Ask Patrick Series
Lake Superior Performance Rally
Marquette, MI & L’Anse, MI
October 13-14 2023
Let’s catch up with Green APU Rally USA Racing driver Patrick Gruszka about the recent Lake Superior Performance Race in Michigan.
Tell Us About the Race
“This was my 3rd time running this race. This one was my first ever doing Rally in a L2WD car, and it went really well. I call this my redemption year, as last year I broke my hand at the event.”
How Did It Go for the Green APU Rally USA Team?
“Great! We finished 2nd overall, and 1st in RC2. We are beyond stoked to have achieved the results we have for this event and the season overall.”
What Was Different About This Race Compared to Others?
“This rally is unique because of all the changing fall colors in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The roads can be fast and smooth, but also have technical sections that require more attention to detail. It’s also the last rally in the championship season, so there’s always a special feeling that other events don’t have. It was a great way to end the 2023 rally season.”
What Challenges Came Up?
“We had a short turnaround after The Boone Forest Rally, so we had to fix the power steering quickly, after damaging it at the Boone. No real challenges during this race, as we didn’t need to push hard once we had a comfortable gap with the car behind us.”
Anything You Want to Improve on or Change?
“There’s always room for improvement for me as a driver. We will work on a bunch of things while we are off and next season.”
What Lessons Did You Take Away from This Race?
“Hopestly, this entire season was a learning experience. Coming off last year with the Mitsubishi Mirage and jumping into a Hyundai i20, we needed as much seat time as we could get. We had to get a feel for the new car in different conditions, which we were able to do.”
