SCCA SPEED World Challenge Media Advisory - Honda Grand
Prix of St. Petersburg
MEDIA ADVISORY
SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Championships
SPEED GT and SPEED Touring Car Round Two
Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Fla.
Contact: Curtis Kitchen, Public Relations Manager
(785) 633-7977, ckitchen@scca.com
Event/Circuit: Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
14-turn, 1.8-mile temporary circuit
Qualifying: SPEED Touring Car: Saturday, April 1, 12:15 p.m.
(EST)
SPEED GT: Saturday, April 1, 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Green Light: SPEED GT: Saturday, April 1, 4:45 p.m. (EST)
(standing start) SPEED Touring Car: Sunday, April 2, 12:45 p.m. (EDT)
Race Lengths: 33 laps (SPEED GT) or 50 minutes; 31 laps (SPEED
Touring Car) or 50 min
Television: SPEED GT: Sunday, April 2 at 3 p.m. on SPEED
Channel
SPEED Touring Car: Sunday, April 2 at 4 p.m.
on SPEED Channel
Media Notes: Results are available on the AP SportsWire, via
e-mail and on the Internet (www.world-challenge.com
<http://www.world-challenge.com/> ).
Timing/Scoring: Live Timing & Scoring is available for all sessions
through www.world-challenge.com <http://www.world-challenge.com/> .
Touring Car: Qualifying Lap: 1:22.983 (78.088 mph), Randy Pobst,
Mazda 6, 2005
Race Lap: 1:23.777 (77.348 mph), Randy Pobst,
Mazda 6, 2005
Average Speed: 56.510 mph, Randy Pobst, 2005
Closest Margin of Victory: 8.888 seconds, Randy
Pobst over Pierre Kleinubing, 2005
GT: Qualifying Lap: 1:18.886 (82.143 mph), Wolf
Henzler, Porsche 911 GT3, 2005
Race Lap: 1:19.054 (81.969 mph), Robin Liddell,
Porsche 911 GT3, 2005
Average Speed: 62.198 mph, Tommy Archer, 2005
Closest Margin of Victory: 0.241-sec., Tommy
Archer over Robin Liddell, 2005
FORMER WINNERS
Touring Car: 1990: Bobby Archer, Eagle Talon (Super
Production Class)
1996: Alain Chebeir, BMW 325is
(Touring 2 Class)
1997: Peter Schwarzott, Honda
Prelude (Touring 2 Class)
2005: Randy Pobst, Mazda 6
GT: 1990: R.K. Smith, Chevrolet Corvette
(World Challenge Class)
1996: Willy Lewis, Eagle Talon
(Touring 1 Class)
1997: Peter Cunningham, Acura NSX
(Touring 1 Class)
2005: Tommy Archer, Dodge Viper
POLE WINNERS
Touring Car: 1990: N/A
1996: Michael Galati, Honda
Prelude (Touring 1 Class)
1997: Alain Chebeir, BMW 328is
(Touring 1 Class)
2005: Randy Pobst, Mazda 6
GT: 1990: Scott Lagasse, Lotus Espirit
Turbo (World Challenge Class)
1996: Kermit Upton III, BMW M3 (T1
Class)
1997: Rob Fellows, Ford Mustang
(T1 Class)
2005: Wolf Henzler, Porsche 911
GT3
Point Leaders:
SCCA SPEED GT Drivers' Championship Standings
After 1 of 10 Rounds
Ps, Driver, Car, Points (Wins)
1, Michael McCann, Dodge Viper, 35 (1)
2, Andy Pilgrim, Cadillac CTS-V, 28
3, Bob Woodhouse, Dodge Viper, 25
4, James Sofronas, Porsche 911, 23
5, Lawson Aschenbach (R), Porsche 911, 21
6, Doug Peterson (R), Chevrolet Corvette, 20
7, Sonny Whelen, Chevrolet Corvette, 19
8, Ricardo Imery (R), Porsche 911, 18
9, Rob Foster (R), Dodge Viper, 17
10, Skip Sauls (R), Dodge Viper, 16
SCCA SPEED GT Manufacturers' Championship Presented by RACER Magazine
After 1 of 10 Rounds
Ps., Manufacturer, Points (Wins)
1, Dodge, 9 (1)
2, Cadillac, 7
3, Porsche, 3
4, Chevrolet, 2
SCCA SPEED Touring Car Drivers' Championship Standings
After 1 of 10 Rounds
Pos., Driver, Car, Points (Wins)
1, Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i, 37 (1)
2, Randy Pobst, Mazda 6, 30
3, Pierre Kleinubing, Acura TSX, 29
4, Jeff Altenburg, Mazda 6, 23
5, Peter Cunningham, Acura TSX, 22
Seth Thomas, BMW 325i, 22
7, Nick Esayian, Acura RSX, 19
8, James Clay, BMW 325i, 18
9, Brandon Davis, Acura TSX, 17
10, Chip Herr, Audi A4, 16
SCCA SPEED Touring Car Manufacturers' Championship Presented by RACER
Magazine
After 1 of 10 Rounds
Pos., Manufacturer, Points
1, BMW, 10
2, Mazda, 7
3, Acura, 5
4, Audi, 0
Storylines
THE MOST RELEVANT ROAD RACING IN THE WORLD
Entering its 17th consecutive year, SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World
Challenge has built its legacy around providing fans the most
competitive road racing in the world, and the series has earned
well-deserved praise the past few years from publications such as Car &
Driver and RACER Magazine for doing just that. But what really sets
SPEED World Challenge GT and Touring Car apart from all other series is
the "everyday" element it brings each event. World-class drivers
piloting production-based cars that come from more than 15 auto
manufacturers - it's a formula that has and will continue to serve the
interests of manufacturers, drivers and, most importantly, automotive
enthusiasts and race fans.
