IndyCar OPEN LITE - Road Atlanta

Sliding your IndyCar at a 45° angle, smoke pouring off the tires, and a crazed pack of aggressive racers coming at you full throttle… is NOT the way to start the 2nd IndyCar OPEN LITE league race at Road Atlanta. But, Mikey held on, didn’t spin, hit the wall looming on his right, nor did anybody hit him! How that happened is simply a testament to the fine racers in this league (except maybe one?). Still, the “Sheriff” slid back to last place – from first to worst before the start/finish line. Oh boy...

Twenty-four racers signed in for the race and from practice you could tell it was going to be a fast field. In fact, at the end of qualifying, there were 7 drivers with 106s… then there was Mikey with a 105.8. Rumor has it, the “Deputy” had a 105.7 going, but "ran out of gas" in the last turn! Really? When was the last time you heard (or used) that excuse?!? As the checkers flew on qualifying, vApex Racing Group had 3 drivers in the Fast Six: Mikey “The Sheriff” Grems on Pole, Dave “The Deputy” Jaques, should have been, could have been on Pole, but got P4 and Kevin Linden rounded out the Fast Six; Rick was P7 and Andy started P15.

Beyond that crazy start, you could almost sense it was going to be an interesting 27 laps and 2 pit stops at Road Atlanta. So, as Mikey was fighting his way from last, The Deputy got embroiled in the lead fight with a good driver and “another” guy. The three of them fought lap after lap for the lead, but Dave got smacked by some guy who said he was “trying to get out of the way”… really, that’s what he said as he apologized. Oh well - that's racing. But Dave’s Copper Classic DW12 was damaged, effectively ruining his race. By this time, Kevin and Rick had worked their way up to P3 and P4. Mikey? Oh yeah, he was ripping through the pack like a chainsaw cuttin’ tofu and had worked his way up to P5 in only 9 laps!

At the first pit stops, Kevin went in P3, Rick P4; after pit, it was Rick P3, Kevin 4. Two laps later, Mikey went flying by both Rick and Kevin with his hair was on fire into P3 and a lap later was P2! Meanwhile, Rick and Kevin were starting to deal with that “other” guy! Then, coming out of T7, Rick got a jump on the “other” guys and was in front at 10a… but, yeah – you guessed it – the “other” guy turned down on Rick and both spun. Kevin slipped by both cars and a lap later moved from P4 to P3; Rick slipped back to P6 with a little damage; the “other” guy… yup, second race in a row he checked-out early (with too much damage). Andy had also worked himself up to P9.

Once the “other” guy was gone, the race settled down some, but Mikey was still doing his best “Jason” impression and people were so scared they moving out of his way as he took significant chunks out the gap between he and the leader! Kevin continued to have an excellent drive in P3 and Rick slipped back to P7. By lap 17, Dave finally retired his damaged car; Andy had move up to P8.

After the 2nd pit stop, just about everyone held serve; Mikey P2, Kevin P3, Rick P7, and Andy P8. At the checkers though, it was Cameron Barie that held on for win… and I mean literally, held on - had the race been 28 laps, The Sheriff would have, should have, gotten his second win in a row. But alas, The Sheriff was outdone by a few yards. Kevin drove a fantastic race and got the last step on the podium. Rick finished P7, Andy P9, and Dave P15.

Even with Pete “Ramblingberg” AWOL, the 2nd League event at Road Atlanta was run flawlessly and most of the guys are a blast to race with – guys you can trust to race you cleanly. Just don’t talk on the parade lap!