Thanks man, and right back at ya! 
You got me off the line. I had not practice started the car like I should have, and I put TC on 1 at the line, thinking I would be dealing with wheel spin. Pretty sure that just slowed my start off the line and honestly, it's a bit weird that they put P1 driver on the outside here anyhow. I left you room into turn 2, and then ran a bit wide and got wheels in the dirt, so you led the start of the race.
I think I used TCS 1 off the line to but quickly turned it off once I saw the car bog out, I thought we were going to get some wheel spin as well and had not practiced it either lol. You’re right, I think me starting on the inside was the main reason I got ahead at the start, Pole should have been on the inside.
I knew I had pace on you in a few sections, but this is very much a one line track. You talked before the race about running 8 lap stints, so I figured I would just settle in and wait for the pit cycle.
I thought I remembered that being my strategy based on the tires wearing out faster than the fuel, but as we got going I realized we could do it in just one stop so I changed the plan mid race. Unless you pitted while you were ahead of me, but I ended up being back out front before we got to that point so I stayed out.
When you ran a bit wide in the final turn at the end of lap 8, I thought you were going for your stop. Your car was not visible to me at all, and so I tapped you at the exit of the last turn while making the pass. I debated giving it back, but it did not look like I really cost you.
No worries at all, it didn’t cost me any time, I was going wide anyways. I knew you were gonna make a move somewhere and you were gaining on me thru those final turns every time so it seemed like one of the likely spots to try it. I wasn’t getting a better exit on the final corner most laps though so I was able to hold you off going into T1 most laps.
Once I was ahead, I thought I was going to pull a gap. But the tires started to give up in a few places and I really could not push that much. I managed to set my fast lap somewhere in there, maybe lap 10 or something, but that took a lot out of the tires and I just had to manage it until the stops.
I thought you were too! And you did for a couple of laps, just over a second I think at the biggest. But once you spent your tires I started to gain it back a little bit a ton a time and we were pretty close come Pit time.
Then I made an error of my own going through the final turn and you had a run on the outside leading up to turn 1. I took it safe through there, but then you also backed off, and I ended up tapping you (again) at the exit of turn 1 leading to 2. I decided I was not going to hold the position when it was basically contact in defense, so I backed off going into 2 to give the position back.
I thought we were gonna go a lap or two at 2 wide there when that happened! I backed off because I thought I had hit you and maybe messed you up, but then you did too so I wasn’t sure what’s to do, so I just just got back on the gas and expected to continue 2 wide thru the next few corners.
I went for the undercut by pitting on lap 15. I likely would have pulled it off, but had some mistakes on cold tires on my out lap. I figured the cold tires would be better than the worn tires, but they really weren't.
So you came out just in front of me going into 1 and I really did not have any way of cleanly getting past you, so settled in for the battle.
Ah ok. I fully expected to come out behind you as well, I was pretty surprised when I popped out in front.
We spent laps 17-32 all within less than 1.0, and I think the average was likely below 0.5. The only spot that was a legit opportunity to pass was leading onto the main straight, and I just never got as much of a run. I think you picked up on some of my lines after following me in the first stint, so my advantage was limited.
I finally did get a run on the last lap, but it was only good to get us with 0.145.
The final stint was the best part, bumper to bumper near the entire time, it doesn’t get any better than that! I did pick up on a few of your lines, especially in the last few corners. It definitely helped. 
You actually had an advantage on me at the hairpin after S2 split, but I started to figure out your approach there and then worked to carry momentum and tapped you in the back, so figured I would instead just use the draft to stay up through there.
I noticed that as well, for the first part of the race I was pulling away on that exit, but by the end you had figured my line out and were staying right with me there. And with you being faster thru the last section it Sam only my final corner exits that were keeping me ahead in the end. That was such a tight race, .135 and 32 laps might a short we’ll be a Tie. Amazing race man!!
I think there were 4 spots that I was using previously learned tricks that gave me a small pace advantage.
- Turn 3, just after S1 split. Get the car down into the "groove", it's cambered and you want to hold it in tight. Lets you carry momentum and also helps with traction on exit. Wheel spin there can kill you.
- In the "esses" in sector 2. Take the entry right hand turn in second, then immediately short shift to 3rd on the entry to the left hander. Ride the white line through that corner, line is more important than speed. Then dip wheels in the dirt for the next right. I think you figured that part out, but not the short shift.
- The chicane of death leading up to the T3 split. I was lifting through that first section and doing all of my braking in the straight after you dip the left front in the dirt. Maybe a little bit more risk, but a lot built up speed could be carried through there.
- The little chicane before the final turn, I was releasing the brake much sooner than you. You can carry momentum, and you want to just let the understeer/steering lock slow the car for the last turn. Just keep your eyes out to the right and wait for the rumble to appear, and then you aim for that apex rumble and accelerate through.
Thanks for the tips! I’ll be sure to remember those. 
