This is an experience I’ll never forget. After James and I took the win at Road Atlanta in 2018, I got a call from Phoenix Racing asking if I’d be interested in testing their Audi R8 GT3 car at Portimão, Portugal, just a few weeks after the IMSA season finale. It didn’t take long for me to say yes. I had never been to Portugal, never driven a GT3 car, and didn’t even know if Turn 1 at Portimão was a left or a right. But I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge. I flew home, packed my bags, and headed into the unknown. I arrived at the track a day early to meet the team and the factory driver I’d be compared against, someone with plenty of seat time in the car and a deep understanding of its limits. That night, I went to bed excited, knowing I had only a handful of laps to prove myself. The next day, I was sent out on used tires to get a feel for the car and the track. I couldn’t stop smiling, experiencing the downforce for the first time and discovering how incredible Porti...