LEXINGTON, Ohio (July 19, 2008) Peter Cunningham, of Milwaukee, Wis., went more than two seasons without a pole position, but he took his second SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car pole in-a-row Saturday in preparation for Sundays Round Seven race, part of the Acura Sports Car Challenge/Honda Indy 200 weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Teammate Kuno Wittmer, of Montreal, will start second.Driving the No. 42 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX, Cunningham turned a fastest time of 1:33.301 (87.124 mph) around the 2.258-mile circuit to lead the field. It was Cunninghams 32nd-career pole position, drawing within one of record-holder, and teammate, Pierre Kleinubings current mark of 33.I had an awesome draft, Cunningham said. I gapped it right and the Acuras are hooked up. We love this place. I was surprised at what the lap time was, but I knew it had to be a pretty good lap. I got a sense that I had caught Pierre and Kuno just a little bit, so when I heard the running order it was like okay, cool.After watching Mazdas pace Fridays practice, Wittmer made it an all-Acura front row in his No. 44 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX with a fast lap of 1:33.568 (86.876 mph).I think that the strength [of the RealTime Acuras] are that we have a very consistent car, Cunningham added. I think we can have a good car at the end of the race. Our weakness is the straightaway. Its all very close, but were just a little bit lacking in that department. Mazdas will occupy the second row, with Cleveland native Jason Saini missing the second spot by just 0.003-second in his No. 74 Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6 with a lap of 1:33.571 (86.873 mph). Chip Herr, of Lititz, Pa., who was fastest in practice in the No. 97 Mazdaspeed/Tindol Motorsports MAZDA6, will start fourth after turning a fast time of 1:33.658 (86.792 mph).Dino Crescentini, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., completed the top five with his best qualifying effort since moving to RealTime Racing, with a 1:33.695 (86.758 mph) in the No. 46 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX.Charles Espenlaub (MAZDA6), Jim Daniels (MAZDA6), Michael Galati (MAZDA6), point leader Pierre Kleinubing (Acura TSX) and James Clay (BMW 325i) completed the top 10. The top 13 cars were all within one second of the pole position time.Sundays Round Seven race for the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship will make its standing start at 9:15 a.m. (EST) Sunday morning. Live lap notes and timing are available during the event through the SCCA Pit Board at www.world-challenge.com. The race will be broadcast Thursday, July 24 at 12 p.m. (EST) on SPEED.
LEXINGTON, Ohio - Starting lineup for Sunday's SCCA Pro Racing SPEED Touring Car Championship Round Seven race, part of the Acura Sports Car Challenge/ Honda Indy 200 weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with position, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour.1, (42), Peter Cunningham, Milwaukee, Wis., Acura TSX, 1:33.301, 87.124.2, (44), Kuno Wittmer, Montreal, Quebec, Acura TSX, 1:33.568, 86.875.3, (74), Jason Saini(R), Fort Worth, Texas, MAZDA6, 1:33.571, 86.873.4, (97), Chip Herr, Lititz, Pa., MAZDA6, 1:33.658, 86.792.5, (46), Dino Crescentini, Mahattan Beach, Calif., Acura TSX, 1:33.695, 86.758.6, (73), Charles Espenlaub, Lutz, Fla., MAZDA6, 1:33.739, 86.717.7, (75), Jim Daniels(R), Germantown, Tenn., MAZDA6, 1:33.761, 86.697.8, (95), Michael Galati, Olmsted, Ohio, MAZDA6, 1:33.967, 86.507.9, (43), Pierre Kleinubing, Coconut Creek, Fla., Acura TSX, 1:33.981, 86.494.10, (36), James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., BMW 325i, 1:34.099, 86.385.11, (8), Jason Martinelli, Roxbury, Conn., BMW 325i, 1:34.210, 86.283.12, (63), Robb Holland, Denver, Colo., Dodge SRT-4, 1:34.292, 86.208.13, (45), Glenn Bocchino, Delray Beach, Fla., Acura RSX, 1:34.295, 86.206.14, (34), Nick Esayian, San Diego, Calif., BMW 325i, 1:34.373, 86.134.15, (38), Seth Thomas, Cumming, Ga., BMW 325i, 1:34.548, 85.975.16, (96), Charlie Putman, Mills, Wyo., MAZDA6, 1:34.638, 85.893.17, (57), Patrick Lindsey(R), Santa Barbara, Calif., MAZDA6, 1:35.548, 85.075.18, (24), Jim Osborn, Ooltewah, Tenn., Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 1:36.907, 83.882.19, (49), Branden Peterson, Breckenridge, Colo., Acura TSX, 1:40.773, 80.664.20, (52), Byron Smith, Salt lake City, Utah, BMW 330i, no time.
