SCCA: Pfeffer Takes First Speedvision Touring Car Win At Texas

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

FORT WORTH, Texas - Steve Pfeffer, of Scottsdale, Ariz., took his first-career SCCA Pro Racing Speedvision World Challenge Touring Car win, leading the final 24 laps of the 26-lap opening race on the Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas, at Texas Motor Speedway. Superchips Polesitter Neal Sapp, of Ellicott City, Md., finished third, followed by teammate Alfred duPont, of Kennett Square, Pa.

Driving the No. 26 John Hancock/JJ's Snacks BMW 328is, Pfeffer took the lead from Sapp on lap three and never looked back, taking a 2.282-second win in his 10th career start. Pfeffer averaged 82.786 mph in the 26-lap, 60.424-mile race which went caution-free.

"This feels great," said Pfeffer. "As my good friend [fellow Speedvision World Challenge driver] Bill Cooper likes to say, 'you have to be tidy.' The Toyo Tires provided the traction I needed today. I found that they served me best when I was nice to them and didn't heat them up.

"This team really worked hard this winter. This win is the result of their work, and I'm delighted."

Sapp, the 2000 Rookie of the Year, got the hole-shot off the start in his No. 55 duPont Motorsports/European Racing Technologies BMW 328is, but could not hold off the charging Pfeffer, who started fourth.

"If you drive it properly, the BMW does have an advantage on the start," said Sapp. "The key is getting that fine line, and we were able to achieve that today. Steve [Pfeffer] was doing a great job. I was focused on not making a mistake. I figured I would just take second place and go home, the way he was driving."

DuPont started third and moved around Pierre Kleinubing, who started second. Once Pfeffer was past, he held off Kleinubing for the remainder of the race in the No. 51 duPont Motorsport/European Racing Technologies BMW 328is.

"It's nice to have teammates out there and not have to worry about everyone on the track," said duPont, who owns duPont Motorsports. "If there's one car out there beating me that I consider acceptable, it's Neal Sapp."

Brazil's Kleinubing, the defending series Champion, held on for fourth, followed by 2000 Texas winner Don Salama, of Avon, Conn. Ken Dobson, who started 15th and finished 10th, earned the Borla Performance Award for his run.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Results from Sunday's 26-lap, 60.424-mile Speedvision World Challenge Touring Car Round One Race, part of the Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas at Texas Motor Speedway with finishing position, starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car, laps complete and reason out, if any.

1. (4), Steve Pfeffer, Scottsdale, Ariz., BMW 328is, 26.
2. (1), Neal Sapp, Ellicott City, Md., BMW 328is, 26.
3. (3), Alfred duPont, Kennett Square, Pa., BMW 328is, 26.
4. (2), Pierre Kleinubing, Erexim, Brazil, Acura Integra R, 26.
5. (7), Don Salama, Avon, Conn., BMW 328is, 26.
6. (8), David Leslie(R), Scotland, Mazda 626, 26.
7. (6), Terry McCarthy, Mountain View, Calif., BMW 328is, 26.
8. (12), Mike Fitzgerald, Phoenix, Ariz., Acura Integra R, 26.
9. (11), Taz Harvey, Danville, Calif., Acura Integra R, 26.
10. (15), Ken Dobson, Carmel Valley, Calif., BMW 328Ci, 26.
11. (13), Roger Foo(R), Hayward, Calif., Honda Civic Si, 26.
12. (9), Hugh Plumb, Chadds Ford, Pa., Acura Integra R, 26.
13. (19), Rob Hines(R), Arlington, Va., BMW 328is, 26.
14. (18), Walter Markes Jr, Bronx, N.Y., BMW 328i, 26.
15. (14), Kevin Schrantz, Bolder, Colo., Mazda 626, 26.
16. (21), Shauna Marinus, Folsom, Calif., BMW 328is, 26.
17. (16), Drew Hagestad, Irving, Texas, VW Jetta, 26.
18. (24), Carlos Steyer(R), Chadds Ford, Pa., Acura Integra R, 25.
19. (17), Mike Buzzetti, Paso Robles, Calif., Acura Integra R, 25.
20. (25), Manny Matz, Somers, N.Y., BMW 328is, 25.
21. (26), Mark Hein(R), Clearwater, Fla., Acura Integra, 25.
22. (22), John Green, Roseville, Calif., Acura Integra, 25.
23. (23), David Wall(R), Carmel Valley, Calif., BMW 328i, 25.
24. (28), Fred Meyer, Dallas, Texas, Acura Integra R, 25.
25. (29), Peter Bovenberg(R), Campbell, Calif., Honda Civic Si, 24.
26. (10), Ed Schairbaum, Fort Worth, Texas, Nissan 240 SX, 16, Mech.
27. (30), Nick Vitucci(R), Bronx, N.Y., Acura Integra R, 8, Mech.
28. (20), Paul Bonaccorsi(R), Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Mazda Protege, 6, Mech.
29. (5), Will Turner, Newburyport, Mass., BMW 328is, 2, Mech.
30. (27), Paul Lambert(R), Los Gatos, Calif., Audi A4 Quattro, 0, DNS.

Time of race: 43 minutes, 47.577 seconds.
Average speed: 82.785 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: 2.2819 seconds

Lap leaders: Laps 1-2, No. 55 Neal Sapp; laps 3-26, No. 26 Steve Pfeffer

Fastest race lap: Steve Pfeffer, 1:40.242 (83.462 mph)
Fastest Qualifier: Neal Sapp, 1:40.437 (83.300 mph)
Cautions: None.

Text Provided Eric Prill

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