Re: Tommy Archer finishes 4th behind 3 Caddys at Road Atlanta WCGT race
Immediate Release
April 17, 2005
3R Racing Finishes Fourth, Eighth and Twelfth at Road Atlanta
Braselton, Georgia - Under near perfect weather conditions of 70-degress and sunny, 3R Racing drivers finished today's round three of the SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge GT series race in fourth, eighth and twelfth.
Following the teams second straight victory at St. Petersburg, the SCCA added an additional 100 pounds to the Vipers base weight and an additional 5% air restriction. The car now runs with a minimum weight for the Viper is now 3,300 lbs. and is required to run a 50% air restrictor.
In addition to the 100 lbs. SCCA has mandated, Tommy Archer had an additional 150 lbs., 75 for his win at Sebring and 75 for the victory at St. Petersburg. Going away from the sixth place grid position, the Duluth, Minnesota resident driving the number 1/c3controls/3R Viper finished is fourth place. "The weight of the car really shows here, with just one yellow we were really working the tires. With ten laps to go the shifter was getting a little stiff and the tires were going away. Angelelli was wounded in front of me, but I just couldn't catch him. Fourth is not bad considering our weight handicap, once again the top guys at the front helped us a lot with their mistakes."
Phil McClure, driving the number 2/FirstTier Bank/3R Viper, started from the fifth row and was quickly shuffled back to eighteenth at the start. "I had a good launch, but came up along side a Corvette who then turned toward me and I had to go to the grass to avoid contact and that put me back a few positions. I had to really charge and use up the car to make the positions back up. The car was good, but the weight shows itself on the straight and out of the corners. Starting eleventh and finishing eighth is all we had today."
Tim Wiens started from the eighth row and brought the number 3/FirstTier Bank/3R Viper home in twelfth. "It is amazing how these cars become sluggish with the added weight. You just watch people go by down the straight. After the caution period I was pretty much running around by myself. I just wanted to set good consistent laps. The car behaved and drove well; we just cannot compete at the front like we should be. We will regroup and be ready for Mid-Ohio next month."
Round four of the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge GT series will be run on May 21st.
Speed GT Top 10 Road Atlanta Finishers:
1. Max Papis Cadillac
2. Andy Pilgrim Cadillac
3. Max Angelelli Cadillac
4. Tommy Archer 3R Viper
5. Leighton Reese Corvette
6. James Sofronas Porsche
7. Mike McCann Viper
8. Phil McClure 3R Viper
9. Rob Foster Viper
10. Tony Gaples Corvette
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12. Tim Wiens 3R Viper
3R Racing would like to thank sponsors c3controls, Sirius Satellite Radio, FirsTier Bank and partners Red Line Oil, Performance Friction brake pads, Ron Davis radiators and Dodge Motorsport.
