Back to the UK
Los Osos, Calif. (January 17, 2010) – Snow? In England? That’s a first for me. Apparently it was a big shock to the country too. I experienced snow for the first time this last Christmas when I was visiting Brett Smrz and his family in Idaho between school semesters, but this was an added bonus for me this winter.
I had been invited to participate in David Brabham’s Celebrity Karting Challenge which raises awareness and funds for Malaria No More UK at the Autosport International show in Birmingham, England. Jeremy Shaw, founder of the Team USA Scholarship, called me a week before the event and informed me that a spot was available as the fourth driver alongside Connor De Phillippi, Conor Daly and Josef Newgarden, who are the most recent recipients of the Team USA Scholarship from 2008-2009. Brett was originally scheduled to go, but due to a conflict with a stunt/film opportunity, I was tapped on the shoulder to take his place. The race attracted many big name drivers from Formula 1, European and American Le Mans and the World Touring Car Championship, including Allan McNish, Alex Wurz, Andy Priaulx, Franck Montagny, Emanuele Pirro, Anthony Davidson and Marino Franchitti.
It was the winter of 2007 when I was last in England representing the USA as part of Jeremy’s scholarship program in the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy. Joel Miller (fellow scholarship recipient) and I spent two weeks touring the county, meeting with teams and motorsport personnel and of course, racing. This trip however, was much faster paced than before since we would be in the UK for only four days.
My arrival in England was immediately followed by panic when I found out my checked bag never made the flight. The American Airlines people said that it would either arrive on the 8:00PM flight from LA and could be delivered to Josef’s apartment the next morning, or that it would show up the after the weekend. I called the airport at 8:00PM and they said my bag had arrived. I told Josef I would sleep a lot better if I had my bag with me that night, so we drove down to Heathrow International Airport from Oxford and played the most exhausting game of “Run-to-point-A-and-B-three-times” in the terminal before my bag finally fell into my hands. I of course slept very well that evening.
We woke up (slowly but surely, thank you jet lag), had an English breakfast and made our way to Birmingham. The driver’s “locker room” was a two-minute walk through a shopping mall, past a Subway sandwich shop and in a room that I’m sure was used for lost and found. Piles of race gear were everywhere. We registered ourselves and met up with our two public drivers, Nick and Charlie, who paid a donation fee to be entered in the race. Practice was 30 minutes long, so we each got five minutes of driving to feel out the track and kart. With so many red flags coming out it became quite apparent that getting a good starting position was going to be extremely important because of the K-Wall barriers “exploding” apart when karts would be bumped or punted out of the way. The track surface was extremely slick. It was so slippery that you could hold an accelerated drift coming out of a corner… in a duel 4-cycle powered kart. It was extremely fun, but with such a great difference of experience throughout the field of drivers, the race proved to be more of a test for survival than anything else…
Check out Patrick's video blog.Season-Best Fourth at Miller Finale
Los Osos, Calif. (September 21, 2008) – Patrick Barrett and co-driver Mike Forest finished fourth in the GT class in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 season finale this past Saturday September 20th at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. The 6 ¾ hour long event was held on the 4.486-mile, 23-turn endurance road course.
Their excellent performance in the SunRichGourmet.com 1000K was PR1 Motorsport’s highest place finish in their seven race rookie season. The duo emerged literally unscathed from their longest event of the season, a race that saw plenty of contact, off track excursions and mechanical problems within the field of 16 Daytona Prototypes and 21 Grand Touring cars.
The six man crew performed flawless pit stops and consistently gained positions for the #32 Miracle Sealants/Konica Minolta/Kolliner-Long Gallery Pontiac GXP.R throughout the race. The nineteen year old Barrett’s fourth Grand-Am start proved to be very productive as he improved his track position in each of his three driving stints; 11th to sixth in the opening, 16th to sixth in the middle and eighth to fourth in the final stint.
When asked to describe his feelings about the team’s fourth-place finish Barrett stated, “We went through all kinds of obstacles today. We had a problem with our first pit stop/driver change when the door didn’t shut, which with a return to the pits, set us back quite a few positions. Then the rain sent everyone in pit lane into a frenzy, but we came through it well in the end. We just had to keep reminding ourselves that it was a long race. Everyone on the team did a great job. Our pit stops were practically perfect and Mike’s performance on slick tires in the rain was amazing.”
