Kleinubing Breaks Streak, Sets SPEED Touring Car Qualifying Record at Mid-Ohio
LEXINGTON, Ohio (May 20, 2006) - After Friday's practice, SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car standout Pierre Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., said he wanted to end his pole-less streak, which had grown to 13 races. On Saturday, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Kleinubing stamped out that streak in style by setting a new SPEED Touring Car qualifying record in his No. 42 Acura Certified Pre-Owned RealTime Acura TSX, in advance of Sunday's race, part of the SPEED World Challenge Presented by Trenton Forging Quality Formed Solutions weekend. Chip Herr, of Lititz, Pa., will start on the front row alongside Kleinubing, driving the No. 17 STaSIS/QVALE Audi A4. Kleinubing turned the fast time of 1:33.231 (87.189 mph) on his third lap of the 18-minutes session, which was interrupted by a red flag near the midway point of the session. The stoppage came as the No. 6 Circuit City/Kicker/Eclipse Mazda 6, driven by Lance Stewart, of Coconut Grove, Fla., was pulled from the gravel at Turn Seven of the 13-turn, 2.258-mile track. The pole, which was the 27th of his career and put him just two behind teammate Peter Cunningham for SPEED World Challenge pole positions all-time, was a long time coming, Kleinubing said. "It has been a while, I almost forgot what it feels like," Kleinubing said. "It feels good to be back on the front row." Starting up front, he continued, would be important because of who will line up on his right in Sunday's Round Three race. "I just know I'm going to be in second by the time we get to Turn Two because the Audi is going to launch so well," Kleinubing said. "But, I've got a great car, and hopefully it will be as good on the last lap as it will be on the first lap. Hopefully, [Chip] will burn his car down trying to work hard at it." Herr's time of 1:33.397 (87.035 mph) was also faster than the previous qualifying mark of 1:33.463, set here a year ago by Randy Pobst, of Gainesville, Ga. Herr's time also came on his third lap. Reigning SPEED Touring Car Drivers' Champion Peter Cunningham, of Grafton, Wis., will start third in his No. 1 Acura Certified Pre-Owned/RealTime Acura TSX, next to Pobst, in his No. 73 Mazdaspeed/Tri-Point Motorsports Mazda 6. Charles Espenlaub, of Lutz, Fla., will start fifth in his No. 97 Sparco/Oakley/Tindol Motorsports Mazda 6. The SPEED Touring Car race, part of the SPEED World Challenge Presented by Trenton Forging Quality Formed Solutions weekend, is scheduled for Sunday at 3:15 p.m. (EDT). The race will be broadcast via tape-delay on SPEED Channel Saturday, May 27, at 8 p.m. (EDT). To follow race action via real-time lap notes and Live Timing and Scoring presented by SRT, visit www.world-challenge.com <http://www.world-challenge.com/> , click on the Mid-Ohio event page and select the SCCA Pit Board. -30- LEXINGTON, Ohio - Starting lineup for Sunday's SCCA Pro Racing SPEED WORLD CHALLENGE Touring Car race, part of the Speed WC Presented by Trenton Forging Quality Formed Solutions at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with position, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour. 1,(42), Pierre Kleinubing, Coconut Creek, Fla., Acura TSX, 1:33.231, 87.189. 2,(17), Chip Herr, Lititz, Pa., Audi A4, 1:33.397, 87.035. 3,(1), Peter Cunningham, Grafton, Wis., Acura TSX, 1:33.560, 86.883. 4,(73), Randy Pobst, Gainesville, Ga., Mazda 6, 1:33.575, 86.869. 5,(97), Charles Espenlaub, Lutz, Fla., Mazda 6, 1:33.609, 86.837. 6,(72), Jeff Altenburg, Ellicott City, Md., Mazda 6, 1:33.854, 86.611. 7,(20), Brandon Davis, Denver, Colo., Acura TSX, 1:34.029, 86.450. 8,(99), Jeff Courtney(R), Slinger, Wis., Audi A4, 1:34.063, 86.418. 9,(18), Freddy Baker, Bedford, Ohio, Audi A4, 1:34.153, 86.336. 10,(43), Eric Curran, East Hampton, Mass., Acura RSX, 1:34.168, 86.322. 11,(36), James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., BMW 325i, 1:34.545, 85.978. 12,(96), Charlie Putman(R), Mills, Wyo., Mazda 6, 1:34.627, 85.903. 13,(13), Brian Smith(R), Simpsonville, S.C., Dodge SRT-4, 1:34.652, 85.881. 14,(34), Nick Esayian, Encinitas, Calif., Acura RSX, 1:34.711, 85.827. 15,(38), Seth Thomas, Cumming, Ga., BMW 325i, 1:34.922, 85.636. 16,(74), Dino Crescentini, Malibu, Calif., Mazda 6, 1:34.979, 85.585. 17,(25), Christian Miller(R), Newark, Calif., Volkswagen Jetta, 1:35.134, 85.445. 18,(06), Kuno Wittmer, Montreal QB, , Mercedes-Benz C230, 1:35.135, 85.444. 19,(24), Jim Osborn, Ooltewah, Tenn., BMW 325Ci, 1:35.506, 85.113. 20,(21), Seth Neiman, Woodside, Calif., BMW 325Ci, 1:36.063, 84.619. 21,(11), Jon Prall, Los Gatos, Calif., BMW 325Ci, 1:36.415, 84.310. 22,(29), Walter Swick, Mentor, Ohio, BMW 325Ci, 1:36.627, 84.125. 23,(39), David Scott, Austin, Texas, BMW 325i, 1:36.654, 84.102. 24,(64), Andrew Wojteczko(R), Toronto, Ontario, Lexus IS300, 1:36.833, 83.946. 25,(2), Lucho deCastro(R), Stone Mountain, Ga., BMW 325i, 1:37.192, 83.636. 26,(16), Phil Parlato, Commack, N.Y., BMW 325i, 1:37.290, 83.552. 27,(60), Fred Pignataro, East Northport, N.Y., BMW 325, 1:37.974, 82.969. 28,(66), Dan Aweida(R), Boulder, Colo., Dodge SRT-4, 1:38.042, 82.911. 29,(67), Robb Holland(R), Denver, Colo., Ford Focus, 1:38.678, 82.377. 30,(94), Mary Katharine(R), Delray Beach, Fla., Mazda Protege, 1:39.048, 82.069. 31,(35), Hal Brown(R), Blacksburg, Va., Dodge SRT4, 1:39.640, 81.581. 32,(14), Billy Revis(R), Clemmons, N.C., BMW 325i, 1:39.903, 81.367. 33,(6), Lance Stewart, Coconut Grove, Fla., Mazda 6, 10:38.403, 12.733. 34,(12), Justin Hall(R), Davis, Calif., BMW 325Ci, 12:00.145, 11.287. 35,(83), Karl Poeltl(R), Knoxville, Tenn., BMW 325i, 12:16.815, 11.032.