been more excited!
