Detroit: Practice two report

Pilgrim Fastest Saturday and Overall in SPEED GT Practice at Detroit

DETROIT, Mich. (Aug. 30, 2008) -- Leading the way for General Motors at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, the Cadillac CTS-V of Andy Pilgrim, from Boca Raton, Fla., was fastest in Saturday's SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT practice session. Randy Pobst, of Gainesville, Ga., and Michael McCann, of Canton, Ohio, were second and third fastest, respectively. Pilgrim's Saturday time was also the fastest practice time overall heading into Sunday's qualifying for Round Eight of the SCCA SPEED GT Championship.

Piloting the No. 8 Remington Shaving Cadillac CTS-V, Pilgrim put Detroit muscle on the top of the time sheets with a lap of 1:32.140 (80.877 mph) around the 14-turn, 2.07-mile temporary street circuit.

"The car was not easy to drive," Pilgrim said. "I was really working hard. I got two clean laps with new tires. We were on new tires and I think everyone else used their new tires yesterday.

"I'm happy, but I'm a bit nervous because the car wasn't easy to drive at all. Very close to the walls. I'm having fun, but it's pretty scary funness. I'm a bit pensive right now, because we're right there with Randy [Pobst] and those guys on their old tires."

After trailing Pobst and Eric Curran early, Pilgrim became the first driver to break the 1:32-mark at the session's halfway point.

"It took us about four laps to get the pressures up and get any grip out of the tires. We're not getting sticker grip out of the tires here and I'm not sure what we're going to do in qualifying. I'm a bit cross-eyed right now."

Despite his concerns, Pilgrim was proud of Team Remington Cadillac's performance on GM's home turf.

"We want to have a good showing this week. We have a good showing anyway because the team does such a professional job. Everybody is just doing a great job. Mike [McCann] is doing a great job and is right there. He didn't even get a clean lap in practice today, so if he would have, you might be hearing from him right now. We're working together to try and figure out what's going to be good."

After topping Friday's practice session, Pobst ended Saturday second fastest. The defending Champion entered a lap of 1:32.282 (80.752 mph) in his No. 1 K-PAX Racing Porsche 911 GT3.

Pilgrim's teammate McCann was third fastest at the close of the 20-minute session. Driving the No. 16 Remington Shaving Cadillac CTS-V, McCann turned a 1:32.474 (80.584 mph).

Though he topped the timing screens early in the session, Eric Curran ended the day fourth in the No. 30 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Corvette. The Round Seven winner clocked a 1:32.929 (80.190 mph).

Michael Galati, of Olmsted, Ohio, completed the top five in the No. 23 K-PAX Racing Porsche 911 GT3 with a lap of 1:32.981 (80.190 mph).

Brandon Davis just missed putting a Ford Mustang Cobra in the top five, ending the day in sixth. Dino Crescentini (Porsche 911 GT3), Joey Scarallo (Pontiac GTO) and James Sofronas (Porsche 911 GT3) followed.

The highest-placing Dodge Viper, Jason Daskalos, completed the top 10.

Qualifying for Round Eight of the SCCA SPEED GT Championship will take place at 8:30 a.m. (EDT) on Sunday. The 27-lap race will follow at 12:45 p.m. (EDT). Live timing is available at www.world-challenge.com. The race will air on SPEED, Sept. 12, at noon (EDT).

-credit: scca pro racing