GOTTSACKER: New Lessons And Experiences

The NLS2 event at the Nürburgring was another event with new experiences and new lessons to apply to our next trip. I think all of the BHA drivers will agree that we are starting to feel comfortable with the full lap and its starting to show in our pace.

We’re already looking forward to NLS3 to be able to see if we can get closer to the leaders in the class.

Now on to our on track experiences for the weekend, Mason (Filippi) was able to qualify the 487 car in P8 with a large improvement on a late lap. That was in the top half of the VT2 class and a good spot for us to get into a rhythm.

I was tasked with the first and last stint in the car because I had a few less laps completed at NLS1 and we must all complete 24 laps in the NLS races to qualify for our A permit.

My first stint was on rain tires as it was misty and still wet from earlier rains. This was ultimately the safe call, but probably not the fastest strategy. I cranked out four laps at a relatively good pace to the other cars that were on rain tires and handed over to Mason for his stint.

Mason’s stint had one common thing from start to finish – lots of Code 60 sections. He was able to put in seven strong laps and get us into the battle for P8 and P9.

Next up was Taylor’s (Hagler) stint and she was setting super quick laps and helping us protect our safe position within the top 75 percent of our class.

A top 75 percent finish is required to get a classified result to satisfy the conditions for the A permit.

I would jump back in the car and complete five laps in changing weather conditions and set our fastest lap of the race. P11 was our end result and we satisfied our objectives.

I wanted to take a little different approach to this column and highlight a few differences that we’ve noticed between the NLS and the IMSA Racing that we’re typically accustomed to.

The biggest thing has to be the aggressiveness of the GT class cars and this is discussed extensively in our drivers meetings. Due to the speed differences and potential time loss, they are very aggressive and if there is an open hole they will put their car there even if they are quite far back.

Most of the contact we’ve seen is due to the mixed class speed differences and it is a large topic of discussion in the drivers meetings.

Not only is the racing close quarters, but the garage and pit layout is super tight and little space! We had seven cars in one garage at NLS2 and there wasn’t a place to move when they were all in the garage!

We also share the same fuel pumps and pit crew, so we are all put on different laps for our pit stops to split the strategies. Our Ring Racing team has done an excellent job to manage the running of all of these cars and it is shown by the strong performances they have in all the classes that they participate.

It was mentioned above, but the Code 60 yellow sections are quite different from the local and full course yellows that we have in IMSA.

There will be a destroyed car on the side of the track with parts everywhere and as soon as you’re past the incident it is full on racing again!

This means that there isn’t really any safety car periods to catch up if you get caught in traffic or a Code 60 and your competitors didn’t. It is for sure a different type of racing and requires a different strategy!

The last thing that is different is the weather. It has been so cold, you can’t wear enough layers! Our driving academy was snowed out! The track is so long, it can be raining on one half of the track, but totally dry in another. We’ve seen that in all of our trips that we’ve made here so far this year.

This has been an amazing experience so far and we can’t thank Hyundai USA, Bryan Herta Autosport, Ring Racing, and the Hyundai Driving Experience enough for all of their support on this program.