Week 13: Playing The Lottery (Race 3: VIRginia International Raceway)

After two incredibly strong performances at both Lime Rock Park and Willow Springs, my luck eventually came crashing down at the third and final leg of the American Tour.

Practice was an early indicator that it was going to be a tough old day - usually I'm in the Top 10 - but in both practice sessions, I wasn't.

Qualifying continued the tough trend - messing up my first flying lap - before putting all my eggs in one basket and qualifying 15th - right in the "meat-grinder" of the pack.

As per my fears - there was an inevitable melee at turn one - cars firing off everywhere - and I was right in the thick of it.

I have no idea how far I fell - but I somehow climbed to 11th after a lap of passing several stranded cars at every corner.

By Lap 3, I was in 9th - it was turning out to be a rather easy race - just letting everyone else take themselves out... well, that was until I flew off wide at the final corner, losing two positions - but other than that it was alright... until the end of Lap 7 when a back-marker tried to unlap himself, got two wheels on the grass, and then proceeded to plunge himself deep in my side-pod.

I had it at that point and decided to wait for Aragon to come around.

A Tough Day Gets Tougher

RACE 4: ARAGON

Given the very short nature of VIR, I'll include Aragon down here as well.

Aragon...went the same way as VIR - an enjoyable start, marred by sub-par driving standards.

Aragon is one hell of a circuit - thoroughly enjoyable, with great elevation and very fast, flowing corners.

Due to the new circuit, it was a learning curve for each and every one of us - I qualified 10th and had pace for this position (9th/10th/11th).

Unfortunately, at the end of Lap 2 - someone missed their braking point at the end of the long straight and ploughed into the back of me - ripping of my rear wing and ruining my rear suspension.

At the end of Lap 4, I was 13th/16th (15 still running) and by the end of the race, I finished a lowly 10th place - certainly another race to forget.

Then 10th crashed out on the final lap - and I was the last not to be lapped.