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SCCA: Reatime drivers dominate Sears Point World Challenge qualifying

23 July 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

SONOMA, Calif.--Peter Cunningham and Pierre Kleinubing got RealTime Racing back on track after being shut out of the pole at the most recent event, earning the top spot for this weekend's Speedvision World Challenge GT and Touring Car Round Four races, part of the Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sears Point Raceway.

Driving the No. 42 RealTime Racing BMW M3, Cunningham, of W. Bend, Wis., turned a fastest time in qualifying of 1:44.483 (86.827 mph)...0.032-second faster than second-place Bill Cooper's No. 01 Les Stanford/Pirate Racing Chevrolet Corvette C5. It was Cunningham's second pole of the season and the 13th of his career...tying him with Cooper for third on the all-time leaders' list.

"I have a $100 bet with Pierre [Kleinubing] for whoever gets more poles in the remainder of the season," said Cunningham, who own's the six-car RealTime Racing team. "After he went out and won the Touring pole, I knew what I had to do.

"This is a good track for the BMW against some of the heavier cars with more horsepower," he added. "Plus, I've got a new Hewland gearbox that will help matters as well."

Cooper, a former chief instructor at Sears Point, topped the charts for much of the session before Cunningham cut his fast lap. With under three minutes remaining, the Bozeman, Mt. driver made one last bid from pit lane, but was held up in traffic on his flying lap.

Michael Galati, of N. Olmstead, Ohio, was third in his Audi S4 Competition, followed by Bobby Archer's Dodge Viper GTS and John Heinricy's Corvette C5.

Driving the No. 42 BuySellorHold.com/RealTime Racing Acura Integra Type R, Kleinubing, who took the first two poles (and race wins) of the season, bounced back from a second-place effort at Lime Rock Park to take his 15th career pole (second all-time) with a lap of 1:49.864 (82.574 mph). The time shattered Paul Booher's 1996 track record of 1:52.409. Teammate Hugh Plumb was second in the session, after leading much of it with a lap of 1:50.083 (82.410 mph).

"My car had really high oil and water temperature yesterday, so the team changed the motor last night," said Kleinubing, who earned two points in qualifying to tie Neal Sapp for the championship lead. "It had really good power, and I think our mechanical problems are behind us."

Mike Fitzgerald's No. 12 TCKlineRacing.com/Pro Parts BMW 328Ci was third, followed by Steve Pfeffer's career-best fourth in a BMW 328is and Paul Alderman's BMW 328is.

The Speedvision Touring Cars take to the track Saturday afternoon for their race, with the Speedvision GT Championship race following the American Le Mans Series race on Sunday.

Text provided by Eric Prill

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.