Pobst Fastest In Mosport SPEED Touring Car Practice
If this text has stange characters within, please use the MS Word file. We have to resort to webmail this weekend. For Immediate Release Pobst Fastest In Mosport SPEED Touring Car Practice CANADA (Sept. 1, 2006) – Randy Pobst, of Gainesville, Ga., was fastest in the opening practice session Friday for this weekend’s SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship Round Eight race, part of the Mobil 1 Presents Labour Day Weekend at Mosport International Raceway. Peter Cunningham, of Grafton, Wis., and Brandon Davis, of Denver, Colo., completed the top three. Driving his No. 73 Tri-Point Motorsports/Mazdaspeed Mazda 6, Pobst turned a fastest lap of 1:30.139 (98.208 mph) around the 2.459-mile (3.95-kilometer) course in the morning’s 20-minute practice session. “The car with new tires on was really different from the test day, which is exactly what happened last year, and the good news is that worked out well,�?? Pobst said. “[Crew Chief] Craig Nagler is smart. I had brand new tires on the car and I just basically went out and went for it and was trying to practice qualifying. “In SPEED World Challenge, starting position is critically important. We get a lot of points and track position. It’s difficult to pass when the top drivers are really close. That’s what we were after and I was quickest and we’re real happy about that. We also tried a little magic trick that’s top secret. It’s something I would have never thought of before and so far so good.�?? Cunningham led the session early in his No. 1 Acura Certified Pre-Owned/RealTime Racing Acura TSX, with a quick lap of 1:30.201 (98.141 mph), but was edged with just moments to go in the session. Defending polesitter Davis placed his No. 20 Acura Certified Pre-Owned/RealTime Racing Acura TSX in third, with a time of 1:30.478 (97.840 mph). Montreal’s Kuno Wittmer was fourth quickest in his No. 06 Autohaus Motorsports Mercedes-Benz C230 Coupe with a lap of 1:30.763 (97.533 mph), followed by Nick Esayian’s No. 34 Acura Certified Pre-Owned/RealTime Racing Acura RSX, with a 1:30.807 (97.468 mph). The second, and final, practice session for SPEED Touring Car is scheduled for Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. (EDT), with qualifying for Sunday’s race set for 11:50 a.m. To follow all SPEED World Challenge sessions, including Live Timing & Scoring Presented by SRT and live lap notes. Visit the SCCA Pit Board at www.world-challenge.com. -30- Attached: Image of Randy Pobst’s Mazda 6 today at Mosport International Raceway. Credit: © 2006 Mark Weber/SCCA. CANADA - Results from the first practice session for Sunday's SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship Round Eight race, part of the Labour Day Weekend at Mosport International Raceway, with position, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour. 1, (73), Randy Pobst, Gainesville, Ga., Mazda 6, 1:30.139, 98.208. 2, (1), Peter Cunningham, Grafton, Wis., Acura TSX, 1:30.201, 98.140. 3, (20), Brandon Davis, Denver, Colo., Acura TSX, 1:30.478, 97.840. 4, (06), Kuno Wittmer, Montreal, Canada, Mercedes-Benz C230, 1:30.763, 97.533. 5, (34), Nick Esayian, Encinitas, Calif., Acura RSX, 1:30.807, 97.485. 6, (67), Robb Holland(R), Denver, Colo., Dodge SRT-4, 1:30.861, 97.428. 7, (17), Chip Herr, Lititz, Pa., Audi A4, 1:31.170, 97.097. 8, (42), Pierre Kleinubing, Coconut Creek, Fla., Acura TSX, 1:31.294, 96.965. 9, (64), Andrew Wojteczko(R), Toronto, Ontario, Lexus IS300, 1:31.340, 96.917. 10, (72), Jeff Altenburg, Ellicott City, Md., Mazda 6, 1:31.466, 96.783. 11, (36), James Clay, Radford, Va., BMW 325i, 1:31.702, 96.534. 12, (38), Seth Thomas, Cumming, Ga., BMW 325i, 1:32.180, 96.033. 13, (25), Christian Miller(R), Newark, Calif., Volkswagen Jetta, 1:32.319, 95.889. 14, (13), Brian Smith(R), Simpsonville, S.C., Dodge SRT-4, 1:32.376, 95.830. 15, (18), Freddy Baker, Bedford, Ohio, Audi A4, 1:32.412, 95.792. 16, (21), Seth Neiman, Woodside, Calif., BMW 325Ci, 1:32.822, 95.369. 17, (96), Charlie Putman(R), Mills, Wyo., Mazda 6, 1:33.029, 95.157. 18, (16), Phil Parlato, Commack, N.Y., BMW 325i, 1:33.300, 94.881. 19, (99), Jeff Courtney(R), Slinger, Wis., Audi A4, 1:33.328, 94.852. 20, (60), Fred Pignataro, East Northport, N.Y., BMW 325, 1:33.620, 94.556. 21, (84), Jeff Nowicki, Brimingham, Mich., Ford Focus, 1:34.779, 93.400. 22, (94), Mary Katharine(R), Delray Beach, Fla., Mazda Protege, 1:37.699, 90.609. 23, (74), Dino Crescentini, Malibu, Calif., Mazda 6, 2:23.607, 61.643. 24, (11), Jon Prall, Los Gatos, Calif., BMW 325Ci, no time. 25, (43), Eric Curran, East Hampton, Mass., Acura RSX, no time. 26, (95), Henry Brosnaham, Apollo Beach, Fla., Mazda 6, no time. 27, (97), Charles Espenlaub, Lutz, Fla., Mazda 6, no time. Eric Prill SCCA Pro Racing eprill@earthlink.net