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World Challenge: Borcheller, Realtime Racing Sweep Races and Titles at PPIR

27 September 1998

FOUNTAIN, Colo. -- Terry Borcheller, of Phoenix, Ariz., won his fourth straight World Challenge T1 race by a 0.191-second margin over Bobby Archer, of Ft. Worth, Texas, in the 45-lap, 60.3-mile season finale at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

In the T2 Class, Pierre Kleinubing scored a 1.770-second victory Michael Galati, of North Olmstead, Ohio, but Galati scored enough points to claim the T2 Drivers' Championship.

Borcheller, who clinched the T1 Drivers Championship at Watkins Glen driving the No. 56 Home Improvement/RRR Speedlab Saleen Mustang, found himself in the middle of a heated battle with Archer that resulted in four lead changes during the 53-minute, 45.213-seconds race, but was able to get a jump on the Vipers after each of the three full course cautions which resulted in no injuries.

"I love racing, and I love to compete," said Borcheller. "As a racer, you always want to win. This win and the championship is a great accomplishment for the entire Saleen/Allen Racing team."

Archer, in the No. 3 Viper Speed Dodge Viper, did everything he could to bring home the first win for the Viper Speed team, but could not find a way around Borcheller in the final laps of the race.

"We had trouble coming off of Turn 10 onto the front straight," said Archer. "The tires really wanted to spin. But we gave it all we had ... it was a fun race."

Neil Hannemann, in the No. 31 Viper Speed Dodge Viper, finished third in T1, followed by Thomas Safar, in the No. 03 TSUNAMI Racing/Hidden Creek Chevrolet Corvette, and Pete Halsmer, in the No. 62 Honda of America Manufacturing Acura NSX.

In the T2 race, Kleinubing, in the No. 43 RealTime Racing Acura Integra R scored the win after passing his teammate on lap 33.

"We've had our share of troubles this season," said Kleinubing. "But in the end it was a great race. Justice was made."

Galati started the weekend four points behind Lance Stewart, in the No. 34 DC Sports Acura Integra R, but a pole position start cut the gap in half. Galati and Stewart were nose-to-tail until Stewart's gas tank was dislodged and he spun in Turn Four, ending his bid for the title. From that point on, Galati was only concerned about preserving the championship.

"I knew that I was going to get a break at some point in the season," said Galati. "I came into this race with one focus .... I knew what I had to do. The RealTime Racing team did a fantastic job."

Johannes van Overbeek finished third in the No. 23 Last Minute Racing BMW 328is in an outstanding drive from his last-place starting position. Van Overbeek was followed by Hugh Plumb, in the No. 25 European Racing Technologies BMW 328is, and Walter Puckett, in the No. 4 ICY Racing/Quaker State Saturn SC.

Reese Cox, in the No. 98 Motorsports Technologies Chevrolet Corvette, and Plumb earned Rookie of the Year honors in the T1 and T2, Classes respectively.



FOUNTAIN, Colo. -- Results from Saturday's 45-lap, 60.3-mile World Challenge combined T1 and T2 class race at Pikes Peak International Raceway, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, class, car, laps and reason out (if any).

  1. (1), Terry Borcheller, Phoenix, Ariz., T1, Saleen Mustang, 45.
  2. (2), Bobby Archer, Ft. Worth, Texas, T1, Dodge Viper GT5, 45.
  3. (3), Neil Hannemann, Livonia, Mich., T1, Dodge Viper, 45.
  4. (8), Thomas Safar II, Point Pleasant, N.J., T1, Chevrolet Corvette
ZR-1, 45.
  5. (4), Pete Halsmer, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., T1, Acura NSX, 45.
  6. (11), Paul Brown, Omaha, Neb., T1, Ford Mustang Cobra, 45.
  7. (6), Ron Johnson, Wayzata, Minn., T1, Saleen Mustang, 45.
  8. (13), Jeff Conkel, Lincoln, Neb., T1, Porsche 911, 45.
  9. (31), Peter Polli, Mendon, Vt., T1, Chevrolet Corvette, 45.
 10. (14), Randy Roatch, Wichita, Kan., T1, Porsche 911, 44.
 11. (17), Pierre Kleinubing, Erexim, Brazil, T2, Acura Integra R, 44.
 12. (16), Michael Galati, North Olmsted, Ohio, T2, Acura Integra R, 44.
 13. (34), Johannes van Overbeek, Pleasanton, Calif., T2, BMW 328is, 44.
 14. (24), Hugh Plumb, Chadds Ford, Pa., T2, BMW 328is, 44.
 15. (20), Walter Puckett, Shelby, N.C., T2, Saturn SC, 44.
 16. (22), Jeff Demetri, Omaha, Neb., T1, Ford Mustang, 44.
 17. (33), Alain Chebeir, Pelham, N.Y., T2, BMW 328is, 44.
 18. (19), Will Turner, Newburyport, Mass., T2, BMW 328is, 44.
 19. (21), Brian Wade, Newfield, N.H., T2, BMW 328i, 44.
 20. (25), Brad Creger, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, T2, Acura Integra R,
44.
 21. (18), Chuck Hemmingson, West Des Moines, Iowa, T2, Pontiac Sunfire,
44.
 22. (29), James Sofronas, Newport Beach, Calif., T2, Oldsmoblie Achieva,
43, Mech.
 23. (28), David Bruener, Port Edwards, Wis., T2, Honda Prelude, 43.
 24. (26), David Rosenblum, Langhorne, Pa., T2, Saturn SC, 43.
 25. (27), J. Bob Taylor Jr., Boulder, Colo., T1, Chevrolet Camaro, 42.
 26. (32), Guy Ruse, Bolder, Colo., T2, Mazda RX-7, 42.
 27. (9), Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., T1, Chevrolet Camaro, 38.
 28. (15), Felice Bruno, El Paso, Texas, T1, Saleen Mustang, 33.
 29. (10), Scotty B. White, Puyallup, Wash., T1, Chevrolet Corvette Z-R1,
27, Mech.
 30. (5), Reese Cox, Marietta, Ga., T1, Chevrolet Corvette, 21, Mech.
 31. (12), Scott Knollenberg, Boulder, Colo., T1, Porsche 911, 12, Mech.
 32. (23), Lance Stewart, Jupiter, Fla., T2, Acura Integra R, 12, Mech.
 33. (7), Peter Cunningham, West Bend, Wis., T1, Acura NSX, 9, Mech.
 34. (30), Fred Meyer, Dallas, Texas, T2, Acura Integra R, 1, Mech.

