VIR: Series practice one report

Wittmer, Cunningham and Meyer Lead Morning World Challenge Practice at VIR

ALTON, Va. (September 10, 2010) -- Kuno Wittmer, of Montreal, opened the Race Keeper World Challenge VIR Grand Prix presented by Special Ops Watch by leading the World Challenge Championships GT class in Friday morning's practice. Peter Cunningham, of Milwaukee, Wis., and Eric Meyer, of Indianapolis, Ind., led the GTS and Touring Car classes, respectively.

Wittmer, driving the No. 13 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Viper, bested the K-Pax Volvo teammates of Andy Pilgrim and Randy Pobst in the 30-minute session on the 17-turn, 3.27-mile track by just 0.163-second. Wittmer posted a fast time of 1:57.520 (100.170 mph) in the practice.

Pilgrim, of Boca Raton, Fla., and Pobst, of Gainesville, Ga., ran nearly identical times to run second and third in the session. Pilgrim's No. 8 K-Pax Racing Volvo S60 completed the circuit in a time of 1:57.598 (100.103 mph), just ahead of Pobst's No. 6 K-Pax Racing Volvo S60 with a time of 1:57.683 (100.031 mph).

James Sofronas, who won the previous round at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, was fourth in the session with a time of 1:58.049 (99.721 mph) in the No. 14 GMG Porsche 911 GT3. Rob Morgan, of Conway, Ark., finished the session in fifth behind the wheel of the No. 46 TruSpeed Motorsports/Querencia Porsche 911 GT3 with a time of 1:58.642 (99.222 mph).

GTS Championship leader Cunningham finished the session with a flying lap more than a second quicker than teammate Nick Esayian, of San Diego. Cunningham piloted his No. 43 Acura/RealTime Racing Acura TSX to a best time of 2:07.687 (92.194 mph), topping Esayian's time of 2:08.907 (91.321 mph) behind the wheel of his No. 34 Acura/RealTime Racing Acura TSX.

Karl Poeltl, of Knoxville, Tenn., finished the session third in his first World Challenge start in 2010. Poeltl's No. 83 Racer's Edge/Wossner Pistons BMW E46 325i posted a time of 2:10.802 (89.998 mph).

In Touring Car, Meyer's No. 32 XOWii/Samaritan's Feet/Delvira Mazda RX-8 posted a time of 2:13.363 (88.270 mph). With just three races to go, Meyer is hoping to close the gap this weekend on Touring Car championship leader Robert Stout.

Todd Buras, of Daytona Beach, Fla., opened the season with a pair of wins on the streets of St. Petersburg, but has been sidelined with broken ribs since April after a racing accident in another series at this very same track. To mark his professional return, Buras put his No. 50 Irish Mike's Racing Volkswagen Jetta GLI into second on the time charts with a time of 2:13.795 (87.985 mph), just 0.428-second behind Meyer.

Robb Holland, of Denver, was third in the 303 Motorsports/Track Pro/Emich VW Volkswagen GTI with a time of 2:13.934 (87.894 mph), followed by Brett Sandberg (No. 28 Whitehall Stables Acura TSX) with a time of 2:14.028 (87.832 mph) and Shea Holbrook (No. 67 SaferTeenDriver.com Honda Civic Si) with a best time of 2:14.920 (87.251 mph).

The World Challenge Championships GT, GTS and Touring Car classes return to practice later Friday afternoon at 4:10 p.m. EDT in preparation for this weekend's doubleheader.

-source: scca pro racing