Seth Thomas, of Cumming, Ga., took his second SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car win of the season in the Toyo Tires Watkins Glen Grand Prix Presented by Lala Motorsports. Charles Espenlaub, of Lutz, Fla., and Andrew Aquilante, of Phoenixville, Pa., completed the Round Five podium during the Camping World Grand Prix Weekend at Watkins Glen International. Starting from his first-ever World Challenge pole position, Thomas successfully defended his lead on the standing start as the field charged into Turn One. Thomas’ teammate, third-starting Nick Esayian, of San Diego, Calif., was able to slot into second. Seeing a friendly car in his rear-view mirror was a relief for Thomas, but the feeling was short-lived, as the No. 73 MAZDASPEED/Stoptech/ProParts MAZDA6 of Espenlaub was around Esayian in Turn Eight. ” The BimmerWorld/GearWrench BMW always gets the holeshot, ” Thomas said. ” It’s a great rear-wheel drive platform to get going at the start. When I saw Charles coming, I knew how fast Nick’s been all weekend and I knew how fast Charles’ been this weekend, so for him to get by Nick as early as he did, I was concerned. I’ve raced with him year after year and every time we do, it’s clean, fun racing, but I was definitely worried to see him coming up behind me. ” The gap between Thomas’ No. 38 BimmerWorld/GearWrench BMW 328i and Espenlaub ebbed and flowed throughout the 20-lap, 68-mile race as the pair pulled away from the rest of the field. ” We got a little bit of a gap on the rest of the field, so I was thinking I could save my tires, ” Espenlaub recalled. ” Then Seth would start creeping away, so I’d try a little harder, and then he’d gap me again. It was like we were qualifying the whole time. It was crazy. ” Thomas finally got some breathing room on the last two laps, as Aquilante, in the No. 35 Phoenix Performance Subaru Impreza WRX caught Espenlaub. While the pair exchanged positions in the closing corners, Thomas sailed away to the checkered flag, getting his second-career victory by 1. 118 seconds and averaging 95. 847 mph. ” This win’s probably just as important to me as the last one with all the stuff that’s been going on, as busy as I’ve been and with the lack of sleep I’ve been getting from my newborn baby, ” Thomas concluded. ” It’s great though. The second is just as sweet as the first and I hope there’s a lot more than this. ” Behind Thomas, Aquilante powered past Espenlaub heading into the Inner Loop, but was quickly re-passed by Espenlaub in Turn Six. The move earned Espenlaub the AutoWeek Move of the Race and his highest finish of the season. ” I was hoping Esayian was going to hold [Aquilante] off a little longer, ” Espenlaub said. ” Then my crew came on the radio and told me there were four laps to go. I thought, 20this isn’t going to end pretty.’ He caught me and I made my car a little wide for him. He had a really good run and got in front of me through the Inner Loop. I was thinking 20third’s not so bad,’ and then he bobbled just a little bit as we went into the Carousel and I saw a little bit of an opportunity. I stuck it in there, he gave me some racing room and we raced hard right around the corner. It worked out alright. It was a last-ditch effort on my part trying to get there and get the position. ” The runner-up finish also propelled Mazda to within three points of Acura, which leads the Manufacturers’ Championship Presented by RACER Magazine (36 to 33 points). A fact Espenlaub was all too aware of in the car. BMW is currently third in the points with 22. “[The Manufacturers’ Championship] was the concern the whole time, ” Espenalub added. ” I kept looking back to see where the Acuras were. Obviously we’re in a battle with them for the Manufacturers’ Championship. I was trying to take some chances to get up to Seth, but I also wanted to make sure Mazda finished high. ” Aquilante collected his second third-place finish in three World Challenge Touring Car races. During his charge from fifth on the grid to third, Aquilante set the Débaufré Fastest Lap of the Race, a 2: 06. 565 (95. 847 mph), and earned a new Débaufré watch. Aquilante also collected the Sunoco Hard Charger award for advancing two positions in the race. ” The start didn’t go as well as I was hoping, ” Aquilante said. ” The last couple of races I think I picked up about five spots, but this time I only got one. Then I got swamped by Pierre [Kleinubing] and James Clay. They got by, then we raced for five or six laps. After I got past them, I set off on a charge to catch the leaders. I got by Nick and was closing on Charles. I had him going up to the Inner Loop, but just couldn’t keep it there. The car bobbled for some reason and he got back around me. That was it. ” It was a great race. I was trying as hard as I could and it was a lot of fun. I’ve got to thank Phoenix Performance, Subaru and all the guys at the shop. They did an awesome job. This series is quite a bit of fun. It’s an all-out sprint to the end I had a blast. ” After running third for most of