Barrett described what happened during key sessions and how that ultimately contributed to their best finish of the season. “A big key to today’s result was a combination of the team’s pit strategy, and Mike and I staying out of trouble. In my first 30 minutes in the car, I went from 11th to sixth because of a couple of overly aggressive drivers and by patiently working my way through the field. Our biggest break came when it rained though. We thought about coming in for rain tires but decided against it, and the track dried up pretty quickly. That kept Mike in the lead group for a long time, and when he handed the car over to me for our final driver change, I did what I needed to do to bring it home. After the final restart I took the opportunity to get by as many cars as possible and eventually got out into clean air and controlled what pace I needed to finish. Probably the best part of the race came when I got the white flag and was running by myself. I asked the team what position I was in and they said ‘P4.’ I was shocked!”
“PR1 supplied me with a great car all year long. We learned so much every race and continue to learn more, but more importantly we’ve made ourselves known here in the sports car community, and it would be great to continue our progress in the future. After the race I received a lot of personal congrats from people in Grand-Am and the GM group. I’m just going to continue working on funding, improving my fitness level, and staying in touch with everyone I’ve met this year.”
“I want to thank my personal sponsors Kolliner-Long Gallery based in Cambria, California and Alpinestars for their tremendous support. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today doing what I love.”
PR1’s road racing car is a rear wheel drive Pontiac (G6) GXP.R with a tubular space-frame steel chassis and carbon-fiber and steel body which is home to a 6.0L LS2 V-8 that produces 450 brake horsepower and is mated to a 5-speed manual sequential gearbox.
Visit www.PatrickBarrettRacing.com for more on Patrick, and his sponsors at www.KollinerLongGallery.com and www.Alpinestars.com. You can go to www.Grand-Am.com and www.PR1motorsports.com to find out more about Grand-Am and PR1.Feeling the Burn
Indianapolis, Ind. (January 31, 2008) – I hope everyone is having a good new year. 2008 looks set to be another exciting year of racing on and off the track.
It’s been nearly three months since I returned home from England where I competed in the 2007 Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy for the Team USA Scholarship, but to be honest, it feels longer. Experiencing and racing in England was a fantastic opportunity and I‘ll never forget my time there.
To start off the new-year I went to the PitFit training center in Indianapolis, Indiana. I spent five days straight, boxing, swimming and rock climbing, and worked on improving my weight and cardiovascular training. Each day I would participate in a different activity working on different muscles and improving my endurance and strength. Ryan Von Rueden taught and trained me throughout the week, helping me push through as many activities as possible. Each workout was rigorous, as expected, but gave me a good perspective on areas that I can continue to work on throughout the year.
One of my favorite activities was the boxing class, taught by Kristy Follmar. She is a former professional boxer who was the Indiana Golden Gloves champion in 1999 and 2000, and NABC Featherweight champion in 2002 and 2003. She retired in 2005 and currently hosts boxing classes with PitFit clients. It was the most intense class/workout I’d participated in, but the techniques involved with boxing made it an enjoyable class. You’re constantly moving, conserving you energy until you need it the most, and keeping focused on the target. Of course, you don’t box another opponent in this class, which is what my dad thought. “Oh yeah! I knocked out that guy I raced against last week!” No, we used punching bags… Man those things are relentless!
It was below freezing for most of the time we were there, but that didn’t keep me from experiencing a little fun in the snow. I had never seen anything bigger than a frozen glass of water until I arrived in Indianapolis. Ponds, lakes, rivers, creeks, pools and even bridges were completely frozen. During a windy day I would look at a pond, expecting to see ripples, but nothing. Then when the snow covered the ponds, it was like looking at a giant sheet of paper. Unfortunately it only snowed a couple of inches one night, but the white powder lasted the week because of the freezing temperatures.
To cap off an exciting and painful weekend myself, Ryan, and a fellow driver went indoor rock climbing. It’d had been six or seven years since I had last gone rock climbing [probably at a friend’s birthday party, and when I was afraid of heights] but I was excited about trying a new sport. It was an awesome feeling climbing all over the place, but towards the end of the day, we started getting a little serious and began challenging each other to climb up certain walls. It was all fun and games, but we kept each other busy one-upping each other.
