Third place at St Petersburg was a good result for the Highcroft team, and Acura again showed that they are a force to reckoned with in the American Le Mans Series as all three of its cars led sometime during the race.
I qualified the Highcroft car fifth in class, sixth overall, and, although I was a little p*ssed not to be higher up the grid, we still felt we had a strong car for the race. At the start, I got a really good jump on the cars around me, but I had to back off as I was going to pass the front row before the start-finish line!
I reckoned that going down the outside would be the ticket, staying away from any trouble, and it seemed to be the right choice, as I saw bodywork flying. I thought that the first corner could become pretty interesting but, as it went, I lost one place, and there were no real dramas from my view point. What I didn't realise was the start Marino Franchitti had. I couldn't work out if he was in front or behind me, but later realised that he was
way in front. I am sure he had a smile on his face. I actually went up to him at before the start to see how nervous he was, and he was a little tense, but I just told him to enjoy himself - wish I hadn't now!
As the race wore on, my car was getting quicker - or perhaps the others were getting slower - but I was stuck behind Butch Leitzinger for 20 laps. Eventually, I took a lunge down the inside and pulled it off. The others were six seconds down the road at that point, but, in two laps, I was right with them and looking for a way round. Then a yellow came out and the chase had stopped for a while. Marino had been hit from behind by Ryan Briscoe's Penske Porsche and went straight into the wall. No more smiling, I'm sure...
