Rob Bunker - Road Atlanta race

Some athletes carry lucky charms or talismans in competition; Rob Bunker
carries his objectives. The Bridgewater, N.J., teen tried a new tactic for
the Sept. 29 Star Mazda Championship race at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga.
He recorded his goals for the race, tucked the note in the pocket of his
driver suit and went on to post a strong result on the demanding 2.54-mile
road course.

 

"I wrote down what I wanted – to get to the front and do what it takes to
get there. I wrote it down, put it in my pocket and raced with it. The
theory is if you don't write down your goals, you have a 10 per cent less
chance of reaching them. If you do write them down, you have a much greater
ability to achieve them," he explained.

 

Bunker started the No. 18 AIM Autosport Pro Formula Mazda 30th on the 33-car
grid because of an off-track excursion in heavy rain during the previous
series race, at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ont. Series
rules require competitors to forfeit their qualifying position at the next
race if their actions result in a full-course caution.

 

"I was racing in the rain at Mosport and had an 'off'. Because I caused a
full-course yellow, I had to start at the back," Bunker acknowledged. "But
we went out in qualifying anyway to show where we were supposed to be."

 

He started near the back at Road Atlanta, but didn't stay there long.
Charging through the field, he gained 19 positions during the 27-lap race to
finish 11th.

 

"The race was strong. I did a lot of mental imagery before the race,
visualizing passing cars," he said. "I was running the same [lap] times as
the guys in fourth or fifth. Everyone between me and them was a second
slower! I drove clean and very smart, probably my smartest race. You have to
drive using your head and be willing to put everything on the line."

 

Bunker attributes his progress during his rookie Star Mazda season to the
team's philosophy of constantly improving, even through adversity, and to
his relationship with his race engineer, Ian Willis.

 

"We know there's always something good to take away from every race," Bunker
noted. "And Ian has taught me a lot about how to communicate with an
engineer to get the most out of the car."

 

The final 2006 Star Mazda Championship race is set for Oct. 21 at Mazda
Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif.

 

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Sylvia Proudfoot
HYPERLINK "mailto:sylvia@spurcom.ca"sylvia@spurcom.ca
403 287 3945