Overall, it was an enjoyable experience from day one. I learned a lot of new workout activities that I can work on at home, and even met up with some drivers in Champ Car Atlantic and Indy Pro. I made a few new friends through PitFit and hope to get involved with one of their programs they have to offer soon.
I want to thank Jim Leo [Founder and CEO of PitFit] for allowing me the opportunity to experience what PitFit has to offer, and Ryan Von Rueden [Pit Crew and Driver Trainer] for pushing me and keeping me up and running though out the routines.
What an Experience!
London, England (November 6, 2007) – It’s been two weeks since Joel and I first arrived in England to compete in this year’s Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy. During that time we met some great people, learned about the European racing culture and competed against some of England’s best junior formula car drivers who were there to qualify for the sixth position in the prestigious McLaren/Autosport/BRDC Award Shootout. Though we didn’t get the results we had hoped for, the experience we gained was more than what we could have asked for.
Jeremy Shaw arranged for Joel and myself to visit the Force India/Spyker Formula One Team factory located next to the Silverstone Race Circuit on our final day in England. Michael Gomme took the time to show us around and explain what goes on in nearly every room. From being shown where new aerodynamic pieces are designed to walking around their two story transporters, it was an incredible experience seeing how a Formula One team operates.
After the Spyker tour Joel and I went to visit the Alan Docking Racing team. ADR have been involved with the British F3 Championship since 1983. Alan also contests the British Formula Ford Championship. ADR supplied F3 cars for the U.S. Red Bull Driver Search for several years and provides an engineering staff for Team Australia in A1 GP. After Alan showed us around his shop, Joel and I had lunch inside the Silverstone Race Circuit.
After lunch, we walked up and down the pit lane during a motorcycle track day and noticed a group of people wearing Mercedes McLaren F1 jackets, assembling temporary walls in a garage. We went in for a closer look and saw tire warmers on the ground with Fernando Alonso’s name on them. Recently hearing about Alonso’s departure from the McLaren team, there were many rumors going around about who would replace him in 2008. Seeing the team setting up for what looked like to be an upcoming test, Joel and I were disappointed knowing that we weren’t going to be able to see the “mystery driver” test because of our flight home the next day.
We dropped by the gift shop and purchased some goodies and made the return trip to Palmer Audi at the Bedford Autodrome. We checked our e-mail one last time before we drove to a hotel near the Heathrow airport. After we said our good-byes the rain began to fall as we were running out to the car… must have been England’s farewell gift to us.
As I reflect back on my two week stay in England, I sometimes wish that the experience would have been longer. The racing was extremely challenging and enjoyable and I felt that this journey has shaped me into becoming a better race car driver. The competition was unlike any other that I had experienced, and despite the tough results, the people I met and friends I made was more than what I could have asked for.
I’m looking forward to taking what I learned from the last three months in being involved with the Team USA Scholarship. I know that what ever I compete in for the following seasons to come, that my skills as a race car driver on and off the track will be far from where they were at the beginning of this year. Like I tell myself everyday, “there’s always something new to learn.”
I want to thank everyone involved with the Team USA Scholarship Program for their fantastic support. Knowing that you have so many people who believe in you and want to see you succeed is a great feeling and makes the experience that much more enjoyable. Jeremy Shaw, who founded the Team USA Scholarship in 1990, has put together a fantastic program and I’m really happy that I could be a part of his work in supporting young, talented American drivers. Every year more and more people become involved with the program and it’s exciting to see interest in Team USA grow.
Tough Competition, Better Results
Bedford, England (November 5, 2007) – The final three rounds in the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy took place at the Snetterton Race Circuit outside of Norwich in Central East England. This event was titled the Snetterton MABA Shoot-out which drew in a flood of competitive drivers. The shoot-out determined which driver would be the sixth member of the prestigious McLaren/Autosport/BRDC Award and would go on to compete for a free test in a McLaren-Mercedes Formula One car at the end of the year. This weekend’s final three races also determined who would be the 2007 FPA Autumn Trophy Champion.
