Pirelli Paddock Pass: Scott Hargrove

Canadian driver Scott Hargrove is coming off of a victory in the last Blancpain GT World Challenge America round at Sonoma Raceway.

This week in the Pirelli Paddock Pass, Hargrove fills us in on his season so far, describes the significance of the victory at Sonoma, and tells us about his new business venture.

How would you assess your SRO America season thus far?

“Running with a new team and teammate, there were a lot of unknowns for me at the beginning of the SRO America season.

“I just hoped that we would all jell together well and get some good results— which is exactly what’s taken place. It hasn’t been the smoothest of seasons.

“Some things both within and outside of our control have prevented us from capitalizing on a few good results, but at the end of the day, that’s racing.

“Looking at it in hindsight I’m really happy with how things are going and proud of how we’ve performed as a team.”

How much did it mean to finally get the win in Sonoma?

“The win at Sonoma was huge for the entire Wright Motorsports team and Porsche. We’ve managed a few podiums throughout the year, but with all the hard luck, finally getting a win definitely knocked the monkey off our back.

“It’s been quite a while since we last raced, so hopefully the momentum that was there after Sonoma carries forward. We’ll try to keep the ball rolling at Watkins Glen.”

What’s it been like working with Patrick Long this season? Do the two of you have a similar dynamic?

“Patrick Long has been great to work with. He carries so much knowledge of car set up and obviously is as quick of a co-driver as anyone could ask for.

“It been fun for me to pick up on the little nuances he’s benefited from and figure out how I can apply them to myself. We both approach things a little differently, which I think works well.

“I like to go out there and push the car to the limit, whereas Patrick tends to take a more practical approach, focusing on the big picture, which again has been a nice thing for me to learn this year.”

What is your objective for the final three races of the season?

“We’re currently sitting fourth in the championship, but I think there’s a lot of potential for us to move forward if we really capitalize on the next six races.

“Without being in the top three for points, we don’t have much to lose, so we’re going to put our heads down, go for race wins and see what comes out of it.”

What can you tell us about your apparel company, Full Torque Gear, and how it’s been managing business alongside such a full-time racing career?

“Full Torque Gear is my apparel company that specializes in automotive apparel and also custom team apparel, which is something my business partner, Mark, has been doing for a while.

“I joined him in an effort to expand the business and get involved with race teams. Our goal is to make the brand widely known throughout the paddock and have some fun doing it.

“I’ve always thought I had a knack for business. I like to find the gaps in people’s needs and see how I can fulfill those needs.

“It’s been fun to work hand and hand with Mark to see if we could appeal to the motorsports business with some high-quality apparel that wasn’t necessarily available before.”