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SCCA: Van Overbeek gives Porsche Speedvision GT Superchips pole

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

March 16, 2001

SEBRING, Fla. - Johannes van Overbeek, of Danville, Calif., earned his third-career SCCA Pro Racing Speedvision World Challenge GT Superchips pole, and first since 1997 in preparation for Friday's Round Two race, part of the Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring Weekend. Peter Cunningham, of W. Bend, Wis., and Michael Galati, of North Olmstead, Ohio, completed the top three.

Driving the No. 81 Flextronics/Intel Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, van Overbeek turned a fastest lap of 2:21.485 (94.144 mph) around the 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit-just 0.025-second ahead of Texas Superchips Pole winner Cunningham.

"We struggled all week to get the car to my liking, but it paid dividends today on the qualifying lap," said van Overbeek, who went out in an accident at the Texas Motor Speedway Round One race. "The expectations for the race are high, but I'm not going to fool myself. After our misfortune at Texas, we need a good finish. If we run up front, we'll be fine."

Cunningham was 0.061-second behind van Overbeek before a flier at the end of the session, a lap of 2:21.510 (94.127 mph), which gained him 0.036-second. The lap wasn't quite enough to earn his second-straight Superchips pole in the No. 42 RealTime Racing Acura NSX. Galati, who won at Texas in the No. 9 Audi S4 Competition, was third with a lap of 2:21.767 (93.957 mph).

Mike Fitzgerald, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Bill Cooper, of Bozeman, Mont., completed the top-five.

SEBRING, Fla. - Starting lineup for Friday's SCCA Pro Racing Speedivison World Challenge GT Round Two race, part of the Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring Weekend with position, car number in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car, fastest time and speed in miles-per-hour.

1. (81), Johannes van Overbeek, Danville, Calif., Porsche 911 Cup, 2:21.485, 94.144.
2. (42), Peter Cunningham, W. Bend, Wis., Acura NSX, 2:21.510, 94.127.
3. (9), Michael Galati, Olmstead, Ohio, Audi S4 Comp., 2:21.767, 93.956.
4. (38), Mike Fitzgerald, Phoenix, Ariz., Porsche 911 Cup, 2:22.042,93.775.
5. (01), Bill Cooper, Bozeman, Mont., Corvette C5, 2:22.313, 93.596.
6. (1), Jeff McMillin, Erie, Pa., BMW M3, 2:22.314, 93.595.
7. (8), Derek Bell, Sussex, England, Audi S4 Comp., 2:23.145, 93.052.
8. (73), Phil McClure, Floris, Iowa, Corvette C5, 2:23.267, 92.973.
9. (77), Jimmy Adams, Suffolk, Va., Porsche 911 Cup, 2:23.502, 92.821.
10. (80), Justin Marks(R), Woodside, Calif., Porsche 911 Cup, 2:23.720,92.680.
11. (79), Justin Jackson, Alpharetta, Ga., Porsche 911 Cup, 2:23.862,92.588.
12. (22), Scott Bove, Avon, Ohio, Porsche 911, 2:24.150, 92.403.
13. (41), Boris Said, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang, 2:24.161, 92.396.
14. (27), Keith Alexander(R), New York, N.Y., Porsche 911 Cup, 2:24.167,92.392.
15. (44), John Young(R), Woodside, Calif., Saleen SR, 2:25.126, 91.782.
16. (71), Jack Lewis(R), Atlanta, Ga., Porsche 911 Cup, 2:25.217, 91.724.
17. (23), Bob Miller(R), Oakton, Va., Porsche 911 Cup, 2:25.232, 91.715.
18. (11), Freddy Baker(R), Bedford, Ohio, Audi S4 Comp., 2:25.647, 91.453.
19. (18), Daniel Eastman, Miami, Fla., Porsche RSR, 2:25.664, 91.443.
20. (04), Bobby Sak(R), Kalamazoo, Mich., Corvette C5, 2:26.216, 91.098.
21. (08), G. J. Mennen, Austin, Texas, Corvette C5, 2:26.371, 91.001.
22. (03), Tommy Safar, Point Pleasant, N.J., Saleen SR, 2:29.104, 89.333.
23. (12), Michael Culver(R), Westport, Conn., BMW M3, 2:29.584, 89.046.
24. (29), Walter Swick, Concord, Ohio, BMW M3, 2:29.600, 89.037.
25. (35), David Farmer, Albemarle, N.C., Corvette C5, 2:29.714, 88.969.
26. (5), Mark Dixon, Longmont, Colo., Pontiac Firebrd, 2:32.522, 87.331.
27. (21), James Sofronas, Newport Beach, Calif., BMW M3, 2:32.946, 87.089.
28. (52), Skip Grimm(R), Melbourne, Fla., Chevy Corvette, 2:33.157, 86.969.
29. (20), Joe Sulentic(R), Iowa City, Iowa, Ford Mustang, 2:34.764, 86.066.
30. (46), Joe Blacker(R), Columbia, Md., Audi S4, 2:40.409, 83.037.
31. (10), Carol Hollfelder(R), Covina, Calif., Ferrari 355 C, no time.

Text provided by Eric Prill

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