Hey guys,
I'm sitting here in LaGuardia Airport in NYC waiting for my return flight. I had a pretty big crash yesterday. I started in 27th place due to a qualifying goof that's actually a pretty funny story, but will wait for another day. I worked my way up from 27th to 1st place in 11 laps. The Automatic Racing 09 BMW M3 was battling me for the lead. Coming into the heel of the boot he got up along inside of my. I gave him lots of room on the inside and we went through the corner side-by-side. But at the exit, I tracked all the way out and he tracked out into me, not leaving me any racing room. We both went off drivers left into the barrier.
It was a pretty hard hit. Yesterday I felt absolutely fine, but today the right side of my neck and my back is a bit sore and I've got a bruise on the back of my right arm. Nothing that's really bad, but as I move my luggage around the airport it's a constant reminder that I had more than an moment yesterday.
The car is in bad shape. Worse than Ander's car at Mont Tremblant. The team was disappointed, but very cool and very concerned about me.
Later in the day Bob Aines was told by the Grand Am Race Director Mark Raffauf that he and the chief steward of the race reviewed the in-car video from my car several times and said that I did everything right and Jeb did it wrong. That's somewhat comforting to know that the officials are on my side.
I spoke with Calvin Fish this morning and asked him what Dorsey's and Lee's take on the situation was. I was pretty surprised to hear that Calvin thought Dorsey put most of the blame on me. I really hope not, because even though the race officials are holding me blameless, the majority of the people out there may be persuaded to think I was to blame.
All I can say is watch the video, look at the room I gave Jeb on the inside, and watch as he comes across and takes all my racing room away from me. That's what really pisses me off, because I gave him lots of room on the inside. Anyway, it's done.
Hopefully there will be some good coverage coming from the back to the front.
More later...
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
www.teamSMR.com