Snetterton is different in almost every single way from Brands Hatch. The length of the circuit is 1.9 miles and it has six turns and features two fast long straightaways. The weekend got off to a challenging start with Friday practice. The aggression level was at a maximum, even for a Friday practice day. I wound up 15th overall after four sessions and Joel 13th out of 22 drivers.
Saturday qualifying proved to be one of the most challenging sessions of the weekend. The new tires brought down the times by nearly a whole second, even from last year’s fastest lap at a 1.05:332. The fastest time of the whole weekend was a 1.04:368. In Q1 I posted a time good enough for 10th on the grid for race one, four tenths off of the pole time. I managed a better position in Q2 with a time of 1.05:190, three tenths off of pole position, which put me ninth on the grid for race two. The final qualifying session was the worst of the day. Anytime I got a clear lap, there was either a yellow flag or someone coming out of pit lane in front of me. Once the session was over, I found myself 12th on the grid for race three.
Race one got off to a rough start when I lost two positions going into the first turn. When all 22 cars got on the long back straight, everyone was on the 50bhp boost and were fanning out to nearly four wide, all jockeying for position. At the end of lap three I found myself in 12th position, but half way through the race I lost control of the car going into Turn Three and fell back to 18th. I managed to pick off a couple of cars but came out 16th.
Race two was a complete turn around from race one where I fought hard for every position. I got a poor jump off the line and fell back to 10th, but after everyone had settled down I was able to start picking cars off one by one. Half way through the race I was in a fierce battle for sixth spot with Alex Brundle. We traded the position four times but in the end I came out with the upper hand and pulled out to a safe gap over seventh place. On the final lap 2007 FPA Champion Tim Bridgman was struggling to keep the car on course. Exiting the final turn to the checkered flag I was on his tail but wasn’t able to get by for fifth position.
The result from race two was exactly what I needed going into the final race of the Autumn Trophy. Starting from the 12th position I once again got a poor jump off the line. I lost two positions going into the first turn, but quickly gained those back by the end of lap one. Half way through Race 3 I found myself in eighth position battling with Luciano Bacheta for seventh. With four laps remaining I managed to sneak by at the end of the long straight entering Turn 3 and pull out to a reasonable gap. Joel was next in line to battle with Bacheta for eighth and was successful. The checkered flag fell for the final time in the FPA Autumn Trophy and I crossed the in seventh position, just ahead of Joel.
It was an unforgettable experience competing in one of the most competitive championships I’ve ever been in against some of England’s best young up-and-coming drivers. Jonathan Palmer did a fantastic job putting together such a successful, fair and competitive program for the future stars of motor racing. After racing in the Autumn Trophy, I go home with a greater knowledge and respect for the motor racing world.
Down Time Between Race Weekends
Bedford, England (November 1, 2007) – Following the exciting events of the opening rounds of the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy at Brands Hatch, Joel and I were able to get some rest, check e-mail, do laundry and check out a couple of racing factories before our next outing the following weekend. Our first order of business was doing our laundry and touring the Lola factory on Tuesday.
Despite the fact I picked up a head cold from standing out in the rain at Brands Hatch in race two, it was no problem to stay well alert throughout what was a very interesting visit. One section of the tour I enjoyed the most was seeing a room full of the new FJR/50 F3 chassis and Sports Racers that will be delivered to the Jim Russell Racing School for 2008. Being a graduate of the school I was really excited about seeing the new machines that many new young up coming drivers will be able to drive in the near future.
After the tour we headed back to pick up our laundry from a friend’s house and went back to the B&B in Bedford to get some much needed sleep. We spent the following day (Wednesday) mostly at the Bedford Autodrome answering e-mails and getting our stuff organized for the final FPA race weekend at the Snetterton Race Circuit.
On Wednesday Joel and I decided to go on our own little adventures. He went into London to have lunch and meet with a friend while I went to the RML team shop in Wellingborough. Ray Mallock, founder and Managing Director of RML Group, has a rich history in motor racing. His current main focus is in the World Touring Car Championship where he runs a three-car program for Chevrolet Europe. I also got a special sneak peak of the new Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 722 GT, which will feature 20 of the highly sophisticated and expensive machines competing in a spec series in 2008.
