Backstretch Motorsports

Memo Gidley, co-driver of the No. 77 Doran Racing Ford-Dallara Daytona Prototype, has run numerous laps throughout his racing career at Mazda Raceway in Laguna Seca, the site of this weekend’s Grand-Am Rolex Series race. He has driven several cars at the track and stood on the podium there after a second place finish in a Champ Car race. Gidley, who came away from the track with a 10th-place performance in last season’s Rolex Series race, talks about his experience on the track and the upgrades that have been made to his car this year.

MEMO GIDLEY – No. 77 Ford-Dallara Daytona Prototype – YOU FINISHED 10TH LAST YEAR IN LAGUNA. “Last year it was fairly new, me running with Kevin [Doran]. We made a lot of changes on the original Doran chassis and we got the car to be pretty competitive. Actually at Laguna, I remember vividly, it was the first time that I felt like we were actually pretty competitive. We ended up 10th, but everybody was pretty much nose-to-tail – it was very, very tight. So, I was pretty happy with the performance last year.”

YOU’VE DONE A LOT OF LAPS AT LAGUNA SECA THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. HOW MUCH WILL THAT HELP GOING INTO THIS WEEKEND’S RACE? “Well it helps, for sure, on any weekend, I think, because our schedules are so condensed. But Laguna, even though it’s a couple of hours from where I actually live, it is for sure where I started racing, where I went to my first Indycar race and where I worked as a mechanic for Jim Russell. That was the first track that was in my mind. So I’m very familiar with the layout of the track. I really like it. Having a lot of family and friends down there also always helps. I think it’s definitely going to be an advantage having that much time around there.”

YOU’VE BEEN RUNNING WITH A NEW CHASSIS THIS SEASON. HOW HAVE YOU HAD TO ADAPT TO IT? “From a team standpoint, it’s always fine-tuning and making improvements and going from there. I felt comfortable in the car from day one. Driving-it-wise, the Dallara works real well. Our car is actually a Doran that was updated last year with Dallara bodywork. I’m very comfortable with the car. I really think that this year, we’re going to for sure get on the podium and I really expect us to win a race. I think that the Ford motor is as strong as it’s ever been. Ford has made a lot of improvements there and I think that with the Dallara upgrades and the chassis improvements we make on the Doran, it’s very competitive. The last three races, we’ve been very, very competitive and now it’s just a matter of putting together a solid weekend and I think we’re going to end up on the podium.”