Ok, first things first: if a team is cool enough to let you stand in its pit area and snap photos, your first priority is to stay the hell out of the way. Fortunately, I think I managed that task quite nicely, and John from Mazda even found time to give me the scoop on how the crew handles these practice sessions. When the car first goes out, it will generally be fitted with grooved rain tires, because slicks are uber-sticky, and tend to pick up every piece of junk on the track. And since this machine is basically rebuilt before every race, the team uses the initial pass as an "installation" lap. Basically, that just means the driver runs the complete circuit once, then comes back in so the techs can pop the engine cover and check to make sure any new parts are settling in, and that no fluids are leaking. Today, there was a brief problem with the shift linkage, but after a few minutes of tinkering, the guys got it to cooperate, and used the rest of the time to get feedback from drivers Ben Devlin and Gerardo Bonilla.
They did some shock and spring adjustments—making sure to test each different set-up with precisely 20 liters of fuel on board—but after getting the shift linkage dialed, it was business as usual. The team considers Road America its home track, so the guys basically knew what they wanted from the car before it ever rolled out of the paddock. Since the course is over four miles long and has some burly straights—the distance between turn 14 and turn one is 3025 feet!—the car is set up with a minimum of downforce, so the drivers can use those stretches to get as much speed as possible. One of the things I found really interesting was how driver changes are handled. After pulling in, the driver who's exiting the car will hop into the passenger side, and help the incoming pilot get into his harness. While that's happening, the car will be taking fuel, but the crew has to wait until fueling is complete before they're allowed to start swapping tires or any other changes. The guys are allowed to be over the wall and in position, but even touching the car during fueling can bring a penalty. After watching them work during practice, I can't wait to see how they perform during the heat of the race. Keep your fingers crossed for them, and enjoy the pics!
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