Mid-Ohio: Series round six doubleheader preview

40-Car World Challenge Field Ready to Battle it Out at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course

LEXINGTON, Ohio - A strong 40-car field is set for the big doubleheader Round Eight and Nine weekend in the World Challenge Championships at the Optima Batteries Mid Ohio Grand Prix presented by GameStreamer. The large field, with new teams coming in for both GTS and Touring Car, is represented across the board with 15 GT, 15 Touring Car and 10 GTS entries.

Of particular note, the GTS class will see six new competitors coming in from the Mustang Challenge Series with their Ford Mustang FR500S as Ben Crosland and Brad Adams (RPMotorsports), George Winkler and Gary Savage (George Winkler Racing), Richard Golinello (R&C Motorsports), and Devin Cates (Capaldi Racing) are set to pilot their machines and battle it out with class leaders Peter Cunningham, and Nick Esayian in the RealTime Acura TSXs. Also aiming for strong podium finishes are Kevin Helms in the Team Hondaworks Acura RSX, returning to the series since racing at the season opener at St. Petersburg, and Ernie Jakubowski in the Mantis Racing Cayman S.

WC Vision, the managing arm of the World Challenge Championships, recently announced plans for the future of the GTS class that included a mix of production sports cars and sport sedans. The initiative, designed to introduce cars to World Challenge that were not previously eligible or competitive will provide a place for production-based, mid-level sports cars, including a ready-made place for pony cars like the Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro to battle.

In Touring Car, the field grows to 16 as last year's runner up in the TC Drivers' Championship, Jason Saini, returns in the Autobarn Mazda of Countryside MAZDASPEED3, while newcomers Ryan Eversley in the Maxwell Paper Racing RX-8, Bob Roth in the Branden Peterson Racing Honda Civic Si, David Tuaty in the TLM Honda Civic Si, and Jeff Mosing in the Team MER RX-8 make their debuts in World Challenge competition. Points Leaders Robert Stout in the DG-Spec Scion tC, Eric Meyer in the XOWII Mazda RX-8, Brett Sandberg in the Synapse Racing Acura TSX, Dan Gardner in the DG-Spec Scion tC, and Shea Holbrook in the Shea Racing Honda Civic Si will be ready to respond to the challenges from the Touring Car newcomers.

In GT, the No. 6 K-Pax Racing Volvo S60 of Randy Pobst is the favorite until proven otherwise. Among those gunning for Pobst is teammate Andy Pilgrim in the No. 8 K-Pax Racing Volvo S60.

The only driver in the GT field with a previous World Challenge victory at the North-central Ohio circuit is Kuno Wittmer, who won in 2008 -- in a Touring Car. This weekend, Wittmer leads a charge of Dodge Vipers in his No. 13 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Viper, including Jeff Courtney, driving the No. 99 Kenda Tire Dodge Viper, Jason Daskalos (No. 5 Daskalos Developments Dodge Viper) and GameStreamer GT Rookie-of-the-Year leader Fred Roberts (No. 89 Direct Energy Home Services Dodge Viper).

As always, a host of Porsches are a threat to win. Dino Crescentini (No. 4 Centric Parts/Stoptech/GMG Porsche 911 GT3) and James Sofronas (No. 14 GMG Porsche 911 GT3) sit third and fourth in the Drivers' Championship, respectively. Bill Ziegler joins the duo in the No. 05 Swisher Racing/GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3.

Sharing the Porsche power is the TruSpeed Motorsports trio of Patrick Lindsey, Rob Morgan (No. 46 TruSpeed Motorsports/Querencia Porsche 911 GT3) and Charles Morgan (No. 47 Privacy Star/TruSpeed Porsche 911 GT3). Robert Prilika makes his first World Challenge appearance this season behind the wheel of the No. 12 RPM Porsche GT3 Cup machine.

Mike Skeen has some large shoes to fill in the No. 2 Carlisle Companies/Cragar Chevrolet Corvette. In the yellow Corvette's last two appearances, Ron Fellows drove the machine to wins at Mosport and Watkins Glen. Skeen tries to keep that streak alive for the iconic muscle car, along with fellow-Corvette driver Tony Gaples in the No. 29 Kleinschmidt/Blackdog Racing Chevrolet Corvette.

Sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, the 12-race 2010 World Challenge Championship races August 7 -- 8 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Optima Batteries World Challenge Mid-Ohio Grand Prix presented by GameStreamer. For more information, please visit www.world-challenge.com.

-source: scca pro racing