TO THE STREETS!
SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT and Touring Car take to the
streets for the first time, coming back to the Honda Grand Prix of St.
Petersburg for the second year in a row after rejoining the event last
season for the first time since 1997. Several drivers in both classes
have earned wins on temporary circuits at some point in their careers,
so the tight but fast curves and fenced-in surroundings should provide
the backdrop on a great weekend of racing.
GT
2004 Rookie of the Year Mike McCann got his 2006 campaign off to a
perfect start at Sebring, taking the season opener in his #82 Dodge
Viper. To keep his early-season success going, he'll have to battle off
several familiar names who turned in solid round-one performances as
well. Andy Pilgrim was his usual self in the #1 Cadillac CTS-V,
finishing second, and Lawson Aschenbach, who was expected to battle for
Rookie of the Year honors in GT, came out of the gates firing by placing
fifth overall, tops among SPEED GT rookies, in his #66 Porsche GT3. Lou
Gigliotti ran into some mechanical problems at Sebring after leading 14
laps in his Chevrolet Corvette C6 but is expected to come back strong
for St. Pete, and Leighton Reese, who didn't have the chance to turn a
single lap after earning the Sebring pole position in his Chevrolet
Corvette C6, should be back to form in the year's final Florida event as
well. Tommy Archer, last year's St. Pete winner, will be a force this
weekend as well in the #5 Dodge Viper. It will also be the first time
on a street course for the Aston Martin DB9, and all will be anxious to
see how the Autosport Designs Racing pilots Johnny Mowlem and Tom
Papadopoulos handle their new rides on a street course.
Touring Car
Bill Auberlen got off to his expected fast start this season in the #2
BMW 325i, not only taking the checkered flag at Sebring, but doing it
from the pole in flag-to-flag fashion from the pole and turning the
race's fast lap in the process. However, the 2003-04 SPEED TC Drivers'
Champion isn't expected to run at St. Pete, with Turner Motorsports
captain Will Turner piloting the #2 car instead. With Auberlen out, the
doors are wide open for 2005 St. Pete winner Randy Pobst to take a run
at back-to-back St. Pete wins in the #73 Mazda 6, or all-time World
Challenge wins leader Peter Cunningham (#1 Acura TSX) to get his 30th
win. Then there's always Pierre Kleinubing (#42 Acura TSX), Jeff
Altenburg (#72 Mazda 6), Charles Espenlaub (#97 Mazda 6), James Clay
(#36 BMW 325i) and Jim Osborn (#24 BMW 325Ci), who all finished in the
top 10 a year ago.
EXPERIENCE COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE IN GT
Last year, Porsche dominated the early part of the St. Petersburg
weekend, taking both the practice sessions and qualifying round in
convincing fashion. However, it was Archer who stepped to the front and
lead the way to the checkered flag, earning his second (and last)
victory in a row to start the year. Gigliotti was third, finishing just
ahead of Pilgrim.
This year, however, the faces representing Porsche have changed quite
dramatically as "Awesome" Lawson Aschenbach, the young gun who came on
to the SPEED GT scene part-time a year ago, has emerged as one of the
leaders, along with James Sofronas, in Porsche's hunt for the 2006
Manufacturers' Championship Presented by RACER Magazine.
