Terry Borcheller - Mid-Ohio preview

Mid-Ohio

 

Fitness – both mechanical and physical – will be a key element of Terry
Borcheller's strategy for the Aug. 27 Rolex Sports Car Series race at
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The Gainesville, Ga., driver
knows the challenges of the technical 2.258-mile road course and the usual
August high temperatures and humidity. He and his co-driver Ralf Kelleners
of Dusseldorf, Germany, will be ready, as will the engineers who prepare
their No. 54 Bell Motorsports/Feeds the Need Pontiac-powered Doran JE4 race
car.

 

"I like Mid-Ohio," Borcheller said. "From our engineer's standpoint, with
Jim Bell and Joe Lajoy working together, I think we should get a pretty good
car. Mid-Ohio is one of those places where the setup makes a big difference.
It's technical and it's difficult to pass because the straightaways are
short. Another thing to consider is what follows the straightaways – it's
not like you have textbook corners that are easy for passing, but I like
working the traffic, so that should be great.

 

"Ohio in August can be one of the most brutal places anywhere for heat, so
that could be an issue. I'm hydrating already, we'll have the cool suit
ready and the car is ventilated. We've worked really hard from day one to
make sure it is well-ventilated."

 

69 to 2

 

Borcheller enjoyed early success at Mid-Ohio, charging from 69th to second
in a go-kart race in 1982. "I started 69th. There were 71 or 72 karts, so we
were almost last," he recalled. "It was a one-hour endurance race and I
ended up finishing second. I went from fourth to second on the last lap, I
think. The story gets better as I get older! But I do know if I'd had one
more lap, I would have won."

 

fitness update

 

Borcheller continues to fine-tune his fitness program to counter the rigors
of racing. He credits fellow driver Andy Pilgrim for sharing an effective
strategy. "I used to do weight-training and cardio all the time. A few years
ago, I dropped the weight-training and last year I dropped a day of
training. It has worked really well for me," Borcheller reported. 

 

"Andy Pilgrim helped me a lot when he was co-driving with me. I talked to
him about fitness and how to prepare for races. His advice was, 'Let your
body speak for itself.' In other words, if you feel really good after a
race, go ahead and keep training. But if you're toast for two days, then
take two days off. That's not to say you're not disciplined to follow a
routine, but you need to listen to your body because some races really take
it out of you. I have followed that advice and it makes a lot of sense for
me. It also keeps me very sharp with my training."

 

details (ET)

 

The Rolex Sports Car Series race is set for Saturday, Aug. 27 from 5:30 pm
to 8:15 pm on the 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
Live timing/scoring and audio will be available at grandamerican.com. The
race will air on pee Channel on Sunday, Aug. 28 from noon to 3 pm.