Walking around the IMSA paddock with a sports car legend like Patrick Long is an exercise in fascinating patience. Even though the two-time Le Mans class winning, three-time ALMS championship-winning Porsche factory driver is four years post-retirement, it’s like Long never left racing. Fans, former teammates, and old colleagues all stop and chat, and Long has time for all of them, even under the blazing Long Beach sun. He’s a hero from the golden era of sports car racing, someone who has etched their name into history, and can see exactly how the sport has evolved since the era of ALMS.
“The level has gotten so high with this era of youngsters. It’s almost a given to be fast,” Long remarked. I had just started asking him about the specifics of driving a modern GTD car when AO Racing team principal Gunnar Jeannette stopped him for a chat. Once he was done, he continued. “It’s still wisdom versus knowledge that makes the difference in a driver’s career.”
