Spoiler Alert - SRT Viper Cup presented by Penzoil Ultra season opener

David Pintaric

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http://www.drivesrt.com/news/2012/0...presented-by-penzoil-ultra-round-1-recap.html

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[h=1]Spoiler Alert - SRT Viper Cup presented by Penzoil Ultra season opener goes to Texan Ben Keating.[/h]Braselton, Georgia (Saturday, April 14, 2012) – Ben Keating looks ready to defend his SRT Viper Cup Series title based on Saturday’s performance in the season-opening race here at Road Atlanta. Keating qualified on the pole and led all 15 laps in the timed 25-minute race.

Joining him on the podium were David Pintaric (second) and David Mazyck (third).

“It was an exciting race,” said Keating. “I didn’t get the best start, but luckily the cars right behind me didn’t either. The second-place and third-place car got in some pretty good competition in the first couple of turns at the start and let me get a little bit of a gap. I ran hard the whole time until the last lap. I slowed down a little bit to make sure I didn’t mess up on the last lap. I had a great race, an exciting drive.”
Keating’s win does have a slight downside. For Sunday’s 40-minute race, the field will be inverted, a new rule for the series this season. Keating will start at the back of the field with his strongest challengers from Saturday’s race starting in front of him.

Keating said Road Atlanta accents the Viper aero package. “The ACR-X has so much aero and so many of the turns at this track are fast sweeping turns where you really get to use the aero,” he said. “The aero of this car is amazing. This is a great track for the Viper.”

The celebrity participants in the race were author Burt Levy and pro football player/wrestler/actor Bill Goldberg in SRT Viper ACR-X cars prepared by Lux Performance Group. Levy, the more experienced road racer of the two, finished eighth while Goldberg ran into a little trouble along the way and was involved in a mishap. He finished 12th. The damage was minimal and he will be ready to race Sunday.

“It’s a hell-of-a-car and it takes a hell-of-a-driver to reach the car’s potential,” said Goldberg. “I’m far short of that, but I’m learning. With Cindi Lux teaching me, I have the best teacher in the world. I’m extremely excited and honored to be here.”

Sunday’s race is a timed event – 40 minutes. The additional 15 minutes could prove to be the extra time needed for today’s leaders to make it to the front and challenge for the win.

“The inverted field, it’s going to be a blast,” said Keating. “I came up through club racing and the Viper Racing League; that’s the way we use to do it. I’m looking forward to it. I enjoy the invert-the-field part of it. The two guys behind me today are going to be hard to pass tomorrow. The extra 15 minutes will be important. I hope within a 40-minute timeline, I’ll be able to show up at the front again.”

While Keating was excited about opening the season with a win, the owner of four Chrysler dealerships in Texas also touted his website – viperexchange.com – for selling cars. “Last year, we were the Number 1 volume Viper dealer in the nation, in the world I guess,” said Keating. “I’m looking forward to the new car and hoping to maintain my title on the sales front too.”

Race Results SRT Viper Cup Series Road Atlanta Saturday, April 14, 2012
2David Pintaric
3David Maczyk
4Jim Booth
5Todd Nelson
6Kurt Sollbeger
7Marc Montour
8Trevor Nelson
9David Decker
10Eric Galerne
11Louis-Philippe Montour

PositionDriver
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Ben Keating[/TD]

Points Standing (After 1 of 10 events)
2David Pintaric59
3David Maczyk48
4Jim Booth39
5Todd Nelson32
6Kurt Sollbeger30
7Marc Montour28
8Trevor Nelson26
9David Decker24
10Eric Galerne22
11Louis-Philippe Montour2

PositionDriverPoints
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Ben Keating[/TD]
[TD]74[/TD]
 

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