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USRRC: Kitchak Scores GT Championship Pole at Mid-Ohio

6 June 1999

LEXINGTON, Ohio - Peter Kitchak, of Excelsior, Minn., found the extra speed he needed in the waning moments of the GT Championship qualifying session to score the pole for Sunday's 28-lap, 63.0-mile race, part of the U.S. Road Racing Classic weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

"I was lucky to finally get a clean lap at the end," said Kitchak. "This track is really suited for the Porsche. Our car is a little worn and torn after the last couple of races, but our crew has been working tirelessly over the lastweek to get ready. I thought Pete (Halsmer) was going to do one better at theend, but the time held, and I'm sure Bobby (Archer) has more in his car, too."

Kitchak, in the No. 3 Keewaydin/Toad Hall Motor Racing Porsche 911 RSR, posted a fast lap time of 1:34.018 (86.153 mph), 0.79-second ahead of outside pole-sitter Bill Cooper, in the No. 75 Les Stanford Chevrolet Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1.

Starting third will be Ohio-native David Schardt, in the No. 94 Hikari Racing/Toyota Racing Development Toyota Supra Turbo, followed by Pete Halsmer, in the No. 66 Honda of America Racing Team Acura NSX and George Biskup, in the No. 22 Biskup Racing Porsche RSR.

Bobby Archer, who won the first two rounds of the 1999 GT Championship in the No. 32 Viper Speed Dodge Viper, qualified seventh.

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