Sam

Summer 2008

Sam has been busy once again with work for the American Le Mans Series. This is the first year he's been with a new team - Drayson / Barwell out of England. They drive a Aston-Martin GT2 Vantage. It's green and its number is 007. So, for those who aren't car smart - an Aston-Martin is what James Bond drives. It's an English thing.

The team has struggled. Sam's used to taking first place as he did with Petersen/White Lightning. Petersen didn't race this year. But, the pay with this new team is a lot better - so win or lose, go Drayson!

Lord Paul Drayson is the owner. He actually resigned his post in England's House of Lords to pursue his dream of racing. I met him and his family when we delivered their motorhom to them at the Grand Canyon. The funniest thing was to hear their little girl come yelling, "Mummy, Mummy, Charles has a splinter!" This family was definitly out of their element RVing it around the West - they've got money to pay people to go to the bathroom for them, so, it was funny to hear about how they were unsure if the motorhome would fit in the Eisenhower Tunnel and then they took the long way around on top of Loveland Pass....scary! It was an adventure for them.

I wish I had a picture of Sam with the race car. He's got five races left this year, so hopefully I'll get one. He's the primary fueler when the car comes in for pit stops, and he drives the transporter (the rig that hauls the car and equipment...think Mack on the movie "Cars" and that's Sam!)

If you're ever interested, Sam's races can be seen either on ABC or the Speed Channel usually on Saturdays or Sundays under the name American Le Mans series.