VIR: Touring Car final practice report

Galati Tops Second SPEED Touring Car Practice; Kleinubing Still Fastest Heading into Qualifying ALTON, Va. (April 25, 2008) -- Michael Galati, of Olmstead, Ohio, led the second practice session for Round Two of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World ...

Galati Tops Second SPEED Touring Car Practice; Kleinubing Still Fastest Heading into Qualifying

ALTON, Va. (April 25, 2008) -- Michael Galati, of Olmstead, Ohio, led the second practice session for Round Two of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship during the Bosch Engineering 250 weekend at VIRginia International Raceway. Galati was still one second off of Pierre Kleinubing's morning practice time.

Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., turned a 2:05.422 (93.859 mph) behind the wheel of the No. 43 Acura/Real Time/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX in the morning session and predicted times would slow throughout the day as the track became hotter.

"It seems like the warmer it gets, the less grip we have, so this might be the fastest session," Kleinubing said.

The defending race winner at VIR was indeed correct, as his afternoon practice time was only a 2:06.658 (92.943 mph). Second session leader Galati, in the No. 95 Mazda North America/Tindol MAZDA6 entered a 2:06.422 (93.116 mph).

Galati's afternoon time would have put him 11th in the morning session, leaving the rest of the top ten in combined times identical to the morning session.

Qualifying for Round Two of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED Touring Car Championship begins at 3:20 p.m. (EDT). The race is schedule for 4:10 p.m. on Saturday.

Results, photos, living timing and lap notes are available on www.world-challenge.com.