Galati, Acura Break Elusive Touring Car Championship Records with Mid-Ohio Win
6 June 1999
LEXINGTON, Ohio - Michael Galati, of Olmstead Township, Ohio, became the first driver in the history of the World Challenge Touring Car class to win three consecutive races with his 0.843-second win over Hugh Plumb at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, while Pierre Kleinubing finished third."Early on Pierre was quick - the two of us were able to open up some daylight over the rest of the field," said Galati. "I felt that I had more power than he did. We were side by side for a good lap or so. He gave me enough room so when we came up on a right-hander I was on the right and passed. I was disappointed to see a full course yellow, but I got a good restart and kept my head down and drove hard. I missed a shift coming out of the Keyhole and Hugh caught up with me. I had bad oversteer and really had to drive hard."
Galati, in the No. 19 Galati Racing Acura Integra R, started the 26-lap, 46.5-mile race on the tail of the No. 42 RealTime Racing Integra R of Kleinubing, before working his way past on the entrance to the carousel on lap three to take a lead he would never relinquish to become the first driver in the history of the Touring Car Championship to win three-consecutive races (Mosport, Lime Rock).
"I was trying really hard. I thought that I had the speed in the corners - but I tried too hard," said Kleinubing. "I got big oversteer and then I overcorrected. I went into the grass and got airborne for a little while."
On lap six, Taz Harvey found himself upside-down at the end of the front straight, bunching the field for the 49:37.160 race's only full course caution, resulting in no injuries. On the restart, Plumb, who's No. 43 RealTime Racing Acura Integra R was in fourth position, passed Kleinubing and Charlie Downes for second and challenged Galati for the lead on several occasions.
"On the restart I knew that Charlie (Downes) was right on Michael's bumper, so I decided to get on it right away and to try to take advantage of his being blocked," said Plumb. "I got lucky and went right by him. I thought that I had more speed through turn one and I tried to get a run on Michael. But the turn wasn't big enough. I went up on the curbing at turn eight and skipped a gear and that was that."
Galati's victory also gave Acura its ninth-consecutive World Challenge win dating back to the 1998, breaking the all-time World Challenge record for consecutive class victories by a marque. Chevrolet (Corvette) and Eagle (Talon) each scored eight-consecutive wins in their respective classes in 1992.
A strong BMW contingent, led by Downes (No. 64 Peppased Racing BMW 328is), Alfred duPont (No. 51 European Racing Technologies BMW 328is) and Will Turner (No. 92 Turner Motorsports BMW 328is) challenged the Integras early, but all spun and continued at the entrance to turn five on lap 11, leaving only Acuras to battle for the win.
Kristian Skavnes, in the No. 88 Dublin Honda/DC Sports Acura Integra R finished fourth, followed by duPont, who recovered from his spin to finish fifth.
With three rounds complete in the 1999 Touring Car Championship, Galati leads the Drivers' Championship standings with 99 points, followed by Kleinubing (86), Plumb (80), duPont (63) and Brian Wade (54).
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