Dunlop^® Tires — Racing & Events

One Lap Race

Billy Mains e-Journal

(Editor’s Note: The views expressed by Billy Mains are his own and are not those of Dunlop Tires. Your performance experiences may vary.)

Day Seven

In a Mercedes-Benz, you live the life of Riley. After six days of driving, I’m living the life of O’Reilly. I arrived at O’Reilly Raceway Park after a long 675-mile drive from Tulsa, Okla. I arrive at a hotel at 6:30 a.m. and have to be at the track by 8:30 a.m. Well, you can guess how I was feeling about my phantom co-drivers.

I lay my head down for a two-hour nap, knowing that I’ve driven previously at the old Indy Race Park in Indianapolis. No need to rush to get to O’Reilly. I wake up at 8:30 and have plenty of time to get to the track. I’ll just shut my eyes for a few minutes; then I’ll get up. Guess you know how this story goes.

Next thing I know, my cellular and hotel phones are ringing, and my buddy Dave says they’re calling my car number at the track. I literally grab my stuff and run to the car with my boxer shorts on, get in, and needless to say, I made it to the track in three minutes, jumping out of the car at the grid in my boxer shorts. About six of my friends are unloading the car while the starter at the track is looking at me bewildered as I get dressed in my fireproof suit. Let me just say that with little preparation, I took a respectable 37th with a time of 6:05:65.

In the afternoon, I had the best overall finish ever. A 16th place out of 104 vehicles was totally awesome. Did I mention that co-drivers are overrated? The Dunlop Kleemann Motorwerks Mercedes is fast. I have to say thanks to Brandon, Corey and Jason at Kleemann for tuning the Beast. And the Dunlops grip was awesome, providing a great launch off the line. (Although I can’t wait to try the Direzza Z1!) In One Lap, even when something great happens at a track, there’s no time to celebrate – at least physically. But mentally, a great run charged me up for the drive, even if it is a measly 250 miles.

Since we will arrive about 9 p.m., we will savor this event with a good dinner – not fast food, for a change – and well-deserved rest. The thought of ribs and refreshments and the camraderie of fellow drivers sounds perfect. We wanted to let loose, but we had to get up early for the last event at Mid Ohio. It will be nice to get home with my two beautiful kids and my hottie of a wife, Jenny. I’m really missing them.

 

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