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SCCA Pro: Wiehle, Stewart Score First Wins in World Challenge at Minneapolis

28 June 1998

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (June 27, 1998) Chris Wiehle, of De Kalb, Ill., scored his first career World Challenge Touring One Class victory with a daring and determined drive on a wet Minneapolis street circuit at the Sprint PCS Grand Prix of Minnesota.

Wiehle, in the No. 55 Melrose Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, started the 19-lap, 30.4-mile race third and held the position while front row starters Terry Borcheller, in the No. 56 Home Improvement Saleen Mustang, and Bobby Archer, in the No. 31 Viper Speed Dodge Viper, battled for the top spot. As the track began to dry Wiehle came on strong, passing Archer for second on lap 11 while Borcheller held the lead.

"I was praying that it wasn't going to rain, but before the race we gambled that it would and made the right changes," said Wiehle. "This year has been really rough. We've had some bad luck in the last few races but I'm proud of our team. It's great to have turned our luck around here at Minneapolis."

For the next six laps Wiehle reeled in Borcheller, making his move on lap 17 as the pair dove into Turn Six on the 13-turn, 1.6-mile circuit. Once out front, Wiehle was able to hold on for a 0.457-second margin over Borcheller, while Archer finished third, followed by Ron Johnson and David Schardt.

"I was settled into a good paced," said Borcheller. "We didn't go with a full rain set-up, just rain tires. In the end, Chris (Wiehle) just caught me by surprise and drove around me."

In a separate 28-lap, 44.8-mile Touring Two Class race, Lance Stewart, of Jupiter, Fla., scored his first career win with a 6.443-second margin of victory over Hugh Plumb, of Chadds Ford, Pa.

Stewart, in the No. 34 DC Sports Acura Integra R, started the wet race eighth but was into second, behind the No. 16 European Motorsports Technology BMW 328is of Plumb by lap 10 and for the next seven laps the pair battled nose-to-tail for the top spot. On lap 18 Stewart made his move for the lead and never looked back, padding a comfortable lead as the circuit dried from the intermittent rain.

"There's incredible competition in the Touring Two Class with tight racing and great drivers," said Stewart. "Racing parts aren't really available to do a lot of development so this win is especially great for our team. We've worked so hard for this, the DC Sports car was flawless. You have everything to lose on a street course like this so I just took my time and made the pass. Once I was out front I knew I could put some distance on Hugh (Plumb).

Finishing third was Alain Chebeir, in the No. 22 Last Minute Racing BMW 328is, followed by Michael Galati and Chuck Hemmingson.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Results from Saturday's 19-lap, 30.4-mile World Challenge Touring One Class race, part of the Sprint PCS Grand Prix of Minnesota, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.

  1. (3), Chris Wiehle, DeKalb, Ill., Chevrolet Corvette, 19.
  2. (1), Terry Borcheller, Pheonix, Ariz., Saleen Mustang, 19.
  3. (2), Bobby Archer, Ft. Worth, Texas, Dodge Viper, 19.
  4. (4), Ron Johnson, Wayzata, Minn., Ford Mustang, 19.
  5. (9), David Schardt, Dayton, Ohio, Toyota Supra Turbo, 19.
  6. (), Peter Cunningham, West Bend, Wis., BMW M3, 19.
  7. (6), Rick Polk, Excelsior, Minn., Porsche 911, 19.
  8. (12), Alfred DuPont, Kennett Square, Pa., BMW M3, 19.
  9. (8), Randy Roatch, Wichita, Kansas, Porsche 911, 19.
 10. (14), Thomas Safar II, Point Pleasant, N.J., Corvette ZR-1, 18.
 11. (11), David Farmer, Albemarie, N.C., Chevrolet Camaro, 18.
 12. (7), Paul Brown, Omaha, Neb., Mustang Cobra R, 18.
 13. (13), Walter Dethier, Warren, Conn., Mustang Cobra R, 4, Mech.
 14. (10), Steve Marshall, Christiansburg, Va., Porsche RSR, 1, Mech.
 
Time of race: 45 minutes, 16.413 seconds.
Average speed: 40.288 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: .457-second
fastest race lap: Terry Borcheller, 1:32.856 (62.031 mph)
Lap leaders: laps 1-16, No. 56 Borcheller; laps 17-19, No. 55 Wiehle.


MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Results from Saturday's 28-lap, 44.8-mile World
Challenge
 Touring Two Class race, part of the Sprint PCS Grand Prix of Minnesota,
with finishing
 position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps
and reason out.
 
