kitchtrips

And I’ve been West, out to California
Summer nights and girls are so much warmer there
They just don’t have a care
But I know a place where the people smile
Taking it easy and it’s been a while since I’ve gone
And now it’s time to go home

Give me a tight t-shirt on a real hot body
You know what’s on my mind
Yeah, I’ll show you where it’s at
Come on, let’s get back on Texas time

You got it right there, easy, we’re gonna party
Whiskey, women and wine
Yeah, I’ll show you where it’s at
Come on, let’s get back on Texas time

– Keith Urban

Sunday 19 May 2024

Our last day in Austin, flying out to Indianapolis tomorrow. I hear there’s race of some repute there in seven days’ time…

Ate breakfast at Denny’s en route to the track. Grand Slam with pancakes, eggs and sausage links was nice, though, as always, I steered clear of the bacon strips. Denny’s is good, uncomplicated and reasonably-priced food.

Whilst racing finished late last night, everything was pushed up to mid-morning into the early afternoon before the 90-minute GT World Challenge race went off at 2:15pm. There aren’t many dull moments at a GTWC weekend. One race finishes and another starts, with very little time in between. Just long enough to use the bathrooms and grab some food or drink. Hot today, but it didn’t feel as bad as yesterday. Maybe I’m getting used to this Texas heat?

Spent some time with Ryan in between his TV commitments, walking the paddock, meeting a few people…including Johnny O’Connell, the most successful GM factory driver of all time. The man has won Sebring nine times, and has wins at 24-hour races in Daytona and Le Mans on what is an impeccable racing resume, too. The best thing is that Johnny is a good dude, and we chatted for a while, including about his race in Adelaide back in the day (The Race of a Thousand Years sports car race on New Year’s Eve 1999) and how Australia is one country he could live in happily. He wants to do Bathurst, and said if I could get him into a ride I’d go into the will! Just a fun, class guy. Could have chatted for hours, but he had commitments. Thank you to Ryan for the intro, and for hanging out.

Later, on pit road, I had a chat with Tom Sargent, from the small NSW country town of Young. He has a gig driving a Porsche in GT World Challenge, and was sporting a big cowboy hat and boots. His dad was with him, and happily told us that his son looked like a “wanker” – ahh, Aussie turn of phrase. I miss it already. Tom is a good kid, with a bright future ahead of him.

I can’t recommend GT World Challenge racing enough. The entire experience is absolutely brilliant, and I can’t wait to take in the Australian version of this racing at Sydney Motorsports Park in October. Globally, GT racing is in rude health.

The main race finished in enough time that I was able to tune into the end of Indy 500 qualifying via IndyCar Radio. A GREAT day for Australia and New Zealand. Kiwi Scott McLaughlin, at a tick over 232mph average, took the pole and Aussie Will Power was just a touch slower. The difference over 4 laps / 10 qualifying miles was, according to social media, eight inches. The fastest pole qualifying speed in history – just insane. Let’s hope that next Sunday, race day, will be as kind to the Antipodean contingent. For the record, Australian-born Kiwi Scott Dixon will start off the seventh row in twenty-first.

Ordered Italian in and watched the NASCAR All-Star race on TV. There was a bit of an on-track incident on the first lap where one driver dumped another into the wall to end the night really quickly…and in post-race “discussions” between the two, fists flew. Short track tempers, I guess, and guys upset they missed out on a chance for the million dollar prize.

On that note, that’s a cap on a great weekend in Austin. 9:00am flight tomorrow, headed for Indianapolis. Looking forward to a big week…and at the end of it, the greatest sporting event on the face of the earth. Let’s go!