On Thursday Joel and I got the chance to drive around Snetterton in a Vauxhall VX220. We each got 15 minutes of track time and were able to learn the line and get a feel for the speed of the track. Aside from spinning the car at the end longest straight, it was an awesome experience.
The weather calls for a rain free weekend, but the cold and wind is expected to be strong. The competition is also going to be tougher with the addition of five more drivers gunning for the sixth and final position in the BRDC/McLaren/Autosport Award.
Wet and Wild at Brands Hatch
Dartford, England (October 28, 2007) - A wet, wild and rough weekend here at the Brands Hatch Circuit in England. The weather for Friday practice and Saturday qualifying was dry and overcast, but all three Sunday races were held in the classic British rain which made for some intense and exciting racing.
The weekend started off cold and dry on Friday with three practice sessions which I consider to be one of the most challenging practice days I’ve ever participated in. Laps go by fast on the 1.2-mile Indy Circuit and passing is at a minimum. The competition in the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy is extremely close. Many of the drivers had already competed in the FPA Championship earlier in the year and others in either Formula BMW, Formula Renault or Formula Ford. Despite my limited time in the FPA and on the Brands Hatch Circuit, I was able to come to grips with everything reasonably well.
One of the hardest things to learn with the FPA is the timing of the turbo. If you get on the throttle too quickly, you’ll get major wheel-spin, but if you wait to long, you’ll loose precious time and will experience turbo lag. At the end of the day I had a good feel for the car was looking forward to running on new tires for qualifying the following day.
Qualifying at Brand Hatch is extremely important because passing during the race is not easy. On the Indy Circuit it’s really challenging because there or only one or two good passing zones, but getting one clear lap in qualifying is even more difficult. In Qualifying 1 I was able to get a couple of clear laps in before a safety car period. I ended up ninth which was a good start to the day. In Q2 I was able to lay down a quick time for sixth on the grid for Race 2. In Q3 I ran a lot of consistent times but did no better than ninth. The results from qualifying were very positive, but knowing that there was a strong chance of rain on Sunday, I felt even more upbeat about this weekend.
Sure enough, the English rain came around 10:00 AM. There was no morning warm-up; we just went directly into the first race of the day. Throughout the two installation laps I was able to practice a couple of standing starts, which was good because the track proved to be quite slippery. I got a great jump off the line when the red lights went out and was able to move up into sixth place on the first lap. On lap three, entering Druid’s Bend (Turn Two) I was hit from behind and spun into the gravel trap. I was pulled out but only to find myself two laps down. I ran a majority of the race by myself but that gave me plenty of time to run consistent lap times within three tenths of the leader’s pace. On the last lap I used the six-second 50 horsepower turbo boost to catch the car in front of me, but entering Turn Two I locked up the right front tire and slid off into the gravel trap. I ended up finishing 21st, but my pace throughout the race was something to boast about.
In Race 2 I got a great start off the line and found myself in fifth place by the end of lap one. On the beginning of lap two, entering Paddock Hill Bend (Turn One), I made the down shift from fifth to fourth, but the gears didn’t engage properly. I locked up the right front and slid off the track into the gravel trap and stopped just short of the tire wall. That ended my chances of a scoring a possible top- five finish, but I was able to take some time to watch the leaders drive through Turn One.
Race 3 was my last chance to prove myself on one of the toughest courses in England. It was late in the day and was literally impossible to see your pit board. When the lights went out I was able to maintain my position in ninth. Two laps into the race and the red flag came out when two cars tangled and stopped in the middle of the track. We all lined up on the grid again, but one position higher from where I last started. I got a great jump off the line and found myself in fifth place, still in close quarters with the leader. About seven laps later, I spun the car on the exit of the last turn when I ran up on the white line and the turbo kicked in sooner than anticipated. I managed to keep the car running and pointed in the right direction, but I fell back to 12th place. I worked my way to ninth place behind my teammate Joel Miller, but wasn’t able to find a way past. The race went by fast and before you knew it the checkered flag was waving.
Despite not finishing two of the three races it was productive weekend filled with the ups and downs of motor racing. I learned a lot about the car, the track, the race craft and learned to always expect the unexpected.
