Another great race, another 1-2 for Team Shark. Perhaps I need to threaten Mike with a pay-cut to get him to handover the win next time though.
I guessed most of you were sandbagging in practice (or only running race fuel stints) as I sat pretty at the top with a 1:31.9 for the whole session. Sure enough come qualifying I managed 2 PBs to get down to 1:31.5, but it was still only good enough for 4th position.
As the race got underway I could see the top 3 were so close together going into the chicane and I started rubbing my hands hoping they would all take each other out
. No contact though, although Dan had to slow for a cut warning I assume and this put me up to third place.
Karsten chased me for 3rd whilst I chased Gary for 2nd. I got close to Gary near the pit stops so I thought I'd pit and try and jump him. Decided to change tyres as it's pretty quick in the IndyCar, had a great stop (one of my best ever in iRacing), but still when Gary pitted a few laps later he came out just ahead.
This gave me the impetous to really harass him though and with my warm rubber I got a great run out of T1 and then slipstreamed him up the main straight to take him into the chicane as he kindly backed out of a potential side-by-side through the chicane.
I got a little break on him then, but he soon came back after he was up to speed and he pressed really hard. With about 4 to go I had to take defensive lines into 2 corners (which I don't normally like doing) to make it really hard for him to pass as I didn't want to give up the 2nd place. Not blocking, just taking a line early and sticking to it. After that he seemed to back off a bit (fuel?), but I also then put in my fastest laps of the race to come home a few seconds ahead in 2nd behind Mike for the second round in a row.
Thanks for hosting again, really enjoyed the race again. Look forward to the next one.
