Rich Wesorick
Enthusiast
MEDIA ADVISORY
SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Championships
SCCA SPEED Touring Car Round One
56th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida
Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Fla.
Contact: Eric Prill, VP Marketing & Communications, (785) 250-7920, [email protected]
Erin Cechal PR Manager, (785) 608-9522, [email protected]
Sebring International Raceway
17-turn, 3.7-mile road course
Qualifying: SPEED Touring Car: Thursday, March 13, 11:25 a.m. (EDT)
SPEED GT: Thursday, March 13, 11:50 a.m. (EDT)
Green Light: SPEED Touring Car: Friday, March 14, 11:05 a.m. (EDT)
(standing start) SPEED GT: Friday, March 14, 4:40 p.m. (EDT)
Race Length: SPEED Touring Car: 18 laps or 50 minutes (whichever comes first)
SPEED GT: 20 laps or 50 minutes (whichever comes first)
Television: SPEED Touring Car: Friday, March 21, 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
(on SPEED) SPEED GT: Friday, March 21, 1:00 p.m. (EDT)
Media Notes: Results are available on the AP SportsWire, via e-mail and on the Internet (www.world-challenge.com).
Timing/Scoring: Live Timing & Scoring and lap notes via the SCCA® Pit Board are available for all sessions through www.world-challenge.com.
TRACK RECORDS:
Touring Car: Qualifying Lap: 2:19.040 (95.799 mph), Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i, 2006
Race Lap: 2:20.562 (94.762 mph), Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i, 2006
Average Speed: 93.606, Bill Auberlen, 2006
Closest Margin of Victory: 0.604-second, Pierre Kleinubing over Ken Dobson, 2002
GT: Qualifying Lap: 2:07.679 (104.324 mph), Doug Peterson, Chevrolet Corvette, 2007
Race Lap: 2:10.249 (102.265 mph), Andy Pilgrim, Cadillac CTS-V, 2004
Average Speed: 100.406 mph, Michael McCann, 2006
Closest Margin of Victory: 0.358-second, Max Angelelli over Andy Pilgrim, 2004
FORMER WINNERS
Touring Car: 2001: Pierre Kleinubing, Acura Integra R
2002: Pierre Kleinubing, Acura Integra R
2003: Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i
2004: Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i
2005: Peter Cunningham, Acura TSX
2006: Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i
2007: Jeff Altenburg, MAZDA6
GT: 2001: Peter Cunningham, Acura NSX
2002: Michael Galati, Audi S4
2003: Phil McClure, Chevrolet Corvette
2004: Max Angelelli, Cadillac CTS-V
2005: Tommy Archer, Dodge Viper
2006: Michael McCann, Dodge Viper
2007: Eric Curran, Chevrolet Corvette
POLE WINNERS
Touring Car: 2001: Pierre Kleinubing, Acura Integra R
2002: Pierre Kleinubing, Acura Integra R
2003: Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i
2004: Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i
2005: None – Grids based on practice times (rain).
2006: Bill Auberlen, BMW 325i
2007: Jeff Altenburg, MAZDA6
GT: 2001: Johannes Van Overbeek, Porsche 911 Cup
2002: Michael Galati, Audi S4
2003: Phil McClure, Chevrolet Corvette
2004: Max Angelelli, Cadillac CTS-V
2005: None – Grids based on practice times (rain).
2006: Leighton Reese, Chevrolet Corvette
2007: Doug Peterson, Chevrolet Corvette
THE MOST RELEVANT ROAD RACING IN THE WORLD
Now in its 19th consecutive year, SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge has built its legacy around providing fans the most competitive road racing in the world, and the series has earned well-deserved praise the past few years from publications such as Car & Driver and RACER Magazine for doing just that. But what really sets SPEED World Challenge GT and Touring Car apart from all other series is the “everyday” element it brings each event. World-class drivers piloting production-based cars that come from more than 15 auto manufacturers – it’s a formula that has and will continue to serve the interests of manufacturers, drivers and, most importantly, automotive enthusiasts and race fans.
Drivers – Start Your Engines
Just as a Sebring season opener has become a tradition in SPEED World Challenge, so has a week full of surprises. It’s that time of the year when all the teams show their cards and we get a first glimpse at the year’s potential Champions. The first race gives all the drivers a clean slate when they hit the track, and with nothing to lose, expect some serious racing action. But quite possibly the best part of the season opener at Sebring is reminding yourself there’s a whole season ahead.