This will be Aschenbach's first crack at the St. Pete streets, but he
posted his career-best third place at Denver, another street course, so
it may not take him long to be brought up to speed.
Team Cadillac comes into this weekend feeling that the information they
accumulated last year from St. Pete has them in position to make a
strong second-round run. Pilgrim, coming off his third-straight
runner-up finish at Sebring, is still looking for his first win since
joining Cadillac, and could do it considering his fourth-place showing a
year ago.
Bob Woodhouse (#13 Dodge Viper) ended his Sebring weekend on the podium,
somewhere he had never been previously. St. Pete is a much different
than Sebring is, so whether Woodhouse can follow up his best with
another podium run remains to be seen.
For the first time this year, Johnny O'Connell will pilot one of the
Cadillac CTS-Vs, taking the seat in the #16 ride that was held last
round by Max Angelelli.
Doug Peterson made an impressive 2006 debut, finishing one spot behind
Aschenbach in the #87 Chevrolet Corvette C6. As he resides in Florida,
Peterson has one more shot to show off in front of the home fans, so
look for him to put forth a strong effort.
O'Connell, along with Pilgrim, will attempt to put Cadillac atop the
Manufacturers' Championship standings, where Dodge currently sits on top
with nine points after McCann's win. Cadillac, with seven points, leads
Porsche (3) and Chevrolet (2), which looked to be in good shape in terms
of scoring points until both Reese and Gigliotti's rides broke during
the Sebring race.
ANYBODY'S GUESS IN SPEED TOURING CAR
With so many of the same faces back in SPEED Touring Car in 2006,
coupled with the REWARDS weight rules changes this season, every round
of this championship could ask the same question: Whose turn is it this
time?
Last round, it was Auberlen. This round, with Auberlen sitting out, it
could be Cunningham, who has been looking for win No. 30 since Sebring a
year ago. It could be Kleinubing, who reeled off three consecutive wins
in '05 after finishing third at St. Pete. Pobst won this event a year
ago, holding off a determined Chip Herr (who was later disqualified in
post-race tech for a non-compliant manifold).
Seth Thomas (#38 BMW 325i) literally jumped near the front of the pack
last round, putting together a somewhat surprising qualifying run that
put him second on the grid. After falling back a bit in the race to
finish sixth, Thomas is hungry to get another crack at the top spot.
His BimmerWorld teammate and principle Clay, had a solid run to finish
eighth after starting 15th, so BMW could have more than enough firepower
(counting Turner in the Turner Motorsports entry also) to maintain its
top spot in the SPEED Touring Car Manufacturers' Championship standings.
Pobst and Altenburg ran three-four at Sebring, a solid first outing of
the season. Now that the scene has shifted back to the site of Pobst's
first win of 2005, Mazda could get the boost it needs to leap past BMW.
Currently, Mazda is just three points shy of BMW's current 10 points.
That's not to leave out the third member of the Tri-Point Motorsports
lineup, Dino Crescentini (#74 Mazda 6), who lead the field after the St.
Pete practice a year ago.
Jon Prall (#11 BMW 325Ci) was making a fantastic sprint toward the top
10 at Sebring before a spin moved him back down the field a bit. Along
with his new teammate, rookie Justin Hall (#12 BMW 325Ci), the pair
could factor into the weekend's final top 10.
Another set of teammates are set for the St. Pete experience as
3R-Racing's Dan Aweida (#66 Dodge SRT-4) and rookie Robb Holland (#67
Ford Focus) continue to build seat time and develop their rides.
After suffering through five, yes five, transmission changes at Sebring,
the #06 Mercedes-Benz C230 Coupe driven by Canadian Kuno Wittmer is
healthy and ready to go for St. Pete.
If and when Wittmer makes his way to the middle and upper portions of
the field, he'll have to contend with Tindol Motorsports rookies Charlie
Putman, Mary Katharine and Charles Espenlaub, who leads the green and
white charge more often than not.
LOCAL DRIVERS
Many SPEED World Challenge drivers call Florida home including:
SPEED Touring Car - Lance Stewart (Coconut Grove), Michael Flynn
(Orlando), Pierre Kleinubing (Coconut Creek), Mark Hein (Clearwater),
Mary Katharine (Delray Beach), Charles Espenlaub (Lutz)
SPEED GT - Andy Pilgrim (Boca Raton), Ed Braswell (Key West), John
Bourassa (Jupiter Island), Doug Peterson (Bonita Springs)
-30-
Curt K.
_______________
Curtis Kitchen
Public Relations Manager
Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Inc.
ckitchen@scca.com
800-770-2055
