Circuit of the Americas will provide Aston Martin Racing works driver Jonny Adam with his next major test after the Scotsman clinched the 2015 British GT Championship at Donington.
This week (Sep 17-19) the Fifer will team up with Darren Turner in the Hanergy liveried V8 Vantage GTE for the six-hour World Endurance Championship race, whose regular driving partner Stefan Mucke is on Blancpain Endurance Series duty at the Nurburgring.
While the #97 Pro category car is not in contention for the title Adam and Turner will be seeking to extend Aston Martin’s succesful record in the States – with the British manufacturer having an unbeaten record at the Texas circuit in the GT class.
As a multiple championship-winner driving Aston Martin race cars (yes, 2013 counts as far as we are concerned!) Adam clearly knows what he’s talking about when it comes to Gaydon’s finest products.
However, what does the Kirkcaldy cowboy know about the country where he will be racing this weekend?
His knowledge was tested as he flew from the Midlands to the US of A to make his COTA debut.
1. Can you sum up what it means to get your name on the British GT championship trophy?
“It’s a great feeling as officially I didn’t share it with Andrew in 2013 due to a minor points deduction, even though I drove in all the races. It was something Beechdean AMR set out to achieve this year and it just all came together perfectly at the last round. It was a massive team effort and I am so happy to see the way in which Andrew has developed his driving this season in what was a very competitive field in the GT3 category. It also showcases yet again just how good a car the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 is in national and international championships.”
2. Who has been the oldest person to be elected President of the United States of America?
“Pass!” (Answer: Ronald Reagan)
3. What did you do to celebrate on Sunday night after winning the title at Donington?
“It was very rock and roll; a quiet Chinese takeaway with my girlfriend Rachel, Andrew Howard and his family! We’ll celebrate as a team properly at the SRO annual dinner dance in November.”
4. Which US state is larger in area – Connecticut or Hawaii?
“This is a pure guess but I’d go for Hawaii.” (Correct)
5. You’ve raced in the US before at Daytona, but how much do you know about Circuit of Americas?
“I haven’t been before but have done some good research on the circuit and spent a few hours looking at data, watching onboards and simulator work. It looks like an amazing circuit and I can’t wait to get out there on track.”
6. Who enjoyed his only top ten hit with ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ due to the popularity of line dancing?
“Miley Ray Cyrus’ father Billy I think…” (Correct, worryingly)
7. What result are you and Darren Turner aiming for in Austin this weekend?
“Circuit of the Americas will suit the Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE much better than last time out at Nurburgring. We have the same Balance of Performance penalties as the last race so that will make it slightly harder, but a top four would be a great result. Both Porsche and Ferrari were very strong at the last round so we will have to see come FP1 what the overall pace is like.”
8. In which year was the fluted Coca-Cola bottle first designed?
“1930s?” (Answer: 1915)
9. You’ve had a busy but successful year so far, what else do you hope to achieve before the 2015 season is over?
“It’s pretty simple, to perform well for Aston Martin Racing in the remainder of the World Endurance Championship events and gain more experience driving the GTE Aston Martin Vantage.”
10. What is the most populous city in Texas?
“I’d say it’s between Houston and Dallas, but I’ll go for Houston. It has a big international airport…” (Correct)
11. What do you think of the recently revealed upgraded AMR Vantage models which will be campaigned in 2016?
“The car looks amazing. There are new rules and regulations for GTE Pro cars in the World Endurance Championship for 2016 and a lot of development and engineering has gone into the new versions. It’s a big up step in terms of aero package and other subtle refinements, but if the car performs anything like it looks then it will be a very competitive package for 2016.”
12. Can you speak any American?
“Howdy y’all!” (Correct-ish, that’s Texan)
It seems that Jonny has some way to go before he gets his Green Card, but he may be returning to the US to brush up on his knowledge sooner rather than later.
With a strong lead in the Sunoco Whelen Challenge standings he is now waiting to see how other competitors fare in their final rounds in order to find out if he has done enough to secure a drive in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January 2016.