SPEED GT – Pobst Returns to Defend
In marked contrast to the off season preceding last year’s SPEED GT opener at Sebring, many of the key players in the Championship have stayed put with cars and teams. Considering how close the Championship was in 2007, this can only be good news for 2008.
Defending Champion Randy Pobst returns with K-PAX Racing, now piloting the No. 1 Porsche 911 GT3. Last year was the team’s debut season and while the Pobst-Porsche combo was fast right out of the box, it took a handful of Rounds for it to reach Championship form. If Pobst picks up this weekend where he left off in 2007, expect to see him up front. Michael Galati is also back in the No. 23 K-PAX Racing Porsche 911 GT3. Galati still has more World Challenge Championships than any other driver, five, and finished fourth in last year’s standings. It seemed Galati was always two steps behind Pobst in 2007, but this year the two are likely to be each other’s biggest competition. Hopefully, the in-team rivalry will be a performance booster rather than a distraction.
Defending Manufacturers’ Champion Cadillac is also back, but the former factory squad has been reborn as Team Remington Cadillac. Former Sebring race winner Michael McCann (No. 16 Remington Shaving Cadillac CTS-V) and 2005 SPEED GT Champion Andy Pilgrim have been retained by the team, now sponsored by Remington Shaving and Grooming. Pilgrim finished runner-up to Pobst in last year’s Championship by a slim 16 points. All eyes will be on the team this weekend to see how the new ownership affects the on-track performance.
Following his convincing win at Sebring last year and his follow-up victory at Long Beach in the next Round, Eric Curran seemed poised to take his first ever World Challenge Championship in the No. 30 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Corvette. Curran had a total of four wins in 2007, double that of Pobst or Pilgrim, but in between those stellar highs were some deep lows, including five DNFs. Rest assured, the disappointing, but promising, 2007 season has motivated Curran to settle for nothing less than the Championship in 2008. Sonny Whelen will once again man the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Corvette and, with the guidance of his quick teammate, could post some career-high performances this season.
Jeff Courtney continues to pilot the No. 99 Kenda/JG Wheels Dodge Viper for the Woodhouse Performance squad. Last year was Courtney’s first in SPEED GT after winning the SPEED Touring Car Rookie of the Year Award in 2006. Once Courtney got a grip on his new ride, he showed steady progress throughout 2007 and ended the year the highest placed Viper pilot in points. A breakthrough podium finish could be in the cards this season. Another Dodge Viper pilot to watch is Jason Daskalos (No. 05 Daskalos Development & Investments). The 2006 Viper Racing League Champion is now in his sophomore season of SPEED GT and gets faster with each race.
Last year Tomy Drissi surprised even himself with a career-high third-place finish at Sebring. Unfortunately, off-track commitments quickly curtailed Drissi’s season and the former Trans-Am race winner only participated in four rounds of the 2007 season. Re-enlisting the help of Unitech Racing, the team that Drissi won with in Trans-Am, the No. 15 Unitech Racing, Inc. Chevrolet Corvette driver hopes to make a bigger impression on the Championship this year. Another former Trans-Am racer, Joey Scarallo enters the fray with his former Trans-Am team as well. Scarallo will pilot the No. 06 Group-A Wheels Chevrolet Corvette for Tony Ave Racing.
In addition to several new teams joining SPEED GT in 2008, a regular entrant has expanded significantly. James Sofronas’ GMG Racing team goes from one to three cars this season. Dino Crescentini (No. 4 Centric Parts/StopTech Porsche 911 GT3) and rookie Sean Allen (No. 24 GMG/BMC Group Porsche 911 GT3) join series veteran Sofronas (No. 14 Global Motorsports Group) behind the wheel.
Other returning drivers to watch include: Tony Gaples (Chevrolet Corvette), Tim McKenzie (Porsche 911 GT3), 2007 SPEED GT Rookie of the Year Brian Kubinski (Chevrolet Corvette) and the new Ford Mustang Cobras driven by the father and son Mike and Brandon Davis.
