Photo: Mark Weber

Kleinubing takes pole at Sebring

By

Pierre Kleinubing, inherited his 32nd record-breaking career pole position in first round of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car at the Sebring Raceway on Friday as provisional pole position winner Seth Thomas, had his time disallowed due to a technical infrimement.
Team-mate Kuno Wittmer, from Quebec, will start second after dominating the two earlier practice sessions.

Drama at the end of qualifying as the No 38 BimmerWorld BMW 325i of Seth Thomas had his time dissollowed after the car failed the post-qualifying technical inspection. It revealed that BMW had failed the ride height check and gifting the pole postition to Kleinubing for his record-tying third SCCA SPEED Touring Car pole at Sebring.

“I’m happy to be starting from pole,” Kleinubing said. “Obviously it’s where you want to start the race and I’ve won this race from pole before, but I’ve also done well starting farther back.

“I feel bad for Seth. I’ve been in his position before, but I’ll take the qualifying points.”

Wittmer, who paced practice on Wednesday in his No. 44 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX, turned a fastest lap of 2:21.309 (94.261 mph) to start second. Team owner Peter Cunningham made it a RealTime Racing top three, with a lap of 2:21.702 (94.000 mph).

“I’m not worried about having Kuno and Peter starting behind me,” Kleinubing added. “I’d rather have my teammates there than anybody else.”

Nick Esayian might have made it a RealTime top-four sweep had he not switched to BimmerWorld this season. The No. 34 BimmerWorld BMW 325i driver will start fourth, entering a time of 2:22.582 (93.420 mph) in qualifying.

Jason Martinelli was provisionally shown in fifth following qualifying, but the rear-wing on his No. 8 Goodhill/Torrington Supply/Litco BMW 325i did not past post-qualifying inspection and he was sent to the back of the grid. Instead, the No. 97 Mazda North America/Tindol MAZDA6 of Chip Herr will start fifth, the highest placed Mazda on the grid.

Charles Espenlaub (MAZDA6), Dino Crescentini (Acura TSX), Jeff Altenburg (MAZDA6), Michael Galati (MAZDA6) and Glenn Bocchino (Acura RSX) completed the top ten.