I guess I will start. Here is the oft requested Chris Tuttell Saturday Blitz video with a great view of the lap 1 incident after the hairpin:
That incident, unfortunately, resulted in a ton of mud on my windshield which definitely didn’t help the visibility with the sun already coming through my horrible condition windshield. I was really struggling to find track out and brake markers when going into the sun.
I started the race 11th, and I got a great start and got by one of the Harness boys and then had a great run on Clark coming out of the hairpin when the incident occurred and I backed off a little losing that run. It really then all came down to traffic management and trying to keep Sumpter Smith behind me. I missed a shift coming out of the carousel and did a money shift but luckily got the clutch back in quickly allowing Sumpter to really close the gap. He did get by me at one point, but I was able to take the position back on the long back straight. We then continued the fight and caught the two Harness boys who looked like they were having a great brotherly battle. The only other drama was with a Porsche 996 who took the checkered flag right behind me and Sumpter who were on our white flag lap. He stayed behind us initially but then passed Sumpter after the hairpin and stayed back and then decided to take a run at me out of the museum turn and I had to check up for the esses on the back straight which let Sumpter get a run. Then the 996 threw out the anchor in the corner after the tunnel turn and I again had to check up. I had no idea what he was doing and I lost focus and blew the 2nd to last corner as I looked for the 996 to finally realize he went to pit in. I had the worst line ever for the final corner but luckily Sumpter was still behind and I utilized all of my track out which made him have to check up, and I held on to finish 8th.