You didn’t see much of the Pursuit Racing Mustang of Andrew Gilliam all race at Sebring. As the race at the front stole the spotlight, he and Vendaval Sim Racings Griffin Gardiner were locked in a 44 lap high pressure, high quality and high speed battle.
For Gilliam, it wasn’t the start he was after when he was half turned on the opening lap by Ethan Grigg Gault. After setting off on the wrong foot he settled into his rhythm and and what ensued was a race long battle with Gardiner and the duo were inseparable all race from that point on.
Swapping places during the pit stop cycles, the two raced it out for the back of the top 10 all night. As the laps started to wind down, the Vendaval and Pursuit machines were lapping up to 0.5 seconds faster of the cars in front and were both in the ‘zone’.
With one lap to go, Wayne Bourke in front would have a lunge at Jake Moloney, causing Moloney to leave the track and Bourke to redress. It was a reward for Gilliam and Gardiner, as they crossed the line in seventh and eight respectively.
Most drivers draw more satisfaction from a race long pressure battle than a scrap, as purists know what this racing is all about. Being locked in an intense battle for laps on end where no one can blink.
If you’re the lead driver, the smallest mistake by way of a missed apex, brake lockup or corner exit wheel spin will see your rival slide past. Conversely, if you’re the trailing driver, any of these small errors will see your rival skip away.
Its why these battles are so high quality, and its why at the end of these races, the drivers involved are usually satisfied with their performance.
We can’t wait to see more of these battles at round 2 on June 1st when the series heads to Winton.