the race, Esayian crossed the finish line a career-high fourth in the No. 34 BimmerWorld/GearWrench BMW 328i. Peter Cunningham, of the Milwaukee, Wis., was the highest finishing Acura in the field, bringing his No. 1 RealTime/Red Line Oil Acura TSX home in fifth. Cunningham’s RealTime teammates Pierre Kleinubing (Acura TSX) and Kuno Wittmer (Acura TSX) followed him across the line in sixth and seventh, respectively. Current point leader Jason Saini (MAZDA6) finished eighth. James Clay (BMW 328i) and Toby Grahovec (Acura TSX) completed the top 10. Saini’s Championship lead is now cut to three points over Kleinubing (478 to 475). Seth Thomas is now third with 472 points, followed by Cunningham (455) and Wittmer (440). Round Five of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Championships will air on SPEED, Tuesday, July 22, at 2 p. m. (EDT). Round Six heads to Autobahn Country Club, in Joliet, Ill., July 24 — 26. WATKINS GLEN, N. Y. – Results from Saturday’s 20-lap 68-mile SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Round Five Race, The Toyo Tires Watkins Glen Grand Prix Presented by Lala Motorsports at Watkins Glen International, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out (if any). 1. (1), Seth Thomas, Cumming, Ga., BMW 328i, 20. 2. (2), Charles Espenlaub, Lutz, Fla., MAZDA6, 20, -1. 118. 3. (5), Andrew Aquilante, Phoenixville, Pa., Subaru WRX, 20, -1. 401. 4. (3), Nick Esayian, San Diego, Calif., BMW 328i, 20, -2. 195. 5. (7), Peter Cunningham, Milwaukee, Wis., Acura TSX, 20, -8. 766. 6. (4), Pierre Kleinubing, Coconut Creek, Fla., Acura TSX, 20, -9. 172. 7. (9), Kuno Wittmer, Montreal, Quebec, Acura TSX, 20, -13. 181. 8. (8), Jason Saini, Ft. Worth, Texas, MAZDA6, 20, -13. 926. 9. (6), James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., BMW 328i, 20, -14. 846. 10. (10), Toby Grahovec, Chicago, Ill., Acura TSX, 20, -21. 496. 11. (12), Eric Foss(R), Fort Worth, Texas, MAZDA6, 20, -21. 803. 12. (11), VJ Mirzayan(R), Fresno, Calif., BMW 325, 20, -1: 29. 919. 13. (13), John Heinricy(TC2), Royal Oak, Mich., Subaru Legacy, 0, DNS. Time of race: 42 minutes, 34. 056 seconds. Average speed: 95. 847 mphMargin of victory: 1. 118 SecondsLap leaders: Laps 1-20, #38 Seth ThomasCautions: NoneDébaufré race lap: #35 Andrew Aquilante, 2: 06. 565 (96. 709 mph)Fastest qualifier: #38 Seth Thomas, 2: 06. 803 (96. 527 mph)AutoWeek Move of the Year: #73 Espenlaub’s re-pass for second on the fina
Dino Crescentini, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., captured his first SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship win since 2005 on Saturday, holding off Eric Curran, of Easthampton, Mass., at the finish of the Toyo Tires Watkins Glen Grand Prix Presented by Lala Motorsports. James Sofronas, of Newport Beach, Calif., finished third in the event, part of the Camping World Grand Prix Weekend at Watkins Glen International. Starting second in the No. 4 Stoptech/GMG Porsche 911 GT3, Crescentini got the jump on first starting Jason Daskalos’ No. 5 Daskalos Developments Dodge Viper, but not as good as teammate Sofronas, who moved his No. 14 Global Motorsports Group Porsche 911 GT3 to the lead from third on the grid. Sofronas led Crescentini for the opening four laps before Crescentini put the No. 4 car out front on lap five, outbraking his teammate going into the Inner Loop — a move that earned him the AutoWeek Move of the Race. From there, Crescentini held ground and gradually pulled away as Curran and Sofronas traded second place, turning the Débaufré Fastest Lap of the race with a 1: 55. 347 (106. 114 mph). Curran finally took the runner-up spot for good in his No. 30 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Corvette on lap 15 and set his sights on the leader. In the final three laps of the 22-lap, 74. 8-mile race, he knocked two seconds off the lead and came up just 0. 255-second short at the finish line. It was Crescentini’s second-career win coming a day after his 49th birthday. He last won a World Challenge GT race at Portland International Raceway in 2005 — his debut start. Crescentini became the sixth different winner in six races this year. ” I’m always worried about [Eric] Curran, ” Crescentini said. ” Curran is the guy you worry about. The guy is an amazing driver and super aggressive. You can learn a lot from him. It feels really rewarding to beat him once. I love it! ” I have to credit my team and especially Steve Ruiz. The car was nothing last year until he came on board. He was everything to me. He gave me the car and all I had to do was drive it. I think my car was slightly better than James’ [Sofronas] today. We each have our days and I think I just had a bit of an edge on the setup this weekend. ” Curran qualified second, but started fourth after the top five were inverted when pole winner Brandon Davis lost the post-qualifying coin toss. The second-place finish equaled his best finish of 2009, at the season opening round at Sebring International Raceway. ” It was tough, ” Curran said. ” James [Sofronas] and I had a really great race. We raced each other clean. I feel a little bad because I got into him [in Turn Eight]. We were racing so close and I went in real deep and he turned in and I just nudged him. I didn’t mean to push him out of the way, but I did. That’s not the way I want to get by somebody, but that’s good, close racing. I got away after that. The Whelen Corvette was running really great and I’m very happy. ” Curran earned the Sunoco Hard Charger award for advancing from fourth to second. Sofronas became a father for the first time on Tuesday and missed Thursday’s opening practice session. It didn’t seem to matter, though, and the Global Motorsports Group owner was beaming after his cars finished first and third. ” It was a great battle, ” Sofronas said. ” I had great Stoptech brakes. He had a little on me in the Esses, but in the tight stuff the Porsche was stuck. I got a little nudge there in the Heel. We’ll have to check out the video, but that’s just racing. He owes me one, but you know what, we both raced hard and it was pretty clean. We ran really strong together side-by-side. ” I was just smiling the whole time. No matter what I knew Dino was ahead of us and that’s a victory for GMG and Stoptech. Plus, I have my beautiful wife, Nargis, and my baby girl, Chloe, waiting for me at home. I’m full of emotion — I can’t wait to go home and this is a great way to start the weekend off, to be on the podium and congratulating my teammate Dino. ” Davis ran fourth for much of the race in his No. 10 Applied Computer Solutions Ford Mustang, but broke a throttle cable on the last lap, dropping him to eighth with partial power. That advanced Randy Pobst, of Gainesville, Ga., to fourth in his No. 1 K-PAX Racing Volvo S60. Pobst’s teammate, Andy Pilgrim, of Boca Raton, Fla., ran eighth much of the race, but was able to move up to fifth at the finish in his No. 8 K-PAX Racing Volvo S60. Daskalos’ day went much different than at the most recent race at Mosport, where he started up front with the inversion and carried that spot to victory. Daskalos ran sixth for much of the race, and finished seventh, holding off Tony Rivera’s Porsche 911 GT3 at the finish line. Davis, Gunter Schaldach (Dodge Viper) and Sonny Whelen (Chevrolet Corvette) completed the top 10. Davis maintained the point lead halfway through the 10-race season, with 498 points. Sofronas and Pilgrim moved past Rivera, with 464, 448 and 443, respectively. Curran is fifth, with 426. Porsche extended its Manufacturers’ Championship Presented by RACER Magazine lead, with 35, to Ford’s 24, followed by Chevrolet (21), Volvo (18) and Dodge (15). Today’s race will be broadcast Tuesday, July 22 at 2 p. m. (EDT). The SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship next travels to Autobahn Country Club for Round Seven, July 24-26. WATKINS GLEN, N. Y. – Results from Saturday’s 22-lap, 74. 8-mile SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship Round Six race, the Toyo Tires Watkins Glen Grand Prix Presented by Lala Motorsports at Watkins Glen International, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps complete, distance behind winner and reason out (if any). 1. (2), Dino Crescentini, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Porsche 911 GT3, 22. 2. (4), Eric Curran, Easthampton, Mass., Chevrolet Corvette, 22, -. 255. 3. (3), James Sofronas, Newport Beach, Calif., Porsche 911 GT3, 22, -1. 991. 4. (6), Randy Pobst, Gainesville, Ga., Volvo S60, 22, -4. 273. 5. (7), Andy Pilgrim, Boca Raton, Fla., Volvo S60, 22, -20. 142. 6. (1), Jason Daskalos, Albuquerque, N. M., Dodge Viper, 22, -21. 597. 7. (9), Tony Rivera, Missouri City, Texas, Porsche 911 GT3, 22, -21. 701. 8. (5), Brandon Davis, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 22, -31. 536. 9. (10), Gunter Schaldach, Aspen, Colo., Dodge Viper, 22, -1: 02. 887. 10. (8), Sonny Whelen, Old Saybrook, Conn., Chevrolet Corvette, 2, Mech. 11. (11), William Ziegler(R), Jacksonville, Fla., Dodge Viper, 1, Withdrawn. Time of race: 42 minutes, 47. 560 seconds. Average speed: 104. 877 mphMargin of victory: 0. 255-Second, RecordLap leaders: Laps 1-4, #14 James Sofronas; laps 5-22, #4 Dino CrescentiniDébaufré Fastest Race lap: #4 Dino Crescentini, 1: 55. 347 (106. 114 mph)Fastest qualifier: #10 Brandon Davis, 1: 55. 463 (106. 008 mph)Sunoco Hard Charger: #30 Eric CurranAutoWeek Move of the Race: #4 Dino CrescentiniSCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Drivers’ ChampionshipAfter Five of 10 RoundsPos., Driver, Car, Points (wins)1, Brandon Davis, Ford Mustang Cobra, 4982, James Sofronas, Porsche 911 GT3, 464 (1)3, Andy Pilgrim, Volvo S60, 448 (1)4, Tony Rivera, Porsche 911 GT3, 443 (1)5, Eric Curran, Chevrolet Corvette, 4266, Randy Pobst, Volvo S60, 3517, Jason Daskalos, Dodge Viper, 322 (1)8, Sonny Whelen, Chevrolet Corvette, 2889, William Ziegler(R), Dodge Viper, 28710, Tony Gaples, Chevrolet Corvette, 275SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Manufacturers’ Championship Presented by RACER Magazi