This past weekend was an exciting one! I was back at Watkins Glen in New York, and I always love being at that track since it’s one of my favorites. This time around, I was there for Sprint Challenge with clients Jim Jonsin and Rob Trollinger.
The week got started early with pre-event testing, where we were able to get the race cars dialed in and refine the setups. I always enjoy this component of both getting to drive and helping fine-tune the cars so they’re perfect for the drivers during the race weekend.
I always love the beautiful scenery overlooking the Uphill Esses at Watkins Glen!
We had much cooler weather than we did during the IMSA weekend at Watkins Glen just a couple weeks ago, and the turnout for Sprint Challenge was healthy, as the fans gathered to see some great competition.
It was Jim Jonsin’s first time at Watkins Glen since 2014, and he got back up to speed quickly. He wound up having a fantastic race one, passing the most cars to earn the Apex award. He landed one spot off the podium—oh so close!—with a really impressive racing performance.
It was exciting to see Jim grab the Apex award again during Race 1 for passing the most cars!
On Sunday, Rob Trollinger really stepped up and put in his best performance of the weekend, gaining a new personal best lap time and ending the event on a high note.
Overall, it was a successful event. It’s always great to not only get good results but to load the cars into the hauler in virtually the same condition they were in when you arrived—especially at Watkins Glen, where those notorious “blue bushes” are nearby! I’m looking forward to working with both drivers again in just a few weeks at Road America.
Jim Jonsin’s new livery was not only a nod to Independence Day, but it was also promoting the new song “Damn, I Love America” by J Michael Phillips, which Jim produced.
In the meantime, I’m heading north of the border this week for the first time in five years. I’ll be going to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park for the next round of Mazda MX-5 Cup during the IMSA race weekend. I’m excited to get back to that track since it’s been such a long time, and this track is always a favorite, with its high speeds and daunting elevation changes.