World Challenge: Kleinubing Takes San Diego Touring Car Pole
5 November 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
SAN DIEGO, Calif.--Brazilian Pierre Kleinubing helped his
World
Challenge Touring Car Championship cause today, earning the pole position
for Sunday's 2000 season finale at the San Diego Grand Prix. Teammate Hugh
Plumb, of Chadds Ford, Pa., and Neal Sapp, of Elicott City, Md., completed
the top-three. The pole means Kleinubing has to finish only 12th or better
to clinch his second Speedvision Touring Car Drivers' Championship.
Driving the No. 42 BuySellorHold.com/RealTime Racing Acura Integra R, Kleinubing battled with Plumb for the entire 15-minute session, nipping him at the end by 0.075-second in the end with a lap of 1:19.436 (74.777 mph) around the 1.65-mile Naval Training Center street circuit. It was Kleinubing's fifth pole of the season, but first in five races.
"I think everyone has finally caught up to me in the weight that the series gives you when you win," said Kleinubing. "This is a good place to be for the race, because it's a tough place to pass, and I don't want to worry about passing anyone. This track suits the Acura well. It's the smoothest street circuit I've ever been on."
Plumb, who won the most recent race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, will start second in the No. 43 BuySellorHold.com/RealTime Racing Acura Integra R after turning a lap of 1:19.481 (74.777 mph). Sapp, already crowned Rookie of the Year, sits second in the Championship, 18 points behind Kleinubing. His lap of 1:19.799 (74.437 mph) in the No. 2 WebSite.ws/TCKlineRacing.com BMW 328Ci was good enough for third.
Text Provided By Eric Prill
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