Our next race will be at the Snetterton Race Circuit in one week’s time, November 3-4. The event will feature more drivers, a fast track, and the prestigious McLaren/Autosport/BRDC Award, which is one of the reasons for a competitive field this season. (Americans are not eligible for award.) It should be fun.
Smooth Sailing in England
Dartford, England (October 24, 2007) - It’s been smooth sailing… er, I mean driving, so far on our Great Britain journey. From the nine-and-a-half hour flight from Los Angles to Heathrow (outside of London), to the two-hour drive from the airport to our B&B in Bedford, everything was going as planned. The jet-lag isn’t as bad this time around, compared to when we were here last month testing, but your body will inevitably have a struggle getting used to the time difference.
Wednesday, our second day in England, Joel and I checked in with Palmer Sport at the Bedford Autodrome Circuit. We were immediately informed by Chris Dredge that there was an opening at the Brands Hatch Circuit for us to get a few laps in driving the Formula Palmer Audi corporate cars. We arrived at Brands two-and-a-half hours later (5 minutes late due to traffic) and were rushed to check-in. We threw on our helmets (no suit required), jumped into the FPA corporate cars and were out on course, all in a matter of 5 minutes. We got up to speed quickly and were able to complete nearly 20 laps on the 1.2-mile Indy Circuit. They didn’t produce much power, but it was enough to get a feel for the track. It was the quickest arrive and drive program I have ever experienced.
The laps go by very quickly on the Indy Circuit at Brand Hatch so it felt like we were out there for only five minutes… may have been the case, but I think I got a good idea of the course and visual references. The layout of the track is pretty spectacular, with its major elevation changes and challenging corners. The first turn, Paddock Hill Bend, is one of the most well known corners in all of England’s circuits. It’s pretty much the Laguna Seca Corkscrew of England. The approach is uphill and blind, then you flick the car to the right with a small breathe off the throttle and jump back on and let gravity take care of the rest. The corner drops down, what feels like three or four stories, and the car bottoms out nearly every lap at the compression and goes back up to Turn 2, Druid’s Bend.
Thursday we’ll drive down to Brands Hatch to check in to the hotel and prepare for the first weekend of the Formula Palmer Autumn Trophy with Friday practice the following day.
By the way it’s REALLY cold here… so cold that I’m always expecting it to snow even though it won’t.
Andersen Racing Star Mazda Test
Alton, Va. (October 9, 2007) - My busy schedule continued this past week at Virginia International Raceway when I tested – along with my Team USA Scholarship teammate Joel Miller – the Andersen Racing Team’s Formula Star Mazda cars. The test gave us the chance to drive a high-horsepower car in preparation for the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy in late October/early November in England. This opportunity was arranged and made possible by Dan Andersen, Star Mazda, Jeremy Shaw (Team USA Scholarship founder) and supporters of the Team USA Scholarship program.
The day before the test I was introduced to everyone on the Andersen Racing team. I was fitted into a seat and was debriefed about the controls in the car and what I would be concentrating on throughout the test the following day.
My first session out in the Star Mazda was an interesting experience. I talked to drivers that competed in the series about the driving characteristics and handling of the car. The responses and conversations all ended the same: “It’s just like driving a go-kart, but bigger and faster.” Or “You’ll have a blast… trust me.” As it turned out… they were right.
The car was very different to the car I normally race. It required a different style of driving – a style that I haven’t used since my karting days. After a couple of 10-lap stints, I was able to find a groove and understand what the car likes and doesn’t like. I was told that the car doesn’t take to well to trail-braking (a technique commonly used in most forms of formula car racing.)
After my third session, I was ready for new Goodyear tires. What I experienced in the Champ Car Atlantic in mid-September was that new tires made a tremendous difference in the handling of a higher horsepower car. I learned that you can shave nearly a second-and-a-half off of your best time. On my first stint out, I immediately trimmed off a whole second. I spent a majority of the mid-afternoon trying different shock packages, damper and aero changes. My engineer for the test, Dominic Cape, was a great help in figuring out specific issues with the car. He explained components on the car that made diagnosing handling issues much easier to understand.
