By Tyler Gonzelez
We went to Sonoma Raceway expecting to win, and with the extra practice time to really dial the car in and get Westin and I fully aligned, we executed across both races in Pirelli GT4 America to come away with the result.
It was a really good weekend.
It felt good to get back in the swing of things on the GT4 side. Sonoma is honestly one of the easier weekends in a way, just because we have more practice than usual.
We spent a lot of time getting the car really dialed in and making sure Westin and I were on top of what we needed to do, and overall, I think that’s what led to a good result.
Going in, the expectation was to win.
We’re always really good at Sonoma, and it’s definitely one of those tracks you have to capitalize on to set yourself up in the championship.
The track is very flowy, and the Supra’s really strong there. It’s got a short wheelbase, it’s very nimble, and it allows us to put the car in places that some other people can’t.
Working with Westin was something I’d been looking forward to all year.
We’ve known each other for a while and raced against each other more than we’ve been teammates, but I knew how fast he was. Once we got into the weekend, everything just worked.
We’re pretty similar builds, so that made life really easy. Same seat position, same steering wheel, same pedals. We don’t have to adjust anything in the pit stops, and that makes a big difference in these races.
He did a great job all weekend.
“I was super impressed. He had a great mentality, improved a ton, and he’s willing to learn.”
That’s what you want in a teammate, and it makes me even more excited for the rest of the season.
For me, the approach is simple.
“We’re here to win together.”
The better he is, the better it is for me. I’m not holding anything back. I want him to get as good as possible, and if he gets to the point where he’s faster than me, that’s only going to make me work harder.
That’s the goal.
Inside the RAFA Racing Team, that mentality is clear across the board.
Kevin’s a winner. Whether he’s driving or running the team, he wants to win, and that’s what’s expected of us. We’re not here to take part.
You’ve got to work hard, you’ve got to want it, and you’ve got to put in your best effort all the time.
The team puts a lot into the drivers, and you have to give that back.
I’ve been with this group for a long time now, so part of my role is helping the other drivers understand that. Just giving direction from the driver side, especially for guys who might be in their first or second year with the team, and making sure everyone’s pushing in the same direction.
After Sonoma, we didn’t spend much time celebrating. We walked back into the truck, put the trophies down, and it was straight into thinking about Circuit of the Americas.
The wins are great, but we’re here to win every weekend. We’re here to win championships. You can’t waste time celebrating what’s already happened.
COTA is next, and it’s a big one.It’s a three-hour race, double points, and probably the most important race of the year. You have to weigh the risks versus the rewards, because one bad result can really hurt you, and a good one can really help you.
Driving-wise, it doesn’t change as much as people might think.
With the SRO endurance format, there’s not a huge benefit to saving fuel or tires. It’s still about going as hard as you can, but with it being three hours, especially at a demanding track like COTA, you’ve got to make sure you have enough car left at the end to fight.
If you’re coming through the field, it’s all about balancing aggression and patience.
You have to weigh the risks versus the rewards. You want to move forward, but you also can’t afford to make a mistake in a race like that.
We had great pace there last year, so nothing’s really broken. We just have to keep doing what we’re doing.
