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SEBRING, Fla. (March 16) – Peter Cunningham, of W. Bend, Wis., won his World Challenge record 20th career race after a thrilling pass of then leader Michael Galati with two laps remaining in Round Two of the Speedvision GT Championship. Johannes van Overbeek, of Danville, Calif., finished third.
Driving the No. 42 RealTime Racing Acura NSX, Cunningham led the first two laps of the 18-lap, 66.6-mile contest before Galati’s No. 9 Champion Audi S4 Competition went to the front. Cunningham hounded Galati all over the 3.7-mile circuit for the final 10 laps, making numerous attempts to pass in the sweeping turn 17.
As the two were about to come to the white flag, Cunningham looked to go to the inside as he had tried before, but then went outside of Galati, passing the Audi on the outside of the 180 degree corner, earning the Rogaine Hair Raising Pass of the Day in the process. Cunningham led the final tour, topping Galati by a mere 0.381-second, averaging 76.892 mph.
"Michael drove a great race," said Cunningham, who broke the tie with Lou Gigliotti for the most career World Challenge race wins. "We had an outstanding battle throughout the day, but under braking is where I think I hurt him. As far as braking goes, we just had it exactly where we wanted to be, and that’s what did it for us."
Cunningham’s win tied him with Galati for the Championship points lead after two of 10 rounds, with 62. It also knotted up the Manufacturers’ Championship between Acura and Audi, at 16.
"The Audi Quattro was just great," said Galati, of North Olmstead, Ohio via Italy. "It was a wonderful race. A fantastic race. When PD [Cunningham] passed me on the way to the white flag, it really did not surprise me. There was just nothing I could do. He ran a good race."
Van Overbeek started from the Superchips Pole in the No. 81 Flextronics/Intel Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, but got away slowly from the standing start, missing a shift from first to second. He came across the finish line 10th on the first lap, but steadily moved up to third by the finish to earn the Borla Performance Award.
"It was tough and it really took a lot of work, but we managed to keep up with Peter [Cunningham] and Michael [Galati]," said van Overbeek. "The Porsche really worked well for us, especially under braking. That was the reason we were able to move back up through the field after the start."
Mike Fitzgerald, of Phoenix, Ariz., finished fourth, followed by Jeff McMillin, of Erie, Pa.