SPEED Touring Car – Tri-Point’s Trifecta
Last season was a banner year for Mazda and Tri-Point Motorsports. Drivers Jeff Altenburg (No. 1 Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6) and Randy Pobst finished one-two in the Drivers’ Championship, with Altenburg taking his first-ever series Championship. The team’s strong performance also propelled Mazda to its first SPEED World Challenge Manufacturers’ Championship Presented by RACER Magazine a round early at Road Atlanta. Finishing every race in the top 10, Altenburg and the Tri-Point squad were a model of consistency last year, and there’s no reason to doubt they could put on a repeat performance this year.
With Pobst keeping his focus on SPEED GT, Altenburg is joined this season by Charles Espenlaub (No. 73 Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6) and Jason Saini (No. 74 Mazdaspeed/Stoptech /Racinghart MAZDA 6). Espenlaub has been racing Mazdas since his 1999 World Challenge debut, but perhaps his arrival at Tri-Point will be the key to unlock his first series win since 2005. Saini is also no stranger to racing Mazdas. The rookie spent the last two years competing in the SCCA ******* Mazda MX-5 Cup and captured the Championship last year by winning an impressive five of eight races. He’ll be tough to beat for Rookie of the Year honors, which could give Tri-Point the opportunity to sweep the Rookie, Driver and Manufacturers’ Championship.
Four-time Champion Pierre Kleinubing endured his first-ever winless season in World Challenge last year. The No. 43 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX driver finished on the podium five times, but ended the season a frustrating fourth-place in the Championship. Perhaps some of Kleinubing’s magic was picked up by team owner Peter Cunningham who scored two wins in 2007, ending a 25-race winless streak. Both of them will need to look out for teammate Kuno Wittmer (No. 44 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX) who was impressive in his first season with the team last year, finishing third in the points.
Former RealTime driver Nick Esayian (No. 34 BimmerWorld BMW 325i) joins James Clay (No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW 325i) and Seth Thomas (No. 38 BimmerWorld BMW 325i) at BimmerWorld this season. The team nearly escaped their hard-luck reputation last year, putting in outstanding qualifying performances and capturing their first win at Mid-Ohio with Joey Hand, which was also the first North American win for the E90 chassis the team has been developing in house. Could the addition of a third car for the full season help take the team to the next level this year?
Tindol Motorsports has filled the car previously occupied by Espenlaub with multi-race winner Chip Herr (No. 97 Tindol Motorsports MAZDA6), whose World Challenge career began in a Mazda Protégé. Herr joins Charlie Putman (No. 96 Mazda North America/Tindol MAZDA6) and Michael Galati (No. 95 Mazda North America/Tindol MAZDA6), who scored a win for the Tindol at Road Atlanta last year, clinching the Manufacturers’ Title for Mazda.
A new Mazda team joins SPEED Touring Car this season. Horton Motorsports will run Patrick Lindsey in the No. 57 Horton Motorsports/Sloan Securities MAZDA6. Lindsey made his race debut at last year’s season finale, finishing 12th, and will try to give Saini a run for his money in the Rookie of the Year contest.
Last year at Sebring, Jim Osborn (No. 24 Chili Pepper Racing/AHFPC Volkswagen Jetta TDI) made history with the world’s first professional biodiesel road racing effort. It was a short race for Osborn, whose team was still working the bugs out of the car, but after three more appearances, the car was making noticeable progress. Hard work in the off season could help Osborn begin to set more records with his unique ride.
The No. 8 GoodHill/Torrington Sply/Litco BMW 325i of Jason Martinelli returns to the SPEED Touring Car grid as well. Martinelli earned his first top-10 finishes last year at Lime Rock Park and Toronto and has shown the speed to finish even higher. The BMW 330i makes its first appearance in SPEED Touring Car this year piloted by rookie Byron Smith (No. 52 Competition Associates/Smith West).
Florida Drivers
Several SPEED World Challenge drivers can squeeze their own orange juice, including SPEED GT: Andy Pilgrim (Boca Raton) and John Bourassa (Jupiter Island), Lee Saunders (Lakeland) and SPEED Touring Car: Glenn Bocchino (Delray Beach), Pierre Kleinubing (Coconut Creek) and Charles Espenlaub (Lutz).
