Patrick Barrett Looks Forward To Next Race With PR1 Motorsports
Jun 26, 2008
John Barrett
Los Osos, Ca—Patrick Barrett’s return to competition in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 GT class this past weekend at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio was somewhat of a roller coaster ride. This was Barrett’s, 18, second weekend in the series behind the wheel of the #32 Kolliner-Long Gallery, Miracle-Sealants, Konica-Minolta Pontiac GXP. R, and it ended prematurely.
Barrett was quick in all of the Friday practices and posted an impressive sixth fastest time in the 60 minute Saturday morning session. He and the PR1 Motorsports team were confident that they had a car that could run at the front. Co-driver Mike Forest started the race tenth and was in eighth as rain started falling on lap seven, ten minutes into the two hour and forty five minute race. At that point Forest was almost half way around the undulating fifteen turn 2.4 mile road course when he had contact with the spinning Farnbacher-Loes #87 Porsche. “Mike had nowhere to go, very tricky conditions as rain began to fall, the entire field was on race slicks and just about to come in for rain tires, ” according to Barrett.
Extensive front end damage from the contact ended the day before Barrett was able to take his turn behind the wheel of the #32, ultimately finishing twenty second. “It’s obviously disappointing that we dropped out of the race so early. Mike and the team did everything right throughout the weekend, I just feel really bad for everyone. I think we had a car that could have taken us to a top three finish. ” said Barrett.
“There were a lot of positives that came out of the weekend though. The team gained a great deal of confidence, performing well in all of the practice sessions and qualifying. I’ve been training a lot since my last outing at Virginia, and I felt a great improvement in my physical performance. All in all, the weekend was successful. The team improved on their performance and we showed how competitive we can be on a new course. I’m really looking forward to my next race with PR1 Motorsports. Again, I want to thank my personal sponsors Kolliner-Long Gallery based in Cambria, California and Alpinestars for their tremendous support. ”