My final two sessions of the day were the most enjoyable of the whole test. The team put on another new set of tires and sent me out in attempt to set my fastest time of the day. My first five laps were the best the car had driven all day. I understood what the car wanted to do under braking, in the turns and under acceleration. I could drive the car where I wanted it to go without hurting the tires or scrubbing speed and losing time. At the end of my final run, I was able to run consistent times and prevent the tires from blistering or show signs of understeer or oversteer.
The highlight of the day, aside from driving a 250bhp, Mazda rotary engine formula car, was the presence of Speed Channel. A reporter and camera person, Sarah and Nikki, recorded interviews with Joel, myself and Dan Andersen for a piece that will be broadcasted on The Speed Report, in November. It will bring the Team USA Scholarship Program and promising, young American drivers such as myself great exposure and recognition throughout their North America broadcast area.
At day’s end, I logged in over 170 miles, went through two sets of new Goodyear tires, pinpointed specific areas of fitness I can improve on and gained valuable experience driving a unique type of open wheel car.
It was a wonderful opportunity and I’m extremely grateful to everyone for making it happen.
My Formula Palmer Audi Test in England
Bedford, England (September 10, 2007) - When teammate Joel Miller and I first landed at Heathrow International Airport outside of London on Saturday September 1, we immediately got the sense that we had arrived in England when we stopped at the currency exchange booth. The rate was approximately $2.00 to 1.00 British pound. After that shock was dealt with, we were picked up by a PalmerSport employee named Neil who transported us to a town near Donington Park. It was that night we felt the first phase of jet-lag.
We spent all day Sunday at Donington Park watching a round of the Formula Palmer Audi Championship. In between races we got to tour the Donington Grand Prix Collection which showcased historic and modern formula cars and motorcycles. The most stunning part of the tour was walking into the McLaren Hall which featured over two dozen McLaren Formula One cars including the car which Ayrton Senna used to win the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park. Also included is a collection of Williams F1 cars, the Tyrrell six-wheeled F1 car as well as statue of Senna and Juan Manual Fangio standing together.
The remainder of our trip was either spent at a bed and breakfast, just outside of Bedford, or at the Palmer Sport complex located at the Bedford Autodrome.
On Tuesday we finally got a chance to drive the Formula Palmer Audi. Though Joel and I only had from 5:00 to 7:00 PM , the sun stayed up long enough to give us plenty of time to learn the car. One notable experience with the FPA was the turbo. It’s something that not too many formula cars have, but driving a car that had such power - 300 horsepower and turbocharged - was quite demanding. It definitely teaches a driver to be patient with the throttle and not to over-drive the car. By the end of the day I had logged over 50 laps on the 1.8-mile course. My forearms were sore from the extra effort it took to drive the car!
On Wednesday morning not long after checking in at PalmerSport, Joel and I were off to visit the Snetterton circuit, a two-hour drive east of Bedford. Our second and final weekend of racing will be held there in the fall. We were not able to go on track but we took the time to walk up on a grass hill and view parts of the course. It’s a really fast looking track with not much room for error. The key to this circuit will be momentum and using the draft to our advantage.
On Thursday we were assigned to help out with the corporate events that were being held at Bedford Autodrome. Joel and I were sent to the kart track to help with instruction until it was our turn to take over the circuit and pilot the FPAs again. This second outing in the car was similar to the previous day. I was able to experiment with car set-up, but what was most important to me was to get as much seat time as possible. By the end of the day I had completed just under 60 laps.
On our final night Joel and I went out to a local pub for a large dinner with our FPA host Chris Dredge. We spent hours reflecting on what we had experienced and how we looked forward to arriving home and telling our friends and family about our journey.
It won't be long until we travel again to England for the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy which will be held in Ocober and November. We understand the competition might be even tougher than last year because more will be at stake - at least for the English drivers. The Autumn Trophy this year will form a shootout to determine the final nominee for the McLaren-Autosport Award, which is a similar program to the Team USA Scholarship. F1 star Lewis Hamilton is a past winner of the award.
Joel and I are looking forward to our return to the U.K. We're so honored to be representing the United States and are very grateful to everyone who supports the Team USA Scholarship program.
