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Season Recap Blog 3: Lime Rock

Posted on: December 30th, 2013 | No Comments

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David Ostella’s third race of the season landed him back in the American Le Mans Series paddock, this time at Lime Rock for the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix. It was the 22-year-old’s second look at the series, but his first time racing a Porsche in the GTC class within the larger field. It was also Ostella’s first time racing with team TRG, though he had tested cars with them previously. The road course at Lime Rock presented Ostella with new challenges from which he was able to learn. It was a race weekend that provided the driver a chance to round out his racing abilities and get valuable seat time behind the wheel of the Porsche GT3 Cup car.

1. Lime Rock was your first time racing with the ALMS series in the GTC class, were you excited to be back in a larger field of cars?

David: “I was definitely excited to be back in a large field. It made it more exciting and reminded me of being at Sebring. I was excited to have another chance in the bigger series.”

2. In comparison to racing in the PC car how did you enjoy the Porsche in the ALMS field?

David: “I enjoyed the Porsche because it was pretty much the same car I was racing already in the Canada GT3 Cup series. But it was a lot different than the PC Car. I went from being one of the fastest out on track in a small category with PC to being in a slower but larger category. With Lime Rock being such a short track I was racing in my mirrors most of the time. It added an extra level of difficulty.”

3. How was Lime Rock as a track? What is the toughest challenge for you when racing there?

David: “Lime Rock is one of the smaller tracks and having only a few corners the track really flows well from corner to corner. The biggest challenge was keeping the rhythm and momentum from one lap to another. It was also difficult to try to pass people in my own class because I would have to mind the other categories passing me. It always seemed like right when I would put myself into the position to pass I would get passed.”

4. You took a spin at Lime Rock. How much did that affect your rhythm during the race?

David: “The spin may have seemed like a minor mistake but it was not good at all. The laps were short, people were turning laps very quickly. The spin cost us quite a bit of time. I was passing for second place when I miscalculated something going into the turn and just lost it.”

5. You started near the back of your class and finished one away from the podium, were you satisfied with that finish?

David: “We did end up starting last in our class, but we finished fourth, which was a good finish. I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied with that, it wasn’t bad, but I’m not satisfied with that finish. I think we should have been on podium at that race, we had the car to beat.”

6. This was your third race of 2013 and the third team you raced with. Does that inconsistency make a difference to you?

David: “To me each team has had a quality about them that really matters. For me that quality is family. All the teams I have been around have been together since the start and it shows, to me family is important and with the teams being like a big family I feel at home.”

7. Anything else you would want to add about your experience at Lime Rock?

David: “ One thing that was great about Lime Rock was Craig Stanton. He was a big help through the entire weekend and I was glad to have him as a co-driver for the race, I learned a lot from him.”