Van Overbeek grabs Sebring GT pole

SEBRING, Fla. - Johannes van Overbeek, of Danville, Calif., earned his third-career SCCA Pro Racing Speedvision World Challenge GT Superchips pole, and first since 1997 in preparation for Friday's Round Two race, part of the Exxon Superflo ...

SEBRING, Fla. - Johannes van Overbeek, of Danville, Calif., earned his third-career SCCA Pro Racing Speedvision World Challenge GT Superchips pole, and first since 1997 in preparation for Friday's Round Two race, part of the Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring Weekend. Peter Cunningham, of W. Bend, Wis., and Michael Galati, of North Olmstead, Ohio, completed the top three. Driving the No. 81 Flextronics/Intel Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, van Overbeek turned a fastest lap of 2:21.485 (94.144 mph) around the 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit-just 0.025-second ahead of Texas Superchips Pole winner Cunningham. "We struggled all week to get the car to my liking, but it paid dividends today on the qualifying lap," said van Overbeek, who went out in an accident at the Texas Motor Speedway Round One race. "The expectations for the race are high, but I'm not going to fool myself. After our misfortune at Texas, we need a good finish. If we run up front, we'll be fine." Cunningham was 0.061-second behind van Overbeek before a flier at the end of the session, a lap of 2:21.510 (94.127 mph), which gained him 0.036-second. The lap wasn't quite enough to earn his second-straight Superchips pole in the No. 42 RealTime Racing Acura NSX. Galati, who won at Texas in the No. 9 Audi S4 Competition, was third with a lap of 2:21.767 (93.957 mph). Mike Fitzgerald, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Bill Cooper, of Bozeman, Mont., completed the top-five.