Event Entry lists
SCCA SPEED GT Championship
No., Driver / Hometown, Sponsors Car
1, Randy Pobst/ Gainesville, GA, K-PAX Racing Porsche 911 GT3
4, Dino Crescentini/ Manhattan Beach, CA, Centric Parts/StopTech Porsche 911 GT3
8, Andy Pilgrim/ Boca Raton, FL, Remington Shaving/Cadillac Cadillac CTS-V
9, Gunter Schaldach (R)/ Aspen, CO, Valaya Racing Dodge Viper
10, Brandon Davis/ Huntington Beach, CA, ACS/Sun Microsystems Ford Mustang Cobra
11, Mike Davis/ Huntington Beach, CA, ACS/Sun Microsystems Ford Mustang Cobra
12, Brian Kubinski/ Plainfield, IL, Diamond Construction/CRP Chevrolet Corvette
13, Tommy Archer/ Duluth, MN, Woodhouse Performance Dodge Viper
14, James Sofronas/ Newport Beach, CA, Global Motorsports Group Porsche 911 GT3
15, Tomy Drissi/ Hollywood, CA, Unitech Racing Inc Chevrolet Corvette
16, Michael McCann/ Canton, OH, Remington Shaving/Cadillac Cadillac CTS-V
23, Michael Galati/ Olmstead, OH, K-PAX Racing Porsche 911 GT3
24, Sean Allen (R)/ Manhattan Beach, CA, GMG/BMC Group Porsche 911 GT3
29, Eric Olberz/ La Canada, CA, 911 Design Porsche 911 GT3
30, Eric Curran/ East Hampton, MA, Whelen Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette
31, Sonny Whelen/ Old Saybrook, CT, Whelen Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette
34, Tony Gaples/ Libertyville, IL, Kleinschmidt Inc/Blackdog Rcg Chevrolet Corvette
44, Lee Saunders/ Lakeland, FL, Mid-Florida Racing Dodge Viper
56, Ritch Marziale/ Tempe, AZ, All-Cut Concrete Cutting Dodge Viper
66, Tim McKenzie/ Madison, WI, TR Racing Porsche 911 GT3
76, John Bourassa/ Jupiter Island, FL, THR/Indeco/Hillview Vineyards Porsche 911 Turbo
96, Paul Brown/ Covina, CA, K&N Filters/ERP/JRZ/Tiger Rcg Porsche 911 GT3
99, Jeff Courtney/ Slinger, WI, KENDA/JG Wheels Dodge Viper
01, Jeff Altenburg/ Ellicott City, MD, DRC Dodge Viper
02, Robb Holland/ Denver, CO, DRC Porsche 911 GT3
05, Jason Daskalos/ Albuquerque, NM, Daskalos Dvlpmnt&Investments Dodge Viper
06, Joey Scarallo/ Smithtown, NY, Group-A Wheels Chevrolet Corvette
SCCA SPEED Touring Car Championship
No., Driver / Hometown, Sponsors Car
1, Jeff Altenburg/ Ellicott City, MD, Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6
8, Jason Martinelli/ Roxbury, CT, GoodHill/Torrington Sply/Litco BMW 325i
24, Jim Osborn/ Ooltewah, TN, Chili Pepper Racing/AHFPC VW Jetta TDI
34, Nick Esayian/ San Diego, CA, BimmerWorld BMW 325i
36, James Clay/ Blacksburg, VA, BimmerWorld BMW 325i
38, Seth Thomas/ *******, GA, BimmerWorld BMW 325i
42, Peter Cunningham/ Grafton, WI, Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX
43, Pierre Kleinubing/ Coconut Creek, FL, Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX
44, Kuno Wittmer, Montreal, Que., Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX
45, Glenn Bocchino, Delray Beach. FL, Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura RSX
46, TBA, Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX
52, Byron Smith (R)/ Salt Lake City, UT, Competition Assoc/Smith West BMW 330i
57, Patrick Lindsey (R)/ Santa Barbara, CA, Horton Mtspts/Sloan Securities MAZDA6
73, Charles Espenlaub/ Lutz, FL, Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6
74, Jason Saini (R)/ Fort Worth, TX, Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6
95, Michael Galati/ Olmsted, OH, Mazda North America/Tindol MAZDA6
96, Charlie Putman/ Mills, WY, Pesco/Tindol Motorsports MAZDA6
97, Chip Herr/ Lititz, PA, Tindol Motorsports MAZDA6
Erin Cechal
SCCA Public Relations Manager
800/770-2055 ext. 354
[email protected]
SCCA Sports Car Club of America
