Notes

Race Quotes: Spec Miata

Steven Gorriaran, Spec Miata Champion

The flag went green and it couldn’t have been a cleaner, closer start. We all went in to one, and within two laps the four of us were gone. On lap three, Matt (Pombo) had a great run coming out of 14. He just came right up on me. If we went side-by-side through one, it would have hurt us both and he was smart enough just to push me. If any two guys could have broken away, you would have broken away. So I think it was a smart move by him to try it.

That first move probably hurt the three of them (Drago, Pombo and Lamb) a lot. That was the gap and it never really changed. It was pretty intense, it was a good battle, and I was just trying to stay cool, run consistent times, and hit my marks.

It’s been a long, painful road. Two years ago, I was fourth and walked down to the podium just to see what it was like. Last year, I finished second. It makes you want to work even harder to get here, and it makes you get really, really hungry.


Jim Drago, Second Place

We all race quite a bit together and we’re really comfortable with each other. At the start, we were really tight. After four or five laps, we looked in the mirror and nobody was there. I just tried to stay patient and save some tires for the end of the race. A couple of times when Matt was behind me, had he not got side by side with Todd (Lamb) I would have liked to have seen what happened. I think I moved a few laps too late for Steve (Gorriaran), but hat’s off to him - he’s been fast all week and deserves this.


Mathew Pombo, Third Place

My plan at the beginning was to fall behind one of these people and use the draft to stay off the rumble strips. The rumble strips here are really hard on the suspensions. I was trying to keep my suspension under me, and then I messed up coming out of 14. I felt the car push, and I was probably carrying too much speed. I dropped back to fourth, and thought I’d just ride there for a little while and see how it unfolds. I caught back up to Jim (Drago) and Todd (Lamb) and we got around Todd going into five. I thought we were in pretty good position until I kind of jumped off at Turn 14 again and fell back a little bit.

I knew on the last lap I had to get around Todd going into Turn One. I got up pretty close to Jim’s draft and thought I might have something for him going into the Carousel. Todd got a run back on me going into Turn five and I went way out on the rumble strips to give him some room. He gave me plenty of room and we raced side-by-side. He messed up a little bit in Turn six and we were side by side again going through eight. We knocked each other’s mirrors down on each other’s door. It was a lot of fun. Todd and I race together all year and he’s a great driver and I have nothing but respect for him. He always gave me plenty of room.