 Overall time of Race: 53 minutes, 45.213 seconds.
 T1 Class average speed: 67.307 miles-per-hour
 T1 Class margin of victory: 0.191-second
 T1 Class Fastest race lap: Borcheller, 0:59.617 (80.916 mph)
 T1 Class Lap Leaders: laps 1-18, Borcheller; laps 19-26, Archer; laps
27-30, Borcheller; laps 27-30, Borcheller, laps 31- 35, Archer; laps
36-45,
Borcheller.

 T2 Class time of race: 54 minutes, 00.093 seconds.
 T2 Class average speed: 65.509 miles-per-hour
 T2 Class margin of victory: 7.401 seconds
 T2 Class fastest race lap: Kleinubing, 1:04.035 (75.333 mph)
 T2 Class lap leaders: laps 1-31, Galati; laps 32-44, Kleinubing

1998 World Challenge Drivers' and Manufacturers' Championship Point
Standings

T1 Class - Top 20
Position, Driver, Car, Points

1, Terry Borcheller, Saleen Mustang, 248
2, Ron Johnson, Saleen Mustang, 199
3, Peter Cunningham, Acura NSX, 185
4, Neil Hannemann, Dodge Viper, 175
5, Bobby Archer, Dodge Viper GT5, 150
6, Reese Cox, Chevrolet Corvette, 118
7, Paul Brown, Mustang Cobra R, 118
8, Thomas Safar II, Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, 106
9, David Schardt, Toyota Supra Turbo, 106
10, Jeff Conkel, Porsche 911, 105
11, Randy Roatch, Porsche 911, 84
12, Chris Wiehle, Chevrolet Corvette, 82
13, Alfred DuPont, BMW M3, 78
14, Pete Halsmer, Acura NSX, 73
15, Jeff Demetri, Ford Mustang, 71
16, Grant Carter, Chevrolet Camaro, 70
17, Walter Dethier, Ford Mustang Cobra R, 69
18, Peter Polli, Chevrolet Corvette, 60
19, Pierre Bareil, Ford Mustang LX, 51
20, Bob Schiesser, Ford Mustang, 48

T1 Class Manufacturers' Championship
Position, Manufacturer, Points
1, Ford/Saleen, 73
2, Acura, 30
3, Porsche, 11
4, Toyota, 3
5, BMW, 1
6, Mazda, 1


T2 Class - Top 20
Position, Driver, Car, Points
1, Michael Galati, Acura Integra R, 240
2, Pierre Kleinubing, Acura Integra R, 228
3, Lance Stewart, Acura Integra R, 224
4, Hugh Plumb, BMW 328is, 167
5, Will Turner, BMW 328i, 166
6, Johannes van Overbeek, BMW 328is, 163
7, David Rosenblum, Saturn SC, 150
8, Alain Chebeir, BMW 328is, 139
9, Walter Puckett, Saturn SC, 136
10, Brad Creger, Acura Integra R, 113
11, Fred Meyer, Acura Integra R, 100
12, Chuck Hemmingson, Pontiac Sunfire, 91
13, Brian Wade, BMW 328i, 91
14, Mark Reed, Olds Achieva, 91
15, Taz E. Harvey, Honda Prelude, 88
16, Jeff McMillin, BMW 328is, 80
17, Steve Lisa, Oldsmobile Achieva, 59
18, David Bruener, Honda Prelude, 56
19, Hugh Stewart, VW Jetta, 54
20, Michael Sturm, Honda Prelude, 52

T2 Class Manufacturers' Championship
Position, Manufacturer, Points
1, Acura, 79
2, BMW, 47
3, Saturn, 20
4, Honda, 6
5, Pontiac, 2