DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s hard to argue that any other team in the Grand Sport class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge has had worse luck this season than Team TGM.
Team TGM, which stands for T. Giovanis Motorsports, entered this season with two full-time drivers in team owner Ted Giovanis and co-driver Guy Cosmo, with the addition of Hugh Plumb to assist with the two four-hour races at Daytona Int’l Speedway and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Giovanis eventually made the decision early in the year to bring Plumb on board full-time, and all three drivers would pilot two cars, the No. 4 and No. 46 Porsche Cayman GT4 MRs.
But a string of unfortunate events has seen that plan turn into only Plumb and Cosmo driving the No. 4, after Giovanis suffered a torn Achilles tendon as a result of a practice incident at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in early July.
Both cars withdrew from that event due to incidents, did not compete at the following race at Lime Rock Park, and the one car brought to Road America earlier this month was also forced to withdraw due to a practice incident.
“When I fell by the wayside, a lot of people basically said ‘Well, we’re probably not going to do anything from now on,’” said Giovanis, who underwent surgery five weeks ago. “Well, all I did was plug Hugh into the car with Cosmo and this is where we are.
“The testament of a team is not necessarily how well they do but how well they confront adversity. That’s sort of what you’re seeing. We’re confronting adversity. We look for reasons, we look for answers and fix them and go on. There’s a vision followed by plans and the plans didn’t work out, but the vision never changed.”
Giovanis’ recovery is going well, but as he pointed out, full recovery can’t come soon enough for a racecar driver.
“I have two jobs,” Giovanis said. “My jobs are running the JKTG Foundation (a primary sponsor of the car that focuses on health policy and cancer research) and being a racecar driver. So, I look at my rehab as doing my job and I think the guys, Hugh and Cosmo, they understand that I’m trying to get back.
“The doctors all say I’m doing really well, ahead of other patients they’ve had who have had similar surgeries, but yet it’s not fast enough for me. I’m ready to get on the gas and I can’t do it yet,” he added. “What do I have to do to get back to walking again? What do I have to do to get in a car again? And what do I have to do to get in a race car again? Those are sort of my milestones.”
Source : speedsport.com
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