SCCA World Challenge Report and Results from Trois-Rivieres

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2 August 1997

CUNNINGHAM, CHEBEIR TAKE WORLD CHALLENGE WINS ON THE STREETS OF TROIS-
RIVIERES
 

TROIS-RIVIERES, Quebec, Can.(August 2) -- Peter Cunningham, driving
the No. 42 CompTech/RealTime Racing Acura NSX, passed Lou Gigliotti's
No. 1 LG Motorsports Saleen Mustang on lap 27 and never looked back,
taking the T1 Class SCCA World Challenge victory by 5.484 seconds on
the streets of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Can.

In the T2 Class, Alain Chebeir, driving the Last Minute Racing BMW
328is, topped the ICY Racing/Quaker State Saturn SC of Paul Booher to
score his second career World Challenge victory and his first podium
finish of 1997.

Cunningham, of West Bend, Wis., started the 34-lap, 51.204-mile race
third and ran in third until leader Rob Fellows, of Toronto, Ontario,
Can., suffered a broken lower control arm on lap 22, ending his day in
18th while Cunningham advanced to second and Gigliotti, of Garland,
Texas, moved into the lead.

After stalking Gigliotti for five laps, Cunningham made and
out-braking maneuver as the pair dove into turn four of the 10-turn,
1.506-mile street circuit. The duo ran side-by-side to turn six before
Cunningham was able to put enough distance on Gigliotti to keep the
position for good, scoring his third win of the season in the process.

"I got a run on Lou and was close enough in the braking zone to
outbrake him into turn four," said Cunningham. "He passed me back the
next corner but I had the inside line, and then the next couple of
corners I was able to get just enough of a lead where I didn't have to
do anything defensive and I was able to build a lead."

Kermit Upton III of Ludlow, Vt., finished third in the Mountain
Autosport BMW M3, followed by Ron Johnson, of Wayzata, Minn., and
Grant Carter, of Bowie, Md.

Chebeir, of Phelam, N.Y., started third after posting the fastest
qualifying time and wasted no time in moving to the front, passing his
teammate Johannes van Overbeek for the lead on lap five, holding the
position to take a 3.221-second margin of victory.

"Trois-Rivieres was my first-ever World Challenge start back in 1994,"
said Chebeir. "I have a French background and I've always wanted to
win here. We had good traction coming out of the corners and the car
ran really well."

Finishing third in the T2 Class was Michael Galati, followed by Taz
Harvey and Walter Puckett.

Leading the T1 Class Drivers' Championship point standing is
Cunningham, with 191 points, followed by Gigliotti, 175; Fellows, 146;
Simon Greg, 143; and Johnson, 124. In the T2 Class standings, Galati
leads with 190, followed by Booher, 176; Pierre Kleinubing, 166;
Chebeir, 158; and Harvey, 138.

TROIS-RIVIERES, Quebec, Can. - Results from Saturday's 34-lap,
51.204-mile SCCA World Challenge race on the street of Trois-Rivieres,
with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver,
hometown, car, laps and reason out.


T1 Class
  1. (3), Peter Cunningham, West Bend, Wis., Acura NSX, 34.
  2. (5), Lou Gigliotti, Garland, Texas, Saleen Mustang, 34.
  3. (1), Kermit Upton III, Ludlow, Vt., BMW M3, 34.
  4. (4), Ron Johnson, Wayzata, Minn., Saleen Mustang, 33.
  5. (8), Grant Carter, Bowie, Md., Chevrolet Camaro, 33.
  6. (10), Harry Bytzek, King City, Ontario, Can., Porsche RSR, 33.
  7. (11), Thomas Safar II, Point Pleasent, N.J., Chevrolet Corvette, 33.
  8. (18), Duane Grahovec, Palos Park, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 33.
  9. (13), Chris Camedella, Milford, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 32.
 10. (12), Doug Frazier, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Saleen Mustang, 32.
 11. (14), Walter M. Swick, Concord, Ohio, BMW M-3, 32.
 12. (7), C. David Seuss, Charlestown, Mass., Saleen Mustang, 32.
 13. (16), Rael, Quebec, Can., Chevrolet Corvette, 31.
 14. (19), Peirre Bareil, Quebec, Can., Mustang LX, 31.
 15. (17), Jacques Rivard, Quebec, Can., Porsche 911, 30.
 16. (9), Rick Dilorio, Acton, Mass., Ford Mustang, 29.
 17. (20), Trevor Goddard, Niagara Falls, N.Y., Ford Mustang, 29.
 18. (2), Rob Fellows, Ontario, Canada, Saleen Mustang, 22, Suspension.
 19. (6), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Saleen Mustang, 20, Over Heat.
 20. (15), Sean Grosman, Ontario, Canada, Chevrolet Camaro Z-28, 0, DNS.
 
 T2 Class
  1. (3), Alain Chebeir, Pelham, N.Y., BMW 328is, 32.
  2. (2), Paul Booher, Pinellas Park, Fla., Saturn SC, 32.
  3. (5), Michael Galati, North Olmsted, Ohio, Acura Integra R, 32.
  4. (6), Taz E. Harvey, Danville, Calif., Honda Prelude, 32.
  5. (8), Walter Puckett, Shelby, N.C., Saturn SC, 32.
  6. (4), Pierre Kleinubing, Erexim, Brazil, Acura Integra R, 31.
  7. (1), Johannes van Overbeek, Pleaston, Calif., BMW 328is, 31.
  8. (9), David Rosenblum, Langhorne, Pa., Saturn SC, 31.
  9. (10), Fred Pignataro, East Northport, N.Y., Mazda RX-7, 31.
 10. (12), Ronald C. Jesberger, New Hyde Park, N.Y., Mazda RX-7, 29.
 11. (11), Fred Meyer, Dallas, Texas, Honda Prelude Si, 29.
 12. (13), Michael Defontes, Baltimore, Md., Oldsmobile Achieva, 28.
 13. (7), Jim Lovett, Highland Park, Ill., Honda Prelude Si, 21, Mech.
 14. (14), Lu Ryba, Huntington Beach, Calif., Oldsmobile Achieva, 0, DNS.
  
 Race Statistics
T1 Class time of race: 41 minutes, 26.393 seconds.
T2 Class time of race: 42 minutes, 08.450 seconds.
T1 Class average speed: 74.137 miles-per-hour
T2 Class average speed: 68.615 miles-per-hour
T1 Class margin of victory: 5.4839 seconds
T2 Class margin of victory: 3.221 seconds
T1 Class fastest race lap: No. 4 Fellows, 1:11.278 (76.062 mph)
T2 Class fastest race lap: No. 22 Chebeir, 1:17.013 (70.398 mph)
T1 Class lap leaders: laps 1-4, No. 25 Upton III; laps 5-21, No. 4 Fellows;
laps 22-26; No. 1 Gigliotti; laos 27-34, No. 42 Cunningham.
T2 Class lap leaders: laps 1-4, No. 23 van Overbeek; laps 5-32, No. 22
Chebeir