  1. (8), Lance Stewart, Jupiter, Fla., Acura Integra R, 28.
  2. (2), Hugh Plumb, Chadds Ford, Pa., BMW 328is, 28.
  3. (4), Alain Chebeir, Pelham, N.Y., BMW 328is, 28.
  4. (1), Michael Galati, North Olmsted, Ohio, Acura Integra R, 28.
  5. (6), Chuck Hemmingson, Des Moines, Iowa, Pontiac Sunfire, 28.
  6. (10), Taz E. Harvey, Danville, Calif., Honda Prelude, 28.
  7. (5), Johannes van Overbeek, Pleasanton, Calif., BMW 328is, 28.
  8. (9), Will Turner, Newburyport, Mass., BMW 328i, 28.
  9. (12), David Rosenblum, Langhorne, Pa., Saturn SC, 28.
 10. (17), Mark Reed, London, UK, Oldsmobile Achieva, 28.
 11. (7), Brad Creger, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Acura Integra R, 27.
 12. (19), Brian Wade, Newfields, N.H., BMW 328is, 27.
 13. (15), David Bruener, Port Edwards, Wis., Honda Prelude, 27.
 14. (16), Fred Meyer, Dallas, Texas, Acura Integra R, 26.
 15. (18), Hugh Stewart, Massipequa, N.Y., Volkswagen Jetta, 16, Mech.
 16. (3), Pierre Kleinubing, Erexim, Brazil, Acura Integra R, 15, Crash.
 17. (11), Walter Puckett, Shelby, N.C., Saturn SC, 3, Mech.
 18. (13), Michael Sturm, Grafton, Wis., Honda Prelude, 2, Crash.
 
Time of race: 49 minutes, 10.480 seconds.
Average speed: 54.662 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: 6.4429 seconds
Fastest race lap: Chuck Hemmingson, 1:38.239 (58.632 mph)
Lap leaders: laps 1-17, No. 16 Plumb; laps 18-28, No. 34 Stewart


WC T1 Points
   1, Ron Johnson, Saleen Mustang, 108
   2, Terry Borcheller, Saleen Mustang, 84
   3, Peter Cunningham, Acura NSX/BMW 328is, 76
   4, Chris Wiehle, Chevrolet Corvette, 66
   5, David Schardt, Toyota Supra Turbo, 60
   6, Paul Brown, Mustang Cobra R, 55
   7, Bobby Archer, Dodge Viper, 51
   8, Reese Cox, Chevrolet Corvette, 48
   9, David Farmer, Chevy Camaro, 48
 10, Walter Dethier, Mustang Cobra R, 47
 11, Neil Hannemann, Dodge Viper, 46
 12, Jeff Conkel, Porsche 911, 42
 13, Randy Roatch, Porsche 911, 38
 14, Alfred DuPont, BMW M3, 37
 15, Bill Cooper, Corvette ZR1, 34
 16, Walter M. Swick, BMW M3, 31
 17, Grant Carter, Chevrolet Camaro, 30
 18, Jeff Demetri, Ford Mustang, 30
 19, Thomas Safar II, Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, 25
 20, Stuart Jones, Pont Firebird, 20
 21, Jerry Isaacson, Porsche 911 RSR, 20
 22, Rick Polk, Porsche 911, 19
 23, Kenneth Lubash, Camaro, 19
 24, Tom Baker, Eagle Talon, 17
 25, Pierre Bareil, Ford Mustang LX, 17-
 26, Pat Nowak, Mustang Cobra, 14
 27, Bob Schiesser, Ford Mustang, 14
 28, Michael Pettiford, Chevrolet Camaro, 14
 29, Soctty B. White, Chevrolet Corvette Z-R1, 14
 30, Peter Polli, Chevrolet Corvette, 13
 31, Guy Pine Pavageau, Chevrolet Camaro, 12
 32, Darren Law, Saleen Mustang, 12
 33, Steve Marshall, Porsche RSR, 12
 34, Cliff Nystedt, Chevrolet Corvette, 11
 35, Kim Baker, Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, 9
 36, Doug Johnson, Chevrolet Corvette, 8

WC T2 Points
   1, Michael Galati, Acura Integra R, 114
   2, Pierre Kleinubing, Acura Integra R, 104
   3, Hugh Plumb, BMW 328is, 98
   4, Johannes van Overbeek, BMW 328is, 91
   5, Lance Stewart, Acura Integra R, 90
   6, Alain Chebeir, BMW 328is, 73
   7, Will Turner, BMW 328i, 72
   8, Taz E. Harvey, Honda Prelude, 69
   9, David Rosenblum, Saturn, 66
 10, Chuck Hemmingson, Pontiac Sunfire, 64
 11, Mark Reed, Oldsmobile Achieva, 58
 12, Walter Puckett, Saturn, 47
 13, Steve Lisa, Oldsmobile Achieva, 46
 14, Brad Creger, Acura Integra R, 42
 15, Fred Meyer, Acura Integra R, 37
 16, Jeff McMillin, BMW 328is, 35
 17, Jim Lovett, BMW 328i, 30
 18, David Bruener, Honda Prelude, 21
 19, Brian Wade, BMW 328, 18
 20, Hugh Stewart, VW Jetta, 17
 21, Michael Sturm, Honda Prelude, 17
 22, Charlie Downs, Mazda RX-7, 15
 23, Tom Kelly, VW GTI, 14
 24, Dino Hamilton, Dodge Neon, 14
 25, Fred Pignataro, Ford Contour SVT, 12
 26, Alex Krugman, Mazda RX-7, 11
 27, Dick Reed, Pontiac Sunfire, 11
 28, Chris Reinke, Ford Contour, 10
 29, Manny Matz, Mazda RX-7, 10
 30, A.J. Frank, Honda Accord, 9
 31, Grant Lockwood, BMW3, 8
 32, Walter Markes Jr., BMW 325is, 7
 33, Richard Ellinger, Mercedes-Benz, 5
 34, Denny Baglier, Mazda MX-6, 3